by

Work at the Cabin is Never Done

As I have often said, the work at the cabin is never done. And in this season of my life that is a good thing. The older I get, the more intentional I have to be to stay active. Staying active is essential to, in the words of Toby Keith, not letting the old man in. The old man, it seems, is always knocking at my door.

I made a quick trip to the cabin primarily to have a required service upgrade from Big Bend Telephone. Yes, we do have internet service at our off-grid cabin thanks to the marvels of modern technology. The upgrade however, did not happen. Troubles with a tower diverted technicians to that location and left me having to reschedule the upgrade. No worries. I live with Plan B, C, and D in my back pocket.

I have to make the most of every trip to the cabin, so I was prepared with my list of pending projects. My friend Paul Kitchen accompanied me on this trip. Paul is my missions ministry resident and also teaches a trade program for teens in the town of Brookshire just west of Katy. He is a hard working and talented guy.

Whenever I need to haul a big load of supplies to the cabin, my friend James Meredith always loans me one of his trailers. The week before the trip, Paul and I and our buddy Mike Aronson loaded decking, t-posts, a heavy roll of field fence, and a partial cord of firewood into the trailer. James used his skid steer to top off our load with heavy cedar logs provided by my friend Jeff Smith.


Paul and I met at 6:00 AM on Monday and went to James’ MTNest Farm in Pattison to pick up the trailer. We then headed down the two-lane road toward San Felipe and onto Interstate 10 for the ten-hour drive to the cabin. We stopped at Buc-ee’s in Luling to top off the fuel tank and to make some adjustments to the load for a smoother ride. Buc-ee’s is a must stop on any Texas road trip!


Moments after we arrived at the cabin the monsoon rains greeted us with thunder and lightning and refreshing rain. So, we settled in for a bite to eat and watched the storm. Storms in the desert have a majesty all their own. When you experience a desert storm you can better understand John Denver’s lyric, “You fill up my senses, like a storm in the desert.”


The following morning we off-loaded the heavy cedar logs without the use of a skid steer. I will use these posts when we start building our primitive campsite cabanas on our tracts to the west of the cabin. These sites will help us when we host our annual campouts for boys from fatherless homes and for men recovering from alcohol and drug addictions.


After carefully stacking the heavy cedar logs, Paul and I built a 16-foot long firewood rack in front of the guest cabin courtyard. This rack will hold firewood to stock the camping cabanas once they are completed. Campfires are important because they are a gathering place where folks can have conversations and share stories. That’s why we want to always have a big supply of firewood.


Last month a hail storm did some damage on the property. Two of our security cameras took a direct hit along with the dish that provides our internet. The hail also knocked out a window screen at the guest cabin but fortunately did not break the window. I asked Paul if he could build awnings for the two small windows at the guest cabin to protect them from future hail storms. Using scraps of lumber leftover from previous projects, Paul pulled it off and constructed heavy-duty awnings.


The next project on the list was decking the area in front of my shipping container shop. Paul also took on this project while I caulked and painted the window awnings. Really pleased with the result. This is the area where I set up my sawhorse workbench and enjoy working on projects under the beautiful Big Bend sky. The deck is a huge upgrade.


The final project on this list was to complete a 350-foot long section of fence along one side of our southwest tract. The cedar posts and t-posts have been in place for a few months, just waiting for the fence. Paul and I stretched and installed the fencing and then topped it off with a strand of barbed wire. Only 2,640 more feet to go! Will get it done a bit at a time.


And now, I am back home and need to start packing for my upcoming trip to Türkiye. Don’t yet know when I will make it back to Big Bend but grateful for the time Paul and I spent working on projects at the cabin. This was one more opportunity to keep the old man out!

by

A Slow Paced Time at the Cabin

After spending a month out of the country, it was nice to toss my clothes and tools into the Tundra and head west to the cabin. Although Cheryl and I have grown accustomed to the 9 hour and 60 minute drive to our cabin, I have to say that after driving 6,500 miles through Australia’s outback last month, the 10 hour trek to Big Bend just did not feel as long.

I normally have a long list of projects to complete whenever we head west, but intentionally kept my to-do list short on this trip. I needed to do some maintenance stuff around the property — little things that are always way down on my list. So, I moved the little stuff to the top of my list this past week.


First, I wanted to address our Texas-themed picnic tables. When I painted the tables, I chose not to distress them but instead let the Big Bend sun and wind do that for me. After three years, the tables have weathered beautifully. In order to preserve the rustic charm, I lightly sanded all of the tables and then gave them two coats of spar urethane. I am very happy with the results.


Second, since buying my log-splitter, I have enjoyed cutting rounds and then splitting them at home for use at the cabin. I now have a lot (almost a full cord) of firewood in my backyard, split and ready for transport. So, I tossed as much firewood as I could into the bed of my truck for use at the cabin.


Now, I have already built four firewood racks but, with all of the extra wood, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to build one more. So, that’s what I did. I built rack numbers 5 with scrap lumber and set it up on the west side of our guest cabin. We will not run out of firewood anytime soon.


Third, I added some items from my 6,500 mile Australian Outback roadtrip to distribute 10,000 copies of Luke’s Gospel and to serve as an ambassador for the new animated Jesus Film currently under production. Good memories associated with the three-week trip from Texas to the heart of Australia.


Fourth, my neighbor Joe stopped by to finish the last of the electrical work on the guest cabin. We ran some conduit from my solar panels to the cabin and then tidied up all of the wiring. We now have enough battery power to operate the mini-splits in both cabins all day and night. And, Joe has set everything up so that I can check the status of my batteries from my phone and operate the mini-splits from my phone as well.


Finally, Cheryl and I enjoyed spending every evening around the fire pit, waiting for the golden hour — those waning moments of the day when the sun starts to slip below the horizon while painting the evening sky with magnificent colors. The sunsets combined with the pleasant evening breezes were amazing. We sat by the fire pit every evening until the ambient light of the sun faded away and gave way to the night sky.


Grateful, as always, for cabin time. The drive from Katy to Big Bend is always enjoyable. I love looking out at the vast expanses once we get past Kerrville. So relaxing. And, of course, the time at the cabin is absolutely good for our hearts. Working with my hands is also good for my heart and my head. Always looking forward to our next visit.

by

Introducing Boys to Adventure

My days of adventuring started when I was a kid growing up in the small South Texas town of Mission. Our mesquite-shaded backyard, accented with broad stands of prickly pear growing out of hard-packed dirt, was where I first felt the thrill of adventure. I climbed and fell out of mesquite trees, harvested crispy and lifeless cicada shells clinging to gnarly mesquite branches, stalked birds with my air rifle, and made my first campfire in that big backyard.

My thirst for adventure is still strong six-decades later. But what really adds to my excitement is introducing boys to adventure. When Cheryl and I purchased our first tract of land in the Chihuahuan Desert outside of Big Bend National Park, we dreamed of developing it as a basecamp for adventure — especially for boys and dads, boys without dads, and families.


This past week we hosted our fourth annual Big Bend Adventure for boys from the Brookshire community and their mentors. The Brookshire community, located west of Houston, has the highest percentage of fatherless homes in the greater Houston area. We host our campouts in partnership with The Hangar, a ministry of Eyes On Me. This Christian non-profit exists to mentor, disciple, and serve at-risk youth and their families.

The boys arrived mid-afternoon on Sunday. Their first order of business was to select a campsite and pitch their tents. For many of the boys, this was their first time to set up a tent and to sleep outdoors. One boy spent the first night sleeping on top of his sleeping bag because he did not know that he was supposed to unzip it and crawl inside. The temps dipped to 26-degrees that night. He learned a valuable lesson and was much warmer on his second night.

On the first night around the campfire, we gave each boy a hydration backpack and all sorts of survival gear — first aid kit, headlamp, flashlight, emergency blanket, whistle, compass, paracord bracelet, and other cool outdoor stuff. We explained why each piece of gear is important and then used that item as a metaphor for a spiritual lesson.


The boys enjoyed two days of adventure in the national park. They hiked some beautiful trails and saw some remarkable scenery. This was the first time many of these boys had visited a national park. They enjoyed every minute of hiking and boulder scrambling and dipping in the Rio Grande River.


We also set aside one day for the boys to do tasks around the property that can only be accomplished by cooperating with one another. We talked to them about the importance of doing any assigned task well and why their work is essentially their signature.


This year the boys pounded t-posts along what will become a new fence line, fastened the horizontal pieces to cedar posts to make H-brackets and then tensioned those brackets with smooth wire. As in years past, they did a truly remarkable job on their assigned tasks.


James Meredith returned once again to serve as lead camp cook. James met with some of the boys to plan and execute meal prep. Every meal was so good. It was great to see some of the older boys step up to help with the meal preparation — a great way to learn responsibility.


My favorite time is always our evening campfire time. The boys sat around the campfire and listened to testimonies from our friend Rene, aka 211, from El Paso. He shared his powerful story of spending years in prison and falling in love with Jesus. He is a great mentor and a powerful speaker.


My friend a fellow staff member Bobby Cooley shared his emotional story of growing up in a broken home. Bobby is a testimony to the transforming power of the gospel. God rescued him from a childhood so crazy and that was leading him down a path that would have destroyed him.


A young man who goes by the name Nephew was released from prison 36 days prior to the campout. He shared his story of being shot on the streets, almost dying, going to prison, and having a life-changing encounter with Jesus who transformed his life.


As a result of listening to these campfire testimonies, five boys placed their faith in Christ and asked to be baptized in the Rio Grande River. Remarkably, on the day of the baptism, a visitor to the park who witnessed the baptisms asked questions and then placed his faith in Christ for salvation and was also baptized.


Once again, Cheryl and I felt reaffirmed in our commitment to make our place available to serve the purpose of God in our generation. Our hearts are filled with gratitude to God for the ministry of The Hangar and all of the boys and mentors who spent the week with us under the magnificent Big Bend skies. To God be the glory for the things He has done.

by

A Courtyard in the Desert

After back-to-back trips to Cambodia and Türkiye in January, I was grateful for a few days off to spend with Cheryl at our off-grid cabin in Big Bend. We have grown accustomed to the 9 hour and 60 minute trek from Katy to our place in the Chihuahuan Desert. We enjoy the drive and our stops along the way.

Because we are still developing our place, we always have a list of projects to accomplish on every visit. We have learned to plan well, to always buy an extra one or two of this or that in case we run short, to see visible progress, and to dream about next steps.

On this particular trip, we had a few things on our list.


First, we took a truckload of firewood with us to restock our supply so that we can continue to enjoy evening campfires under the dark skies of Big Bend. I recently purchased a log splitter to make processing firewood faster and easier. When you consider that a bundle of firewood is about seven bucks, the log splitters has more than paid for itself.


Second, we carried supplies to complete the perimeter half-wall in front of our guest cabin. We are especially excited about this courtyard enclosure that will become a nice place for guests to cook or to simply sit to enjoy the views or conversation. This courtyard in the desert is akin to a front porch.

Years ago I posted a blog entitled The Front Porch in which I wrote: “The front porch, once an essential architectural feature of homes, has become a thing of the past. In the days before the twin sirens of air-conditioned comfort and television lured families into their homes, the front porch was the gathering place — the spot where families cooled off on hot summer nights and actually conversed with one another before going to bed.”

I grew up in homes that had front porches, actual places where we sat and had conversations and laughed and talked about the events of the day. Our little courtyard in the desert is meant to offer folks who visit a place to do those very things.


We are far from finished but pleased with the progress. I managed to finish the perimeter walls and then Cheryl and I started on the pavers. We set three rows of pavers, enough for us to move the fireplace from our outdoor cooking area to the courtyard. It’s exciting to think about all of the good conversations and laughter and stories that will be shared around that fireplace.


Third, we made more progress on our electrical plans. Our neighbor Joe and his son, who is visiting from Minnesota, spent a couple of days running power to my shop and our outdoor cooking area as well as adding some components to our solar system. So happy with the progress.


Fourth, we had to squeeze in an unexpected project. Three years after installing rain barrels in the back of our cooking area, the recent freezing temperatures froze the water in a partially exposed area and busted the pipe connecting all of the bulkhead fittings on the rain barrels. Bottom line: we lost 275 gallons of precious rainwater.


We had to drive an hour north to McCoy’s in Alpine to pick up new fittings and more pipe insulation to make the repairs. The repairs were easy enough but time-consuming. But, that’s life off-the-grid. The weather is always taking its toll on something out in the desert. You just have to roll with the punches and do what you gotta do.


Cheryl and I enjoyed another great week at the cabin, some spectacular sunsets, beautiful sunny days, and some really cold nights. From the cabin we drove to Dallas to celebrate our oldest granddaughter’s sixth birthday — our Valentine’s Day baby. And then from Dallas back to Katy. A lot of miles but grateful for every minute Cheryl and I had to spend together and with our family.

by

A Chihuahuan Desert New Year

It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone. Time seems to fly by faster and faster the older I get. I told a friend that at my age I can’t afford to kill time because time is killing me. I have to make the most of every day.

Once again, Cheryl and I celebrated — or rather slept through — the transition to the New Year out at our off-grid cabin. With a waning moon, the stars were definitely big and bright deep in the heart of Texas. And the nights were cold out in the Chihuahuan Desert where the creosote offers little protection from the north winds.

We headed to the cabin after spending a couple of days with my 95 year-old Dad down in South Texas. Still in great health and with a mind as sharp as ever, Dad is my hero and inspiration. He is an eternal optimist and has remained curious about the world — although he is now resigned to exploring new places by way of his favorite travel shows.

We were excited to meet the Perry family, friends from church, staying at our guest cabin. This was their first visit to Big Bend National Park and they had some fun days planned for their girls. We had the opportunity to share a pleasant night around the campfire before they headed back to Katy.

As always, we had a list of projects, a truck full of materials, and only a few days to make a little more progress on our off-grid paradise. So, we wasted no time.


The first thing on my list was to start on the outdoor cooking area under the solar porch at our guest cabin. The plan is to build half walls clad in corrugated tin to serve as a wind block. I built a cooking counter out of recycled lumber and coated it with spare urethane. I will complete the half-walls on our next visit and then lay pavers to cut down on the dust.


I recently created a shadow box to display my Cub Scout knot board. I made this knot display on March 27, 1967 when I was a member of Pack 60 in McAllen. I recently found it in a box of stuff up in the attic and thought it would be a fun addition to the guest cabin.


I also replenished our firewood supply at the cabin. A couple of weeks ago, my friends Mike and Jeff invited me to join them at Jeff’s father-in-law’s ranch in Navasota where a big, old pecan tree had crashed to the ground and was destined for the burn pile. The three of us spent a morning cutting and gathering firewood for the cabin.


Cheryl tried something new on our little Blackstone grill. Since we don’t have an oven at the cabin, she used the grill as a makeshift oven and baked some really delicious cookies — lots and lots of cookies. We were so encouraged by the success of this experiment that Cheryl will try her hand at making pizza on the Blackstone on our next visit. I am absolutely ready for that!


The rest of our time was spent catching up on a lot of general maintenance items. I installed new light fixtures and added shelves to our (former solar equipment) closet in the main cabin. I also serviced our propane heaters, mouse-proofed our outdoor toilet and shower area, and completed a few others miscellaneous things on the list. Always something on the list.


The weather was amazing. Pleasant days, amazing sunsets, really dark and cold nights, and the soothing and therapeutic silence of the desert. This is a gift — a wonderful gift from God. We are excited about the the year ahead and the opportunity to spend many more days in the embrace of the Chihuahuan Desert and vast Big Bend skies.

by

The J & P Bar and Grill

Founded in 1883, Comstock is barely a wide spot on the lonely road from Del Rio toward the ragged and rugged Trans-Pecos region of Texas. It is located near the confluence of the Rio Grande and Pecos Rivers and close to Langtry where the legendary Judge Roy Bean was “the law west of the Pecos.”

Originally known as Sotol City, the tiny town was later named after John Comstock, a railroad dispatcher for the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway. Today, Comstock has less than ten named streets and not many more residents. However, the nearby canyons hide a treasure worth seeing.

Nearby Seminole Canyon State Historical Park is home to some of the oldest rock art in North America — pictographs as old as, by some estimates, 4,000 years. It’s hard to wrap your head around the fact that ancient inhabitants of this region left a cryptic record of their existence on the walls and ceilings of caves along Seminole Canyon.


Comstock is also home to the J & P Bar and Grill, a place that is located at the spot along Highway 90 where you both enter and leave Comstock. Blink and you are likely to miss it.

On occasion when we travel to our off-grid cabin out in Big Bend, we will opt to take Highway 90 instead of Interstate 10. We enjoy this desolate route and the magnificent scenery that is the very definition of iconic cowboy country. When we do take this route, we try to time our travel so that we can stop for a bite to eat at the J & P Bar and Grill — the only place to eat in Comstock and a favorite of local ranchers and roughnecks.

Wherever I travel in Texas, I am always on the lookout for a great bacon cheeseburger. So, when I first traveled through Comstock I decided to stop at the J & P Bar and Grill — housed in a nondescript metal building just west of the intersection of Highway 90 and Highway 163.


The inside is one big dining area with a bar, clean restrooms, and Texas decor hanging on particle board walls. The staff is Texas-friendly for sure and the menu offers a lot of comfort food options, including a variety of burgers.


As usual, I ordered a simple bacon cheeseburger with mustard and mayo and veggies and a side of onion rings and a tall glass of iced tea. Of course, I always make sure I ask for crispy bacon because I think it is a crime in Texas and not a very nice thing to do to offer a paying customer limp bacon on a cheeseburger.


Well, my expectations were exceeded. The ciabatta buns held a half-pound of meat cooked to perfection and the onion rings were golden and crispy and oh so good. The taste of this burger is amazing and made me wish I had an extra stomach to eat a second or third helping. Honestly — one of the best burgers I have had in all of my travels around the Lone Star State.

Comstock and the J & P Bar and Grill are a long way from anywhere and, for most folks, on the other side of nowhere. But, that is why if you are ever within driving distance you should make it a point to make the pilgrimage to this eatery. The J & P is now one of the reasons I often alter my route from Katy to our cabin. It is just worth the stop and will make you feel good about Texas.

by

Trailer Parks, Motels and Prison

When we purchased our Big Bend property six years ago, Cheryl and I dreamed of developing a place where we could escape to relax and enjoy the outdoors. We also wanted to have a place where boys and fathers and families could visit to connect with God in the magnificence of His creation.

For the past three years we have hosted a Big Bend adventure for boys from Brookshire — a community with the highest concentration of fatherless homes in the greater Houston area. We have offered this retreat in collaboration with The Hangar Unity Center, a Christian non-profit in Brookshire that exists to mentor and disciple at-risk youth and their families.


Last week, we hosted men from The Manna House in Brookshire. Manna House is a residential recovery program for men addicted to alcohol and drugs. Their year long program is built around three objectives: to lead men to be set free, set apart and set on fire. My friend Ryan Orbin, the new executive director of The Manna House, and I have been dreaming about this adventure for the last year.


The Manna House guys arrived on Thursday afternoon. That evening, we sat around the campfire and gave all of the men their very own outdoor gear, including hydration backpack, first aid kit, compass, whistle, emergency blanket, flashlight, headlamp, and more. We talked about the importance of shared adventure with other men and why alone is dangerous.


Most of the men in the group grew up in tough circumstances and never enjoyed outdoor adventures. So, they were both anxious and excited about going to Big Bend National Park to hike and to enjoy the magnificent views of the Chihuahuan Desert and the Chisos Mountains.


The guys hiked the Lost Mine Trail and the Window Trail at the park and later visited Santa Elena Canyon and the Hot Springs Trail. For many of the men who had never hiked, the trails were challenging. Every man, however, pushed through and completed each hike.


As we enjoyed a meal around the campfire while the sun dropped below the mountains and mesas to our west, one of the guys said that this adventure had exceeded his expectations. He said that his eyes were opened to all he had been missing. “All I have ever known,” he said, “is trailer parks, motels and prison.” And then he remarked that he wanted to stay close to God and finally start living. What a testimony to how God used this shared adventure in his life.


While the Manna guys were on the trail, my neighbors Joe and Lisa spent a couple of days working on the solar infrastructure for our guest cabin. They erected the iron framing that will hold the solar panels in front of our guest cabin. They also added three Lithium batteries that will power the guest cabin and our main cabin as well.


My friends Selim and Rafa, along with a couple of the Manna guys, dug a 150-foot trench between the cabins where we buried the power cables that will connect all of the structures on the property. These solar power upgrades will ensure that we have enough power to carry us through even on days that are overcast.


We concluded our time by inviting our neighbors to join us for a meal followed by a star party led by my friend Yogi — the local guru of Big Bend night skies. He is better than Google and is passionate about sharing his love for the night skies out here in this wide part of Texas.


One reason I enjoy working hard on projects every time we visit the cabin is knowing that what I do will bless the family, friends, and guests who will visit in the future. We are stewards of our little place only for a short while. We want for our short while to make a difference by blessing others. We are thrilled that the Manna House men had the opportunity to experience and enjoy the magnificance of Big Bend.

by

Making Every Trip to the Cabin Count

Our place out in Big Bend is just a few miles shy of 600 miles from our driveway in the suburbs to our gate in the desert. The trip takes us 10 hours — including stops for breakfast and lunch and refueling. So, we have to make the most of every trip to the cabin.

Cheryl and I managed to coordinate a few days for a quick trip to the desert. We left Katy this past Sunday after church and returned home on Thursday. Although our time out west was short and I did have to work remotely, we did manage to get a few things done.


The first thing on the list was to install light fixtures in the guest cabin. We use LED lights because they are more efficient and consume less energy from our solar batteries. I added a light in the bathroom, the main room in the cabin, and on the front porch.


My neighbors Joe and Lisa squeezed us in to their busy schedule and helped us add some more components to our solar system — including adding wiring to recharge batteries on cloudy days by using our generator. A good back up to our solar panels.


Speaking of solar panels, I finally got around to cleaning the solar panels that service our main cabin. These panels and the batteries are now five years old and still working well. However, our upcoming upgrade will enable us to produce and store more power. More in that in the coming months.


I also hung a new pic in the guest cabin — of me and my friend Bobby Cooley hiking in the Himalayas. At our recent staff retreat, Bobby presented me with a door knocker and a poem that he had written. Bobby knows that my new theme song is Toby Keith’s “Don’t Let the Old Man In.” The door knocker and poem are a reminder to not let the old man in when he comes knocking at my door.


Another item on my list was to add a cooler to the outdoor cooking area. I took one of our old coolers and made a box with a hinged lid and then mounted it on a frame. This will give us a spot to ice down water and soft drinks and Gatorade when we have lots of guests at the cabin. Very convenient.


So, got a few things done while enjoying fantastic weather and amazing sunsets. I will be back at the cabin in November when we host the men from Manna House in Brookshire for a Big Bend adventure. Manna House is a residential recovery program for men dealing with addictions. Love this ministry and excited about the opportunity for us to enjoy adventure, good food, and conversation around the campfire.

Stay tuned and thanks for following our off-grid adventure.

by

A Cloudy Week at the Cabin

It’s monsoon season in the Chihuahua Desert. Most of the annual rainfall of 10 to 12+ inches falls during the months of July through September. It is an amazing time to be in the desert. The winds carry the unmistakable fragrance of coming rain as storms thunderously and slowly move across the vast expanses of the desert. It’s no wonder John Denver was inspired to write, “You fill up my senses, like a storm in the desert.”

I am, however, a bit bummed that we have not yet installed our rain catchment tank behind the new cabin. An inch of rain collected from our guest cabin roof should yield about 150 gallons of water. All of our other tanks are full, holding 2,200 gallons of water for our use when we visit the cabin. Hoping to purchase a new tank soon for the guest cabin.


Cheryl and I got an early start on Saturday. Our first stop was the Meredith’s Empty Nest Farm outside of Pattison toward San Felipe. My friend James loaned me his trailer so that we could haul up more cedar fencing and new burn barrels. I have lost track of how many loads I have hauled to the cabin using James’ trailer.


After enjoying worship online with our Kingsland Baptist Church family on Sunday morning, I helped our neighbor Johnny put in some cedar corner posts at his place down the road. I also met a new neighbor who recently purchased property between our place and Johnny’s. Nice young lady who has fallen in love with Big Bend.


Later in the afternoon, Johnny and his son Joseph stopped by to help me put in the last of the cedar line posts on our southwest tract. Their help made the work go a lot faster. The only thing left to do on this last 10-acres is to tension the corners and mid-points and then add t-posts between the cedar posts before installing the field fencing. So happy about the progress.


As I do on every visit, I make a list of projects prior to coming and make sure I have all of the necessary supplies. Next on my list was to replace our burn barrel. After more than four years in service, it needed replacing. Shout-out to my friend James for the gift of our new burn barrel. And, I was able to salvage the upper part of the old burn barrel to make a fire pit for a future campsite on our tracts across the road.


Firewood is important because we enjoy using our fire pit in the evening and when neighbors visit. My friend Paul Kitchen recently helped me trim one of the oak trees at our home in Katy. We cut as much firewood as we could from each branch. I was able to bring all of that firewood with us but had to build an additional firewood rack because our other rack is already overflowing with firewood. Did all of this with reclaimed lumber.


We hosted a block party on Labor Day. And even though it was drizzling rain, we still made a fire and enjoyed burgers, hot dogs, and s’mores with the neighbors. This has become something of a tradition when we visit the cabin. We enjoy having the neighbors from a few miles around join us for an evening of good food and pleasant conversation around the fire.


On Tuesday, Cheryl and I drove into Study Butte to eat at El Gordo’s Grill. Friends have been telling us about this food truck and how good the food is — so we had to try it for ourselves. Bottom line is that the food was delicious and seriously good. We will definitely eat there again.


I had several items on my list to get our guest cabin bathroom ready for guests. These included adding a shower curtain, building a small counter to hold toilet paper, making a toilet paper holder out of black iron pipe fittings, and building a partial wall to separate the bath area from our electrical closet.


Our neighbor Joe is installing a new solar system that will eventually provide power to both of our cabins, to our shop, and to our outdoor cooking area. He will incorporate our current solar panels to the 18 additional panels that we will add this fall. The power from these panels will be stored in three big lithium batteries that will run two ac units, two mini-fridges, our internet and phone service, plus service other electrical needs.


I did manage to address the rain catchment basins around several of our mesquite trees near the cabin. These basins will hold water when it rains and give that water time to seep down deep into the soil to be absorbed by the tree roots.


And finally, the skies — the magnificent Big Bend skies that never disappoint. Sunrises and sunsets in the Chihuahuan Desert are breathtaking. There are no words to describe the fleeting beauty of that magic hour when the sun is low to the west and its rays splash orange and peach colors across the sky. We wait in eager anticipation for each sunset.


It will be a few weeks before we make it back. In the meantime, Joe will be working on adding the new solar panels and finishing our solar system install. It’s hard to believe that just five years ago this was raw land with hardly a neighbor in site. Now it is a retreat, a haven of rest for us. And for that, we remain thankful to God.

by

Small Steps in the Chihuahuan Desert

One of the often asked questions I get about our off-grid place in Big Bend is, “How far is it to your cabin?” My tongue-in-cheek reply is, “The cabin is only a 9 hour and 60 minute drive away.”

The drive is no longer an issue. Cheryl and I enjoy the windshield time and have our scheduled stops along the way which, of course, include Buc-ee’s and Dairy Queen — two road trip must-stops in Texas.

Because the cabin is on the other side of the Lone Star State from Katy, we have to make the most of every visit. That means careful planning and coordinating of projects to get things done. And because I find the different kind of work I do at the cabin relaxing, I get to kill two birds with one stone — getting things done while relaxing.

Cheryl and I spent the past week at the cabin. Because I only have two weeks between trips to Uganda and Rwanda, we wanted to at least spend a few days together at the cabin. So, another quick but relaxing drive across Texas.

The goal of our recent trips have been to get the guest cabin completed. Although we have had friends use the cabin in its incomplete state, we are excited about making it even more comfortable.


In the weeks before this trip, I made a rustic frame for an area map to hang at the cabin. This little map will at least serve as a point of reference for guests to get oriented to what is available to do in nearby Study Butte and Terlingua Ghost Town.


I also hung an old photo of Judge Roy Bean’s place in Langtry. My grandfather was the first to tell me stories about Judge Roy Bean. I first saw the historic photo when I was a kid. Judge Leo Gonzalez, who rented office space from my grandfather, had a larger version of this photo hanging in his office. So, I had to hang a copy in the cabin.


I finished the walls in the bathroom of the guest cabin. Over the past months, I have cut and sanded cedar fence boards to make my own econo-version of rustic shiplap siding for the walls and ceiling of the bathroom. I am happy with the results.


The next step was to hang the mirror. I recently framed a mirror I purchased at Lowe’s with reclaimed lumber and added stars to the corners. My goal was to make a rustic-look Texas themed mirror. In retrospect I wish I had used a smaller mirror for the space but am still happy with the results.

On our earlier visit, our neighbor Chris Smith, whose place is a couple of miles from our cabin, gave us a new shower pan that he decided he was not going to use at his new cabin. Turns out that it fit the space perfectly in our guest bathroom.


I installed the shower pan and ran the PVC plumbing under the cabin to a French drain on the side of the cabin. I then added corrugated metal panels for walls and then trimmed out the face of the shower stall. I will install the shower curtain and rod on our next visit. I love the rustic look of the shower stall.


My neighbor Joe is my go-to electrician and solar guru in the area. He found time in his schedule do more work on our electrical and to install the solar power inverter. The inverter will take the DC power collected by our soon-to-be-installed solar panels and convert it to AC power stored in the new Lithium batteries that will power the cabin.


Another quick item on my task list was to extend the area where we keep our fire wood. We always enjoy campfire time with the neighbors, which includes making s’mores. So, firewood is essential. We always transport firewood every time we visit the cabin, thus the need for more storage space.


Finally, I still had time to set some cedar posts along the fence line of our southwest tract. I did have to clear an area along the southern part of the tract to set more posts. I now only have about 660-feet of remaining fence line requiring cedar posts.

And, as always when we visit the cabin, we enjoyed hosting a “block party” for our closest neighbors — those within a few miles radius. We always enjoy our time with these friends and are grateful that when we are away they watch over our place.

And now, we are back in the suburbs. It’s time to start packing for my upcoming trip to Rwanda. Life is back in fast-mode again. But, we are refreshed because of our time in the vast expanses of Big Bend and the opportunity to take a few more small steps in the Chihuahuan Desert