Texas, Our Texas: Horny Toads, Bats, Bees, and a Beautiful Bike Ride in Caprock Canyons State Park

[Posted April 29, 2019]

Guilty as charged! We just couldn’t help ourselves.
It was such a pretty weekend here in the Texas Panhandle we couldn’t help but take a day off from editing season three to squeeze in a little adventure! We took our bikes down to spectacular Caprock Canyons State Park and rode the scenic trailway from South Plains all the way to Quitaque. Stopping, of course, to say a fond “welcome back” to the thousands and thousands of bats that are returning to their warm weather home inside the old Clarity Tunnel. What a ride! And what a treasure this place is! Y’all ever been?
Oh! And by the way, the mesquites are finally in bloom. Spring is officially here! #giddyup #GodBlessTexas

Near the start of the trail at South Plains. Beautiful day!

First time to really break in the new bikes. They did great! But our butts are still really really really sore. LOL

Five minutes into the ride and we’ve got company! Always LOVE running into these little guys! Ain’t he cute?

Peace, love and horny toads. 🙂

Where the flatlands start wearing away…

Hidden Texas. Finest place on earth.

The trail is an easy ride (though long). And the scenery is absolutely breathtaking!

Watch out for rockslides!

And bees! NEVER seen a beehive like this before. It was absolutely swarming, and you can really see the honeycombs. Too cool! Just don’t get too close.

Not the Texas most folks know. This is “our” Texas. Wouldn’t trade it for anything.

The only folks we saw along the entire 18 mile ride! They were nice enough to leave us a few “souvenirs” on the trail.

Epic Texas landscapes. Sigh.

View from the trail, approaching the Clarity Tunnel.

He looked all day for snakes but didn’t see a single one. But! Saw horny toads, bats, a great horned owl, a red tailed hawk, lots of lizards and possibly a golden eagle. What a ride.

Made it! Here’s the Clarity Tunnel!

The Clarity Tunnel was built back in the 1920s and has a fascinating, fascinating place in Texas history. Today it’s home to roughly 500,000 Mexican free-tailed bats! (From April to October, thereabouts.)

Cheers y’all!

We’re definitely gonna do this again. Y’all want to join us?