Road trip | NearandFarAZ

There are a few things to know about road tripping through West Texas. First of all, the distances between towns will be LONG. From El Paso on the western edge of Texas to Austin near the heart of the state, the drive clocks in at nearly 9 hours. And that’s not even counting the detours you will want to include or the numerous gasoline and meal breaks you will need to take.

But just as certain as the long distances you’ll face is the assurance that you will have plenty of delightful little towns along the way to break up the drive. From the hip town of Marfa that is known worldwide for its art scene, to the tiny Interstate 10 outpost of Ozona that is the center of a county named for Davy Crockett, West Texas is a treasure trove of fascinating culture.

Everywhere you stop, it seems, you will be met with intriguing stories, historic hotels, ruggedly beautiful hikes, and friendly people. And as you drive from town to town, count on passing over long ribbons of pavement with views of distant jagged mountains.

After taking several road trips in southwestern Texas during the past two years, I have a few favorites. Here are 7 towns that are worth a pause on your waltz across West Texas.

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Posted on April 10, 2022 by nearandfaraz

Road trip, Texas, Travel, Uncategorized

Fort Davis Texas, Marfa Texas, Texas Road Trip, Van Horn Texas, West Texas, West Texas Road Trip

Even though the big in Big Bend National Park refers to a giant curve in the Rio Grande, it could just as easily refer to the park itself (bigger than the state of Rhode Island), the views (immense and sweeping), or the river (definitely grande!).

Big Bend National Park was the main reason for my recent Texas road trip, but the other park that I added along the way – Guadalupe Mountains National Park – turned out to be wonderful too in its own way.

Big Bend had been on a my travel radar for a while – ever since I watched the 2014 Richard Linklater and Ethan Hawke movie Boyhood. For some reason, the movie scene of a sunset hike along the Rio Grande stuck with me through the years. It turns out the scene was actually shot at the nearby Big Bend Ranch State Park, not the national park, but the effect was the same. I just had to visit the area.

Early in the summer of 2021, I finally began planning a trip to Big Bend. Since I was going to be in West Texas, I decided to check out the state’s other big national park, Guadalupe Mountains, as well.

Before I knew it, I had the makings of an epic national park road trip. From my base in the west-Texas city of El Paso, I headed first to Guadalupe, then to Big Bend. (I also ended up adding New Mexico’s lovely White Sands National Park to the trip, but that’s the topic of another story!)

Here’s how my 2-parks-in-4-days road trip went:

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Posted on July 16, 2021 by nearandfaraz

hiking, National Parks, Road trip, Texas, U.S. National Parks, Uncategorized

Adventure, Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Road trip, Texas, Travel, White Sands National Park

When it comes to natural grandeur, I would argue that there are few places that can compete with the stunning Island of Maui.

Not only does the Hawaiian island feature sunny southern beaches, a 10,000-foot-high volcano, and lush inland rain forests, but it also boasts not just one, but TWO, magnificent north shores.

Before my recent trip to Maui, I had heard plenty about the East North Shore, better known as the Road to Hana. But I was unprepared for what was in store on Maui’s other north shore on the western side.

The drive I took along the western coastline packed even more of a punch because I had heard relatively little about it. All I can say is it delivered VIEWS with a capital V!

For me, Maui’s two north shores came down to a comparison of culture and vistas. The famous Road to Hanna is packed with Hawaiian culture hidden amidst its beautiful oceanside terrain, while the western shore offers an unparalleled tableau of lovely seaside blues.

Here is a breakdown of what I liked about each of Maui’s north shores. Read More

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Posted on January 18, 2020 by nearandfaraz

beaches, Road trip, Sightseeing, Uncategorized

Hana Maui, Hawaii, Maui, Maui North Shores, Maui road trips, Ocean views, Road to Hana

Finding the Salt River Wild Horses

With all due respect to the Rolling Stones’ classic “wild horses couldn’t drag me away” lyric, it turns out that Arizona’s herd of free-roaming Salt River Wild Horses can, in fact, drag thousands of people away from modern life – and into a scene straight out of the Old West.

I was happy to be among them on a recent warm spring day, when, right on the edge of Phoenix, Arizona – one of the largest metro areas in the U.S. – the wild-and-free animals were treating visitors to a taste of western culture unlike any trip to a museum or cowboy reenactment could ever deliver.

On that Sunday morning, I had a front-row seat to a little family-of-three grazing along the riverbank, occasionally sticking their noses deep into the lazy waters of the Salt and rolling energetically onto their backs in the rugged river rocks.

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Posted on March 28, 2019 by nearandfaraz

Arizona, Desert, Destinations, Food, hiking, Near, Road trip, Salt River, Sightseeing, trails, Uncategorized

Goldfield Recreation Area, How to find the Salt River Wild Horses, Lower Salt River, Mesa Arizona, Phoenix Arizona, Salt River, Salt River Wild Horses, Scottsdale Arizona, Tonto National Forest

“Over the red lands and the gray lands, twisting up into the mountains, crossing the Divide and down into the bright and terrible desert, and across the desert to the mountains again, and into the rich California valleys.”

The Grapes of Wrath

For me, any mention of Route 66 always conjures up images of John Steinbeck’s epic novel “The Grapes of Wrath” and the fictional Joad family’s arduous journey from Oklahoma to California.

Over the years, I’ve taken in bits and pieces of the historic highway, always marveling at the narrow two-lane road and its status for decades as America’s main east-west route between Chicago and Santa Monica, California.

A recent re-reading of “The Grapes of Wrath” set me to wondering about Arizona’s remaining sections of the original roadway. And, since I live within a few hours of all of the Arizona towns along the route, I decided to spend the coming weekends retracing the Joads’ route through the state.

Starting with Holbrook in the east, my goal is to head west, like the Joads – taking in Winslow, Two Guns, Flagstaff, Williams, Hackberry, Kingman, and Topock – all the way to the Colorado River on the California border. Of course, along the way, I’ll be stopping at some of the cool roadside attractions and epic hikes as well.

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Posted on January 31, 2019 by nearandfaraz

Arizona, Desert, Destinations, hiking, National Parks, Near, New Mexico, Road trip, Route 66, Sightseeing, trails, Travel, Uncategorized

Grapes of Wrath, history, Holbrook Arizona, John Steinbeck, Local, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest National Park, Road trip, Route 66, Travel, views

The scene I awoke to Sunday morning, Jan. 13, 2019, was anything but the sunny hiking weather I had been expecting. The weather forecast the day before had been predicting rain for Saturday night, followed by a partly cloudy day on Sunday. But in Northern Arizona – at more than 5,300 feet elevation – you never know.

Magically, that light rain had morphed into several inches of fluffy white snow.

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Posted on January 15, 2019 by nearandfaraz

A hike and a bite, Arizona, cactus, Desert, Food, hiking, Near, Prescott, Road trip, trails, Uncategorized, Wildflowers

Arizona hiking, Black Canyon City, Black Canyon Trail, Four seasons in a day, Phoenix area hiking, Rock Springs Cafe, Rock Springs Cafe pie

From trudging through snowy-white sand in New Mexico’s 90-degree autumn weather to venturing deep into the shady woods of central Czech Republic, my hikes of 2018 were varied, to say the least.

Also unique this year was my participation in the 52 Hike Challenge – a movement that encourages people to get out onto the trails at least once a week for the entire year.

It was fairly casual participation on my part, because I didn’t fully document every single hike I took on social media, and some of my hikes were repeats on local favorites. Even so, I had plenty of ‘first times’ too – from the beaches of Southern California, to the mountains of Utah, to the depths of the Grand Canyon.

So, as 2018 comes to an end, and as I close in on my 52^nd hike of the year, I am taking a look back at the top 10 – my personal ‘greatest-hit hikes’ of 2018:

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Posted on October 7, 2018 by nearandfaraz

Far, Food, Near, New Mexico, Road trip, Sightseeing, Travel, Uncategorized

Chile Fanatic, chile trail, cooking, Food, green chile trail, green chiles, Hatch chiles, Hatch New Mexico, kitsch, red chile, Travel

What is it about trains? I’m far from a railroad buff, but still, there’s something in the lonesome whistle of an old locomotive that speaks to me.

I was reminded of that again and again on my recent trip to Durango, Colorado. Among the activities I had planned was a daylong trip to Silverton on the historic Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Even before I got near the train depot in downtown Durango, though, there was no question that I was in a railroad town. The long whistle could be heard all over town, and the plumes of gray-and-white steam could be glimpsed over the tops of buildings and trees. It definitely served to build up anticipation for the actual train ride.

Of course, the train isn’t the only thing Durango has to offer. I also loved the historic downtown and the gorgeous Animas River Trail and Greenway. (See related blog).

But the train is the real star in this southwestern Colorado town. Nearly 200,000 passengers rode the train in 2017. And certainly, the three-and-a-half-hour ride to Silverton delivers on multiple levels. Among them: The non-stop views of the Animas River and surrounding San Juan Mountains.

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Posted on April 22, 2018 by nearandfaraz

Colorado, Destinations, Far, railroads, Road trip, Sightseeing, trails, Trains, Uncategorized

Colorado mountains, Durango Colorado, Durango Silverton, Four Corners, Narrow Gauge, Railsroads, San Juan Mountains, Silverton Colorado

Every now and then, you visit a place that seems to have it all: Jaw-droppingly gorgeous surroundings, charming city streets, a fun vibe, and uniquely entertaining activities.

Durango, Colorado is just that kind of town. At a population of only about 17,000, it’s not a large city, but it IS big in so many other ways. Take the San Juan Mountains. The rugged peaks rise all around, making for stunning views in virtually every direction.

And the downtown, which lies at the base of the mountains, is bursting with history. Countless old buildings have been preserved and re-purposed as cool bars, restaurants and shops.

Then there’s the “river runs through it” thing. The lovely Animas River really is the heart of Durango. The rush of its chilly blue-green waters can be heard and seen from patios, trails, and city sidewalks all over town.

And who could forget the feature that is perhaps Durango’s main claim to fame – the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad? With its multiple daily trips to the mountain town of Silverton, the train is ubiquitous in Durango. Its whistle and smoky-steam plume are true symbols of the region.

But more on the train later (See related blog).

On my recent trip to southwestern Colorado, I also had another objective: To see Durango from river level. So, for the introductory blog on my “A Hike and a Bite” series, I give you the Animas River Trail.

1 Comment

Posted on April 21, 2018 by nearandfaraz

A hike and a bite, A hike and a brew, Beer, Cityscapes, Colorado, Destinations, Far, Food, hiking, Road trip, Sightseeing, trails, Travel, Uncategorized

A hike and a bite, Adventure, Animas Brewing Co., Animas River, Animas River Trail, Beer, Colorado trails, Durango and Silverton, Durango Colorado, hiking, Narrow Gauge, Railroad, Road trip, Roadtrips, San Juan Mountains, Serious Texas BBQ, Travel

The third Monday of January – it’s that blue time of the year when I come to terms with a few things: the Christmas tree MUST come down; the sun doesn’t ALWAYS shine in Arizona; and I NEED to plan some adventures.

Last year at this time, I took advantage of mid-January – officially the bluest time of the year – to set some travel goals. Not only did it get me through my least favorite month, but it served as a springboard for some truly awesome trips.

At the time, I was about eight months into my travel and hiking blog, and I had some big plans for the coming year.

Now, it’s time to see how I did on my list of travel resolutions of 2016, and to set some new ones for 2017.

2 Comments

Posted on January 16, 2017 by nearandfaraz

Arizona, beaches, California, Canada, Destinations, Far, Grand Canyon, hiking, Lists, Montana, National Parks, Near, North Dakota, Road trip, San Francisco, Sedona, Sightseeing, Travel, Uncategorized

2017, New Year's resolutions, travel dreams, Travel goals

“Isn’t life good?”

This from a complete stranger deep in the mountains of Montana.

I didn’t miss a beat. “Amazing,” I responded.

Considering the surroundings, our mutual effusiveness didn’t seem strange in the least. At that moment, we were passing through a meadow bordered on each side by hundreds of beargrass blooms. The spiky white flowers cascaded down the valley on one side and up the mountain slope on the other. For a moment, I felt transported to a 3-D scene from “Avatar.”

5 Comments

Posted on August 25, 2016 by nearandfaraz

Destinations, Montana, National Parks, Road trip, U.S. National Parks

beargrass, Glacier National Park, hiking, Iceberg Lake Trail, Montana, Wildflowers

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7 cool little towns sure to brighten your West Texas road trip

2 Texas Treasures: Guadalupe Mountains to Big Bend

Maui’s 2 North Shores: West vs. East

Wild horses ‘dragged me’ into the Old West

Finding the Salt River Wild Horses

‘The red lands and the gray lands’ of Arizona’s Mother Road

“Over the red lands and the gray lands, twisting up into the mountains, crossing the Divide and down into the bright and terrible desert, and across the desert to the mountains again, and into the rich California valleys.”

The Grapes of Wrath

‘Four seasons’ in a single day? Welcome to Arizona in January

Greatest hiking ‘hits’ of 2018

On the Green-Chile Trail

The lure of the lonesome train whistle: Impossible to resist in Durango-Silverton

A Hike and a Bite: Durango, Colorado

Dreaming big for 2017

Why is everyone smiling? The magic of Iceberg Lake

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