This huge rock monolith stands near the entrance to the Ute Mountain Tribal Park in southwestern Colorado. Pam LeBlanc photo

I’ve been to the Durango area half a dozen times, to see cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park, ride the steam train that chugs up to Silverton, and to ski at Purgatory and Wolf Creek. This week I skipped all those things and focused on mountain biking.

I’ll be writing a complete story later, but for now, here are the 10 highlights of my trip to what the tourism folks call Mesa Verde Country in southwestern Colorado:

Professional cyclist Ashley Carelock zooms down at trail at Boggy Draw near Dolores, Colorado. Pam LeBlanc photo

1. Swooping through the Ribcage. I rented a Specialized Stumpjumper mountain bike from Kokapelli Bike & Board in Cortez, an hour west of Durango. Then I connected with professional endurance gravel bike racer Ashley Carelock, who led me up a network of single track trails through scrub brush and rock formations that looked like they were made out of Silly Sand at Phil’s World. At the top, we launched into the most celebrated stretch of flow trail in his corner of Colorado – the Ribcage. The drop-in was a little bit gnarly, but then we rocketed up and down a series of undulating dipsy-doos, hardly peddling because the momentum kept us rolling. I still haven’t wiped the smile off my face.
2. Biking Boggy Draw. When the sun rose higher in the sky and the heat cranked up, we ditched Phil’s World for Boggy Draw. This slightly milder collection of trails weaves through a pine forest, and since it’s at a higher altitude it’s not quite as hot ther.e
3. Jumping into McPhee Reservoir. I was on my own the next day, and it got hot – Texas style warm-a-tortilla-on-the-sidewalk hot, with temps hovering just over 100 degrees. To cool off, I drove through a forest of pine trees to the rocky shore of a cold lake, where I jumped in (naked, of course.)

Tribal member Rickey Hayes explains the history of rock art at the Ute Mountain Tribal Park. Pam LeBlanc photo

At the Ute Mountain Tribal Park, visitors can see ancient rock art. Pam LeBlanc photo

4. Exploring the Ute Mountain Tribal Park. Put this on your must-do list. Tribal member Ricky Hayes led our group of six onto part of a 125,000-acre parcel of tribal land and showed us rock art, mounds of pot sherds and ruins, told us ancient stories, and taught us about Native American culture.

5. Staying at Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch. This amazing 2,000-acre guest ranch made me swoon. Not only is it populated with sheep, cattle, cats, and chickens, owners Ming and Garry Adams are eccentric, creative, welcoming and wonderful. They invited me to dinner, where I met a Navajo couple and other long-time friends.

6. Feeding the sheep. Garry handed me a sack of organic chia and quinoa chips, and pointed me to a field at the guest ranch where huge, fluffy sheep were grazing. I barely escaped a gentle trampling when they eagerly rushed over for a snack.

7. Eating like a local. In Cortez, I stopped by Blondie’s for a Navajo taco, made with hot fry bread topped with green chile and sour cream. WildEdge Brewing Collective in Cortez served great tap beer and excellent pork nachos. I cooled off with a scoop of honey lavender ice cream at Moose & More in Cortez. And I also sampled the world’s best hummus and great baked goods at the Dolores Food Market in Dolores.

8. Visiting a winery. Sutcliffe Vineyards is tucked in a beautiful valley about 15 miles outside of Cortez. They’re best known for chardonnay, and owner-founder John Sutcliffe, a former polo player and New York City restauranteur, is happy to show visitors around.

9. Shacking up at the Retro Inn in Cortez. If you need an affordable place in Cortez, book a night at the Retro, a renovated motel with a funky, retro vibe and clean but basic rooms. There’s a giant outdoor chess set, a real-live telephone booth, and a barbecue pit. I stayed in No. 1971, decorated with Clint Eastwood movie posters from the time.

10. Take in a sunset. Slow down, sit outside, think about the ancient people who once lived here, and soak it all in.

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   The Wagstaff Cabin at the Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch is secluded and luxurious. Pam :LeBlanc photo

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Heather Harrison and Courtney Martinez are racing tandem. Pam LeBlanc photo

You’ve got to have a screw or two loose to sign up for the Texas Water Safari, a 260-mile paddle race from San Marcos to the Gulf Coast.

Why else would you endure bobbing logjams, spiders, rapids, snakes, soul-sucking mud, exhaustion, extreme heat, alligators, mosquitos, and hallucinations?

I dropped by check-in for the grueling race, which starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at Spring Lake, the headwaters of the San Marcos River.

Colton Moore will attempt his first Texas Safari race. Pam LeBlanc photo

Among this year’s racers is Colton Moore, 31, who moved to Central Texas last year to prepare. He thinks he’s ready, although he’s apprehensive. This year marks his first attempt at the event, dubbed “The World’s Toughest Canoe Race.

“I just want to make it through the first 30 miles without breaking my boat,” he says, noting that many of the other competitors have years of experience on him. “They know these rivers, they know these boats. But I can do this.”

A few months ago, it looked like racers would have to deal with slow moving water during this year’s race. But recent rains have bumped up the flow. The weather forecast calls for high humidity and temperatures in the upper 90s.

Owen West, 83, will try for his 29th Safari finish. Pam LeBlanc photo

Eighty-three-year-old Owen West doesn’t seem at all worried about conditions. The 29-time contestant, known famously for carrying a baggie filled with Swisher Sweets cigars along on the route, chomped on a stogie as his grandson Alex West, 33, hovered nervously. West is hoping to become the first to rack up a finish in all seven decades that the race has been staged. This year he’s racing with two younger paddlers – his grandson Eric West and his friend Keegan McCally.

“It takes an army to get him down the river, but we don’t tell him that,” Alex West says. “He’s ‘Let’s get some cigars and Coca Colas and go down the river.’ We just want to make sure Owen is OK. I’m sure he’d love to die on this thing, but we don’t want him to.”

This racer taped a picture of his family next to his canoe seat to keep him motivated. Pam LeBlanc photo

The five-man Cowboys team is legendary in the event. John Mark Harris, 62, a member of this year’s cowboy hat-wearing crew, is looking for his 35^th finish.

“I still get very nervous, but it used to be worse,” he says, explaining that during one of his first races he had to ask his dad to pull over so he could barf out the car door on the way to the start line.

So why do it?

“The short answer is you start out doing it to see if you can,” Harris says. “You keep doing it because you realize you can do better. And then you keep going because you realize you love it.”

The Marathon2Marathon is back on and scheduled for Oct. 23, 2021. Here, Pam LeBlanc runs the 10K version of the race in 2018. Andrew Lochbaum photo

Running a marathon on city streets is one thing, but imagine knocking out 26.2 miles through the Chihuahuan Desert in West Texas.

After a hiatus last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Marathon2Marthon is back on, race organizers announced this week. The full marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K will take place Oct. 23 this year on a gradually downhill course without much vehicle traffic. Did I mention the climate is dry, too?

I did the 10K a few years ago, and loved the experience.

All four distances start north of Marathon on Highway 385, and finish in the heart of the tiny town, the Gateway to the Big Bend.

This year’s event will feature a pasta dinner Friday night at The Gage hotel, a barbecue lunch at the finish line and a dance and star party at the Marathon Motel on Saturday, plus a gospel brunch at the French Grocer on Sunday.

I did the 10K version of the race on a whim in 2018, and loved running past cactus and road runners as I trotted toward Marathon. Plus, where else (in the United States anyway) can you take a picture next to an official city sign that says “Marathon,” when you’re running a marathon?

For the first time this year, the race won’t finish on Highway 90. Instead, it will end in front of the Community Center on a side street.

Registration is $115 for the full marathon, $90 for the half, $60 for the 10K and $50 for the 5K. (Late fees kick in on Oct. 20.) Registration includes free transportation to the appropriate start line, along with a shirt and a finishers medal.

To register, go to https://www.marathon2marathon.com/event. All proceeds will benefit the Marathon Health Center. For more information about the race, go to www.marathon2marathon.com.

Pam LeBlanc sits under the spillway at Blanco State Park. Photo by Chris LeBlanc

I’ve spent more than a few frustrated hours at my computer, struggling to reserve a camping spot or cabin at a Texas state park.

I’m happy to report that the Texas State Park Online Reservations webpage has been updated with some useful new features.

Visitors can now see and reserve available campsites for the same day and for the upcoming weekend via the Camping This Weekend tab. The page shows visitors where tent camping sites, RV/trailer sites and lodging are available, and you can narrow results by park or city. If your first choice park is booked, the website will direct you to a nearby park to explore.

The reservation system also allows park goers to make same-day overnight camping reservations online or by calling the customer service center before 4 p.m. each day. Before, you had to contact the park directly.

Texas State Park reservations can be made online anytime or by calling the Texas State Park Reservation Center at 512-389-8900 on weekdays. Overnight reservations can be made up to five months in advance, and day passes can be reserved up to 30 days in advance. (If your plans change, please cancel your reservation as soon as possible.)

Paul Antrim serves brisket at Ronnie’s BBQ in Johnson City. Pam LeBlanc photo

Last week’s jaunt to a ranch near Mason to see where Nine-Banded Whiskey draws spring water used in its bourbon resulted in a happy discovery: A really good barbecue joint in Johnson City.

Ronnie Weiershausen started peddling barbecue cooked directly over coals at the storefront at 211 U.S. Highway 281 back in 1976. Mickey Poole bought the place in December 2019, with plans to use it as a commissary and satellite kitchen for an events center and tiny home village called The Edge that he’s opening near Fredericksburg later this year.

The barbecue business is going well, though, so Poole is keeping the fires burning – although he’s ditched the direct-heat method of cooking for an offset smoker “after Paul and I almost burned the place down.”

Paul Antrim mans the smoker behind Ronnie’s BBQ in Johnson City. Pam LeBlanc photo

Paul Antrim is the cook. He arrives at the office by 5 a.m. daily, seasoning meat and putting it on the smoker, where it spends the next six to eight hours. He turns out tender, smokey brisket, ribs, sausage, turkey, and chicken at the counter-service restaurant, serving ranchers and visitors like me passing through town. (Under no circumstances should you skip the jalapeno poppers, bacon-wrapped nuggets of fire and brimstone with a soothing cream cheese stuffing.)

“I’d put our stuff up against anybody,” Poole says. “His brisket is amazing.”

He’s right. The food has gotten so popular that Antrim smokes 18 or 19 briskets at a time, and sells out regularly.

It’s enough to convince me to make the trip, even if it is a little out of the way.