Bronco Trip Meetup @ Big Bend National Park -- December 27th-30th, 2023

[law]

I would definitely go out there with two GMRS radios that you can plug in and charge in your vehicle.

any suggestions for GMRS radios?
I was thinking about going with a mounted and handheld.

@Meraki Hammocks we plan to arrive the 26th. staying at the Stillwell rv park just outside the NP

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[userdude]

any suggestions for GMRS radios?
I was thinking about going with a mounted and handheld.

@Meraki Hammocks we plan to arrive the 26th. staying at the Stillwell rv park just outside the NP

I'm a big fan of Rugged Radios, but I know when you get into mounted versions, there's a lot of folk with more experience there.

https://www.ruggedradios.com/collections/gmrs-radios

 

[focaloca95]

I'm a big fan of Rugged Radios, but I know when you get into mounted versions, there's a lot of folk with more experience there.

https://www.ruggedradios.com/collections/gmrs-radios

Anyone know if there are GMRS repeater towers in Big Bend we can access? I'll be split up from my group when they are hiking and I'm driving.

 

[Meraki Hammocks]

any suggestions for GMRS radios?
I was thinking about going with a mounted and handheld.

@Meraki Hammocks we plan to arrive the 26th. staying at the Stillwell rv park just outside the NP

I am glad that you will be joining the Bronco Drive. If you want to spend the money for an on board micromobile, and a handheld, Midland and Retevis offer excellent choices. (You should be able to find the 15% discount code for Midland.)

I have installed the Retevis RA86, with a Midland MXTA26 antenna. The RA86 is mounted inside of my center console and plugged in at that location. I then drilled a hole at an angle to allow me to route the antenna wire down to the floor on the rear of the console. I have a rubber mat in the backseat and simple covered the wire with the rubber mat. I then routed the wire on the passenger's side behind the plastic and out the opening for the wiring harness for the tailgate. The wire was then routed through the tailgate. There was enough space in the rubber gasket that allowed me to push it through to the outside. I mounted the antenna onto the side of my hi-lift tailgate bracket. (I actually did all of this in reverse.)

For handhelds, I have a few Midland GMRS radios, and a couple of the Retevis RT76P model.

This is just what I did.

Be sure to get your GMRS license. Midland provides simple to follow directions on how to obtain. The license.

 

[Meraki Hammocks]

 

[Meraki Hammocks]

Aloha Friends!

The 2023 Bronco Drive @ Big Bend National Park is just a few weeks away. By now you should have reserved your campsite or AirBnb. If not, the Park will release additional sites in a couple of weeks. Please contact the Park directly for details so that you don't miss out.

As of today, there are close to 50 Bronco owners who have made plans to attend the 2023 Bronco Drive @ Big Bend National Park. When I posted the open invitation to join me back in June, I did not know how many people would show up. Last year, three Bronco owners showed up.

The intent of this update is to provide logistical details to get everyone to the trailhead on 12/28 and 12/29. If you are on Facebook and Instagram, please connect with me. That will make it easy to share pics after the 2023 Bronco Drive @ Big Bend National Park. I will also be announcing the dates and location for the 2024 Bronco Drive via Facebook and Instagram.

December 27th: Arrive and setup camp. Meet and greet other Bronco owners in your campground. I will set up camp in site 32, in the Chisos Basin campground. Stop by with a cup for some coffee, and to roast a marshmallow over my propane campfire.

• Suggestion for early birds: Drive the Grapevine Hills Trail for those who want a short hike to the Balanced Rock.
• If you arrive after hours, I will recommend that you stop at the Panther Junction Visitor's Center in the morning to purchase a park pass. It will open at 8:30am. (https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/hours.htm)
• Be sure to top off your has tanks. You will find a small gas station at Panther Junction.

December 28th: Trail Day 1

9:00am - Meet at the River Road trailhead, which is on Park Road 12 at the River Road East turn off.
︎ 25 miles from the Chisos Basin Visitor's Center
︎ 15.5 miles from the Panther Junction Visitor's Center
︎ 4.5 miles from the Rio Grande Village Visitor's Center

Go ahead and air down. Please lend a hand to people near you who may need help with airing down, as there will be some newish off-roaders in the group. (20lbs to 25lbs)

9:15am - Brief driver meeting / Comms check

9:30am - Begin the Bronco Drive
We will stop along the way for pics, and for lunch.
We will be traveling through an arid landscape, and there will not be much privacy. A pop-up latrine may be a good item to bring with you. Amazon carries these, along with wag bags. Please pack out everything.

ROUTE DETAILS
︎ From Park Road 12, we will drive West on River Road East to the intersection of Glenn Springs Road and Talley Road.
︎ Turn onto Talley Road and drive to the intersection of Black Gap Road and River Road West.
︎ Turn onto River Road West and drive toward the Castolon Visitor's Center.
︎ We will stop near the Castolon Visitor's Center to air up before turning South onto the Santa Elena Canyon Road. (Please check on drivers near you and offer assistance with airing back up.)
︎ We will end the day, with a group picture, at the Santa Elena Canyon Overlook.

https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/river-road.htm


DINNER PLANS
If you do not have dinner plans, drive to La Kiva Restaurant & Bar in Terlingua (23220 FM 170, Terlingua).
︎ 43 miles (1 hour) from Santa Elena Canyon Overlook to
La Kiva Restaurant & Bar.
︎ 29 miles (41 minutes) from La Kiva Restaurant & Bar. to Chisos Basin Visitor's Center.
︎ 46 miles (1 hour) from La Kiva Restaurant & Bar to Rio Grande Village Visitor's Center.

December 29th: Trail Day 2

9:00am - Meet at the Dagger Flat Auto Trail, which is off the Main Park Road.
︎ 12.7 miles North of the Panther Junction Visitor's Center
︎ 13.3 miles South of the Persimmon Gap Ranger Station

Go ahead and air down. Please lend a hand to people near you who may need help with airing down, as there will be some newish off-roaders in the group. (20lbs to 25lbs)

9:15am - Brief driver meeting / Comms check

9:30am - Begin the Bronco Drive

We will stop along the way for pics, and for lunch.
We will be traveling through an arid landscape, and there will not be much privacy. A pop-up latrine may be a good item to bring with you. Amazon carries these, along with wag bags. Please pack out everything.

ROUTE DETAILS
︎ We will drive East on the Dagger Flat Auto Trail to the Old Ore Road.
︎ Our first stop on the Old Ore Road will be in 7 miles. There is a parking area at this location. The vista will provide an excellent back drop for a group photo. Individuals will want to take their own HERO photos of their Broncos.
︎ We will continue South on the Old Ore Road for 19.5 miles. This is a good place to air up before getting back on pavement. (Please check on drivers near you and offer assistance with airing back up.)
︎ We will turn East onto Rio Grande Village Drive and proceed to Boquillas Canyon Road, and then turn onto the road for Boquillas Canyon Overlook.
︎ The Boquillas Canyon Overlook will be a great place for a final group photo, and a great place to end the 2023 Bronco Drive @ Big Bend National Park.

Individuals may want to stop at the Rio Grande Overlook, and the Hot Springs.

DINNER PLANS
I am planning to have dinner at the Mountain View Restaurant in the Chisos Mountain Lodge. Our group could overwhelm the restaurant, so be sure to arrive early. (You can also order food in the bar area.)

https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/dininginthepark.htm

December 30th: Departure


Thanks for joining me on the 2023 Bronco Drive @ Big Bend National Park.

Randall
Meraki Hammocks
www.merakihammocks.com
e: [email protected]
Facebook: Meraki Hammocks
Instagram: @merakihammocks

 

[91 Bronco]

any suggestions for GMRS radios?
I was thinking about going with a mounted and handheld.

@Meraki Hammocks we plan to arrive the 26th. staying at the Stillwell rv park just outside the NP

Aloha Friends!

The 2023 Bronco Drive @ Big Bend National Park is just a few weeks away. By now you should have reserved your campsite or AirBnb. If not, the Park will release additional sites in a couple of weeks. Please contact the Park directly for details so that you don't miss out.

As of today, there are close to 50 Bronco owners who have made plans to attend the 2023 Bronco Drive @ Big Bend National Park. When I posted the open invitation to join me back in June, I did not know how many people would show up. Last year, three Bronco owners showed up.

The intent of this update is to provide logistical details to get everyone to the trailhead on 12/28 and 12/29. If you are on Facebook and Instagram, please connect with me. That will make it easy to share pics after the 2023 Bronco Drive @ Big Bend National Park. I will also be announcing the dates and location for the 2024 Bronco Drive via Facebook and Instagram.

December 27th: Arrive and setup camp. Meet and greet other Bronco owners in your campground. I will set up camp in site 32, in the Chisos Basin campground. Stop by with a cup for some coffee, and to roast a marshmallow over my propane campfire.

• Suggestion for early birds: Drive the Grapevine Hills Trail for those who want a short hike to the Balanced Rock.
• If you arrive after hours, I will recommend that you stop at the Panther Junction Visitor's Center in the morning to purchase a park pass. It will open at 8:30am. (https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/hours.htm)
• Be sure to top off your has tanks. You will find a small gas station at Panther Junction.

December 28th: Trail Day 1

9:00am - Meet at the River Road trailhead, which is on Park Road 12 at the River Road East turn off.
︎ 25 miles from the Chisos Basin Visitor's Center
︎ 15.5 miles from the Panther Junction Visitor's Center
︎ 4.5 miles from the Rio Grande Village Visitor's Center

Go ahead and air down. Please lend a hand to people near you who may need help with airing down, as there will be some newish off-roaders in the group. (20lbs to 25lbs)

9:15am - Brief driver meeting / Comms check

9:30am - Begin the Bronco Drive
We will stop along the way for pics, and for lunch.
We will be traveling through an arid landscape, and there will not be much privacy. A pop-up latrine may be a good item to bring with you. Amazon carries these, along with wag bags. Please pack out everything.

ROUTE DETAILS
︎ From Park Road 12, we will drive West on River Road East to the intersection of Glenn Springs Road and Talley Road.
︎ Turn onto Talley Road and drive to the intersection of Black Gap Road and River Road West.
︎ Turn onto River Road West and drive toward the Castolon Visitor's Center.
︎ We will stop near the Castolon Visitor's Center to air up before turning South onto the Santa Elena Canyon Road. (Please check on drivers near you and offer assistance with airing back up.)
︎ We will end the day, with a group picture, at the Santa Elena Canyon Overlook.

https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/river-road.htm


DINNER PLANS
If you do not have dinner plans, drive to La Kiva Restaurant & Bar in Terlingua (23220 FM 170, Terlingua).
︎ 43 miles (1 hour) from Santa Elena Canyon Overlook to
La Kiva Restaurant & Bar.
︎ 29 miles (41 minutes) from La Kiva Restaurant & Bar. to Chisos Basin Visitor's Center.
︎ 46 miles (1 hour) from La Kiva Restaurant & Bar to Rio Grande Village Visitor's Center.

December 29th: Trail Day 2

9:00am - Meet at the Dagger Flat Auto Trail, which is off the Main Park Road.
︎ 12.7 miles North of the Panther Junction Visitor's Center
︎ 13.3 miles South of the Persimmon Gap Ranger Station

Go ahead and air down. Please lend a hand to people near you who may need help with airing down, as there will be some newish off-roaders in the group. (20lbs to 25lbs)

9:15am - Brief driver meeting / Comms check

9:30am - Begin the Bronco Drive

We will stop along the way for pics, and for lunch.
We will be traveling through an arid landscape, and there will not be much privacy. A pop-up latrine may be a good item to bring with you. Amazon carries these, along with wag bags. Please pack out everything.

ROUTE DETAILS
︎ We will drive East on the Dagger Flat Auto Trail to the Old Ore Road.
︎ Our first stop on the Old Ore Road will be in 7 miles. There is a parking area at this location. The vista will provide an excellent back drop for a group photo. Individuals will want to take their own HERO photos of their Broncos.
︎ We will continue South on the Old Ore Road for 19.5 miles. This is a good place to air up before getting back on pavement. (Please check on drivers near you and offer assistance with airing back up.)
︎ We will turn East onto Rio Grande Village Drive and proceed to Boquillas Canyon Road, and then turn onto the road for Boquillas Canyon Overlook.
︎ The Boquillas Canyon Overlook will be a great place for a final group photo, and a great place to end the 2023 Bronco Drive @ Big Bend National Park.

Individuals may want to stop at the Rio Grande Overlook, and the Hot Springs.

DINNER PLANS
I am planning to have dinner at the Mountain View Restaurant in the Chisos Mountain Lodge. Our group could overwhelm the restaurant, so be sure to arrive early. (You can also order food in the bar area.)

https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/dininginthepark.htm

December 30th: Departure


Thanks for joining me on the 2023 Bronco Drive @ Big Bend National Park.

Randall
Meraki Hammocks
www.merakihammocks.com
e: [email protected]
Facebook: Meraki Hammocks
Instagram: @merakihammocks

 

[91 Bronco]

Thank you for the update. I am a recent 6G (previously 3G, 4G) Bronco owner, looking forward to joining the community and the Big Bend Bronco Drive.

 

[Meraki Hammocks]

Thank you for the update. I am a recent 6G (previously 3G, 4G) Bronco owner, looking forward to joining the community and the Big Bend Bronco Drive.

Aloha! I loom forward to meeting you. It should be a good time.
-Randall

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