Trip planning to Big Bend State Park

texasclouds

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Mark
Anyone have suggestions for a good food stop along the way to Big Bend from Central TX? I’m thinking Junction or Ft. Stockton. Probably will refuel at Marfa no matter what. Cessna 170 with stock 145 HP Continental. Thanks!

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Lajitas TX resort used to pick you up if you landed at their private airport (T89) and were having lunch. It's a private strip and used to require calling them and sending a paper faxed back stating you wouldn't hold them responsible landing on their runway (it was in bad shape previously).
 
Used to be a steak house at the S end of the runway Sonora KSOA, might check on that
(FF says $3.36/gal)

Will fuel/bladder allow:
cll soa e38 3t9? much more direct. Maybe you prefer highways below
Whatever happens we want a full report.
If you have a mechanical after fst I am 'in the area' (but no airplane)
 
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I like this route because of the quantity of airports below it. Probably would be 4.5 hrs depending on the wind, 100 kts TAS. I’d stop every 2 hrs to take a break and check weather.
 
Ft. Stockton used to be a good fuel stop. Self-serve. I haven been there in a long TIM, so things may have changed. Very little traffic so easy in/out.
 
understood. I come from a history of flying mrf-t82 direct, too many times. The night trips gives one the willies. the tstorms over there; double-willies. (night, imc and tstorms only once - that was a lesson in stupid)

be sure to let us hear about the park. Hiking? I have a book..be sure to do Cinco Tinajas. I have been killing BBNP lately, awesome.

I'd call about that SOA steakhouse before going.
 
T82 Fredericksburg has a restaurant on field at the Hangar Hotel, unknown about COVID call. this is the route I flew out to the State Park. Awesome TripScreen Shot 2021-01-06 at 9.21.51 PM.jpg
 
Ozona, KOZA, is a good stop; a friendly one man FBO with courtesy car and several food options in town. Not the cheapest gas, but a great little airport nonetheless...
 
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It looks like the more direct route will save me 30 minutes, and there are still a decent amount of airports along the route. That last 100 nm does have some private strips below too. This way also doesn’t require dealing with the higher altitude stuff near Marfa.
 
I would not go to either the BBNP nor BBRSP after April 15 assuming typical conditions.
There have been plenty of heat stroke/exhaustion dehydration events after Apr starts.
I'm planning several big hikes there shortly but after March, I'm out.
Read Laurence Parent's Death in the Big Bend
 
Check out Junction, TX, KJCT. Cooper’s BBQ is a reasonable walking distance from the tiedowns.

Ft Stockton was a decent place when I stopped there with my new-to-me plane 12 years ago but two years ago it was a virtual ghost town. Surprising since there was a lot of oilfield business in the city at that time.
 
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