Sitting in the small diner “Johnny B's,” attempting to slurp down a thick cold chocolate malt, I wondered “what's so special about Marathon and the Big Bend ? Six days later as I prepared to leave the area heading toward home, I wished for another life time where I could move to the area and live out a fantasy life. Marathon is considered to be the gateway to the Big Bend area. A small place without rush hour traffic. For the RV traveler looking for adventure this is the beginning.

Marathon boasts of its beginnings when in 1878 an eighteen year old Alfred Gage from Vermont set out to find his fortune in the Wild West. By 1920 he was a prosperous banker, businessman, and rancher living in the San Antonio area. Alfred Gage had purchased a 500,000 acre ranch in Marathon and since he made frequent trips to check on his purchase, headquarters of some sort needed to be established. Gage decided to build a hotel which he placed into business to serve as his operation base and also as a local hotel to weary travelers. Gage was never able to enjoy the amenities of the hotel due to an untimely death. It would be decades later before the Gage Hotel would be restored and fully functional accommodating guests as it does today.

This is the place where you return to clean air. A breath is crisp and the night sky is magnificent. Stars can be seen as jewels lighting up the sky for miles around. Sunrise greets you with an array of purples, gold, and pink. Desert birds sing their songs in the silence. Without the roar of hundreds of motorists and overhead airplanes, the delicacy of nature once again can be heard. With the exception of having to use your generator for keeping things going – the silence around is a getaway rich unto itself and brings a reward of internal peace.

This RV trip is not like any of the others. No rushing around the resort to get to the next tee time, or tennis court reservation. Although there are a number of RV sites scattered throughout the Big Bend region, some sites are within the park itself and require “boondocking.” (Dry camping for a length of time – self contained, without external water supplied, sewage, or electricity). Marathon Motel has a nice RV campsite. Nineteen full service hook-ups with 50 amp and prices are $85/week or $250/month. A full service kitchen is available from 8:30 – 10:00 am daily if you'd like to try someone else's cooking for a change! Call the owner, Danny Self at 1-432-386-4281, located on Hwy 90 West. (Photos courtesy of Marathon Chamber of Commerce). Another RV park listed in the area is Ranch RV Park, Hwy 90 East 1-432-376-2244. Before leaving Marathon, take time to visit the local artisans, and shops, and try a malt at Johnny B's. Information can be obtained at www.gagehotel.com or www.marathontexas.net .

Big Bend National Park named for the great turn the Rio Grande River makes in the Southwest part of Texas covers over 800,000 acres. Established in 1944 this national park is divided into three regions: the Rio Grande with its 118 miles of green floodplains, the seemingly unending Chihuahuan Desert, and the purple peaked Chisos Mountain Range. Traversing an altitude of the 7,000 foot high South Rim of the Chisos to the depth of Mariscal Canyon, you will discover western wilderness and solitude. RV traveler can choose from a variety of activities to explore the beauty of the desert and the Rio Grande . The Big Bend area can accommodate every camping style from full hook-up RV units to remote back country campsites. Big Bend National Park has three developed campgrounds with paved access all suitable for RV's, Rio Grande Village, Chisos Basin, and Cotton Wood Campground. For information on the numerous RV sites go to www.visitbigbend.com .

Yes, indeed it would have to be another lifetime for this fantasy to be fulfilled. There is so much to be done in the Big Bend area; 800,000 acres to hike, miles and miles of river to run, hundreds of rock formations to be seen and pictographs to be discovered. There are horses to be ridden into the sunset and campfires to sing around at night. A million stars to gaze upon and try to name. New desert flora blooms after a rainfall, birds chirping, and wildlife moving without boundaries. Oh the joy and freedom the travel of an RV can bring. Live the fantasy and Happy Traveling!

If you have questions you may contact me at:

Rhonda@photoandtravel.com