“These long sunsets give me room to roam
My mind’s at rest, my heart’s at home.
To live and die with no regrets,
Surrounded by these long sunsets.”
Butch Hancock
“Long Sunsets”
November 14th to December 1st
756 miles
Summary of Road Conditions
Numbers in parentheses refer to the page number for the relevant map in the Rand McNally Road Atlas. The mileage figure next to each city is the distance from the preceding city. Mileage is calculated from city to city based on Google Map’s routing engine.
Starting in Marfa, Texas (98)
S 67 Presidio, 60 mi
You have a full paved shoulder on this beautiful, isolated section. In Presidio, turn left onto Hwy 170 eastbound. This intersection is clearly marked. You will pass a Porter’s grocery store on your left. Hwy 170 makes another hard left turn. You will pass a Dollar General on your right. Shortly after you depart Presidio, signs warn that there is a hill with 15% grades 38 miles ahead.
E 170 Lajitas, 50 mi
Locally, Hwy 170 is referred to as the “River Road” because it runs along the Rio Grande River. Look to your right across the river and you are looking at Mexico. This section has a mix of full paved shoulders and mini-shoulders. Traffic is very light. The surrounding mountains are incredibly rugged. Most of the climbing consists of short, extremely steep hills separated by brief flat sections. When I finally reach the hill with 15% grades, I admit defeat, put on my Teva sandals, and walk up the hill! At the summit, I look back towards the river. The view is absolutely spectacular! Lajitas is a small resort community. There is a general store with groceries on your left as you depart Lajitas.
E 170 Terlingua, 12 mi
Hwy 170 dead ends at the intersection with Hwy 118. Turn right towards Big Bend National Park. Cottonwood Market is a small, high-end grocery store located on your right as you are leaving Terlingua. I usually stealth camp just outside Big Bend National Park near Terlingua. With an early start, I can then cover the sixty miles necessary to exit the park on the way to Marathon. This allows me to camp outside the park and avoid park rules requiring one to camp in designated campgrounds.
E 118 Panther Junction, 30 mi (from Terlingua)
A water faucet is available at the park headquarters at Panther Junction.
N 385 Marathon, 68 mi (from Panther Junction)
You have a full shoulder on this beautiful, isolated section. I am looking forward to buying ice cream at the French Grocer when I get to Marathon!
E 90 Sanderson, 54 mi
This section has light traffic and a full, paved shoulder. There is a Stripes convenience store with inside seating on your right as you enter Sanderson. It is 121 miles from Sanderson to Del Rio. There are almost no services on this stretch, so it is a good idea to top off your water supply in Sanderson. There are a few country stores along the way, but they either don’t sell gallons of water or don’t accept debit cards.
E 90 Langtry, 61 mi
There is a free campground at the Langtry community center. Turn right on Loop 25 towards the Judge Roy Bean Museum and proceed one mile. The community center is the white building on your right. Stealth camping is NOT recommended anywhere near Langtry due to the unbelievable proliferation of hard to see prickly pear in the area. Flats are almost guaranteed if you so much as step off the road!
E 90 Comstock, 28 mi
This section is somewhat hilly. You will cross a bridge over the Pecos River shortly before you get to Comstock. The bridge has decent shoulders and is comfortable for cyclists. The cliffs overlooking the river are very impressive. There is a motel and restaurant in Comstock but no convenience store or grocery store.
E 90 Del Rio, 32 mi
There is a long bridge over the Amistad Reservoir about fifteen miles before you get to Del Rio. This bridge only has mini-shoulders and is not comfortable for cyclists. Keep an eye on oncoming traffic. If necessary, you may want to stop and hug the curb when vehicles are passing in both directions. There is a Dollar General on your right shortly before you get to Del Rio. In Del Rio, Hwy 90 swings to the right and becomes Veterans Blvd. You will pass a Walmart on your left. A little further down, there is a Starbucks on your left. In the middle of downtown, you suddenly lose your shoulder and conditions become tense. For this reason, I recommend taking the truck bypass when departing Del Rio. From the Walmart parking lot, turn right onto Veterans Blvd. Proceed two miles and turn right at the sign that says “To Hwy 277 North.” Proceed another mile and turn right onto Loop 79 southbound. You will see a sign that says “To Eagle Pass.” Proceed approximately ten miles and turn left onto Hwy 277 towards Eagle Pass.
S 277 Eagle Pass, 55 mi
You have nice paved shoulders the entire way to Eagle Pass. It is easy to find stealth camping spots next to river crossings. There is a Dollar General on your right as you enter Eagle Pass. A little further down, there is a McDonald’s on your right. Just past the McDonald’s, turn left and follow the signs for Hwy 277 to Carrizo Springs.
E 277 Crystal City, 44 mi
You have paved shoulders on this section. Hwy 277 becomes Pena St and Pena St dead ends at Hwy 83. Turn right onto Hwy 83 southbound. There is a Stripes convenience store at this intersection.
S 83 Carrizo Springs, Texas (101), 12 mi
Hwy 83 has either full, paved shoulders or generous mini-shoulders. Between Carrizo Springs and the intersection with Hwy 44, Hwy 83 has very heavy oil field traffic.
E 44 Freer, 102 mi
Turn left onto Hwy 44 eastbound. This intersection is clearly marked but is in the middle of nowhere and is easy to miss. After you turn onto Hwy 44, it is twelve miles to the small town of Encinal. In Encinal, you will find a Family Dollar store on your right and several truck stops. It is 48 miles from Encinal to Freer. There are no services on this 48 mile section, so be sure to fill your water containers. In Freer, there are lots of fast food restaurants and motels. There is a Loews grocery store on your left as you depart Freer.
E 44 Alice, 36 mi
You have a full, paved shoulder on this section. Alice is a larger city with every amenity. In Alice, you will pass an HEB grocery store and a Walmart, both on your left.
E 359 Mathis, 30 mi
In order to avoid heavy traffic in and around Corpus Christi, I have selected a scenic, calm, and rather roundabout route from Alice to Port Aransas. I tried other routes, but always ended up on frontage roads and busy city streets. My route adds about forty miles compared to taking the shortest route from Alice to Corpus Christi and then taking the bridge to Mustang Island and then proceeding to Port Aransas which is located at the north end of Mustang Island. I prefer to take the free ferry ride from Aransas Pass to Port Aransas rather than taking the busy bridge from Corpus Christi to Mustang Island. The ferry ride is fun, the ocean is beautiful, and the salty air is refreshing!
About three miles past Alice on Hwy 44, turn left onto eastbound Hwy 359. This intersection is clearly marked. A short distance past Mathis, Hwy 359 makes a sharp left turn. Follow the signs to continue on Hwy 359. After you turn left, continue another mile and you will pass a McDonald’s on your left. A short distance past the McDonald’s, you pass under Interstate 37.
E 359 Skidmore, 15 mi
Continue on Hwy 359 to Skidmore. In Skidmore, turn right onto southbound Hwy 181. This intersection is clearly marked. Hwy 181 is a divided highway with very smooth, paved shoulders.
S 181 Sinton, 19 mi
As you enter Sinton, turn right and follow the signs for Hwy 181. Continue for a mile or so and you will see an HEB grocery store on your right. There is a traffic signal just before you get to the HEB. Turn left at this traffic signal to follow Hwy 181 through Sinton. There is a sign for Hwy 181 at this intersection, but it is easy to miss. As you depart Sinton, turn right to merge onto Hwy 181. Once again, Hwy 181 is a divided highway with smooth, paved shoulders.
S 181 Gregory, 25 mi
Just before you get to the small town of Gregory, you will see an exit for N 35 to Aransas Pass/Ingleside/Port Aransas. This exit is a bit confusing. After you exit, continue straight ahead onto Spur 202. Proceed approximately a mile and a half and you will see signs that say “To N 35 Aransas Pass.” Follow the signs and turn left onto northbound Hwy 35. Hwy 35 has nice paved shoulders.
N 35 Aransas Pass, 15 mi
Continue a few miles on Hwy 35 until you see an exit for Business 35/Port Aransas. Exit onto Business 35. You will pass a Walmart on your right. There is a Starbucks across the street from the Walmart. Continue north on Business 35 (Wheeler Ave) and follow the signs for Port Aransas. Business 35 curves to the right and becomes Loop 90. You will pass an HEB grocery store on your right. Continue past the HEB and you are now on Loop 361 to Port Aransas.
S 361 Port Aransas (free ferry ride), 8 mi
You will cross a tall, shoulderless bridge on the way to the ferry landing. Exercise caution on this bridge. After you cross the bridge, you have paved shoulders the rest of the way to the ferry landing. Port Aransas is a small resort town that is very easy to navigate by bicycle. From the ferry landing, proceed onto Cutoff Rd. On Cutoff Rd, you will pass a laundromat on your right. Cutoff Rd takes you to a traffic signal where Cutoff Rd intersects with Alister St. Alister St (Loop 361) runs north and south and is the main business thoroughfare. At the traffic signal, turn left onto Alister St and there is an IGA grocery store a short way down on your left. If you turn right onto Alister St, you will find Coffee Waves, a local espresso cafe, a few blocks down on your left. Port Aransas has a sparkling clean, heated, 25 meter outdoor community swimming pool. There is a covered patio with picnic tables next to the swimming pool. There is free beach camping in Port Aransas.
Take a one week rest break in Port Aransas, Texas.
Return to Austin
268 miles
With the exception of a few long, narrow bridges, road conditions are excellent the entire way with either full shoulders or acceptable mini-shoulders.
Starting in Port Aransas, Texas (101)
E 35 Rockport, 18 mi
E 35 Port Lavaca, 52 mi
E 35 Palacios, 29 mi
E 35 Blessing, 12 mi
W 71 La Grange, 90 mi
W 71 Smithville, 21 mi
W 71 Bastrop, 13 mi
W 71 to 21
Refer to Austin bicycle map:
W 21 to 812
N 812 to Elroy Rd/Burleson Rd
W Burleson Rd into Austin, 33 mi (from Bastrop)
The route described in this book starts in Austin, Texas and ends in Austin, Texas. It totals 10,095 miles not including the optional 152 mile excursion to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona.