Seasons
Did y’all see the video of Senator Cruz cooking bacon on the barrel of an AR-15? That’s hot! Texans know hot. We know that we’ve just gone through a couple of months that were so hot we could have cooked bacon on the sidewalks. For many of us, it was too hot to take long rides. It flat out isn’t healthy. The good news is that we’re headed towards some great riding weather and we will be asking ourselves, “Where the heck we gonna ride?” I’m here to make a couple of suggestions. If it hasn’t become pretty dog gone evident, let me make myself perfectly clear. P A L O D U R O Canyon State Park.
Ok, enough of the funny stuff. I am serious though. The Panhandle has taken a bad rap for way too long. There is plenty to see and do and the premier spot in the Panhandle is the Palo Duro Canyon. Whether you simply ride along FM-207 or camp in the park itself, you can’t go wrong making the canyon your future destination.
Indian Wars
People have been living in the Palo Duro Canyon for some 12,000 years. More currently the Red River War was decided on September 28, 1874 when Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie attacked the Comanche, Kiowas and Cheyenne. 1,400 ponies were rounded up and all the teepees and winter stores were destroyed. This basically ended the rein of the Plains Indians in Texas.
Ranching
A former Texas Ranger and Texas legend Charles Goodnight drove 1,600 beeves to the canyon in 1876. He partnered with John Adair to found the JA Ranch in 1877. At the height of the ranch, 100,000 head of cattle grazed on 1,325,000 acres.
The Park
In 1933 the state bought land for a park. The Civilian Conservation Corps arrived and spent the next five years creating a park. The park opened in 1934, long before it was complete. It is still the second largest park in the state park system, with about 28,000 acres. The Palo Duro Canyon is the second largest canyon in the United States of America.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park Road
While you’re making ride plans this fall, give the Palo Duro Canyon State Park serious consideration.
Well Buckaroos, I have a little more to tell you about my trip to the Palo and New Mexico. I want to share my story with you. Keep a sharp eye out for your next Daimler’s Folly. There will be plenty of good information. The Folly will inform you about clubs, eats and spiritual matters.
Until then;
ride often, ride hard and ride safe, but mostly ...
ride often, ride hard and ride safe, but mostly ...
