Big Bend Natl Park on March 6-8

**MacEntyre** · 01-10-2010, 22:07

Originally Posted by Hedcase

Leaving Jackson around 3pm or earlier on the 4th.

Skippy and I wil be leaving Oneonta at noon on the 4th. We'll be only an hour behind you. If you let us catch up, we can caravan.

We also can help you drive.

Non-stop is the plan.

**spidennis** · 01-10-2010, 22:55

Originally Posted by MacEntyre

I'd love to find three 21' lightweight poles for a Prairie Travois. Otherwise, I've got two 7' aluminum poles... might ought to acquire four more for tripods at each end. I intend to hang!

Prairie Travois? what might that be?
I'm still working on getting some bamboo ......

**Scottybdiving** · 01-10-2010, 23:33

Originally Posted by MacEntyre

Skippy and I wil be leaving Oneonta at noon on the 4th. We'll be only an hour behind you. If you let us catch up, we can caravan.

We also can help you drive.

Non-stop is the plan.

Mac, do you have an ETA. Not trying to thread a needle here, but it will determine whether I leave Thur PM and drive to ft Stockton, or wait until Fri AM to leave. If I think you guys will arrive early enough, I may drive to ft Stockton.

Here's the deal on the float trip. Two outfitters have replied that the roads are difficult and the put in and take out have been altered by the 2008 flood. I know it is a logistical nightmare for them to do a 1 day trip. I have enquired on BigBendChat.com as to the actual conditions. I am not worried about a rough road, as long as it is passable for a 4WD pickup. I plan to place a call to NPS for a realtime update on the road conditions.

Plan B is for a 2 day, 1 night canoe / IK trip through the Santa Elena Canyon. We would have to assume that a hammock would not be possible w/o some creative, outside the box, ingenuity.

**MacEntyre** · 01-11-2010, 05:15

Originally Posted by spidennis

Prairie Travois? what might that be?

It's a hammock stand for 3 hammocks. I'd love to have three 21' pieces of bamboo cut from 30' shoots.

Originally Posted by Scottybdiving

Mac, do you have an ETA.

If we leave Jackson, MS, at 4pm, we could be at Big Bend NP by 10am Friday. Let's say we'll be at Chisos by noon.

Originally Posted by Scottybdiving

Here's the deal on the float trip.

Thank you very much for the prep work. Whatever you recommend is fine with me. I am easy!

**spidennis** · 01-11-2010, 10:17

I'm still working on that bamboo ......
I found some already cut and ready to be taken away (by me)
but I'm still looking for the mother lode.
30' lengths of bamboo shouldn't be a problem ....
transporting it may be!

**MacEntyre** · 01-11-2010, 11:37

Originally Posted by spidennis

I found some already cut and ready to be taken...

That would make the drive worth every mile! When you figure out how and when to make the move, please tell me that you have three 21 footers for me!

Thank you!

**Scottybdiving** · 01-12-2010, 08:08

Here's an update from BigBendChat

I canoed Mariscal canyon in May of 2009. We put in at Talley, and we were able to drive all the way down to the river, no problem. IIRC, it had been graded into a gradual slope to the river's edge. The takeout at Solis was fine as well.

Read more: http://www.bigbendchat.com/portal/fo...#ixzz0cP2kkRFx

Looks like it is doable.

**spidennis** · 01-12-2010, 08:51

I signed up for bigbendchat.com ......

**MacEntyre** · 02-02-2010, 17:13

Skippy, any luck standing a Prairie Travois in your back yard?

**skippy** · 02-02-2010, 18:33

Originally Posted by MacEntyre

Skippy, any luck standing a Prairie Travois in your back yard?

I lashed it together and tried to raise it up but can't do it by myself. I managed to get it up 3/4 of the way up before it fell. I will try again when I can round up some help.