T RAILHEA D BANDERA BULLETIN
G AT E WAY T O T H E T E X A S H I L L C O U N T R Y
SUMMER 2020 WWW.BANDERABULLETIN.COM
T RAILHEA D BANDERA BULLETIN
OUR TEAM Publisher JONATHAN DEELEY
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................ PAGE 2
Editor BILL PACK
WELCOME FROM THE PUBLISHER...................... PAGE 3
Office Manager & Bookkeeper FRAN FOX
SHINDIG JULY 4 EVENT......................................... PAGE 4
Sales & Advertising RICHARD REDMOND
LOST MAPLES PARK.............................................. PAGE 7
Magazine Designer MATT HELLMAN
RIDING ON FAITH RODEO................................... PAGE 10
Contributors CHUCK MCCOLLOUGH PHIL HOUSEAL
PETS TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT................................. PAGE 16
BANDERA CELEBRATES COWBOY IN STYLE.......... PAGE 4 BANDERA CITY PARK RULES................................. PAGE 5 CONNECTING VISITORS WITH NATURE................ PAGE 6 TRAVELING THE SWISS ALPS OF TEXAS............... PAGE 8 THE BANDERA ROUND-UP................................. PAGE 12 AROUND ROCK CREEK........................................ PAGE 17 FLOATING FUN ON MEDINA RIVER.................... PAGE 18 BANDERA HISTORICAL RIDES............................. PAGE 20
Since 1945 The Bandera Bulletin has been reporting events in "The Cowboy Capital of the World.” We cover all of Bandera County including Bandera, Medina, Pipe Creek, Lakehills, Tarpley, Utopia and Vanderpool. We find out what is happening by attending local events, contacting local authorities and most importantly, by listening to you tell us what is going on.
P.O. Box 697 606 Hwy 16 South Bandera, TX 78003 For advertising, call 830-796-3718 www.banderabulletin.com
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TRAILHEAD MAGAZINE
Photo by Robert Garlow
Welcome to the Trailhead BY JONATHAN DEELEY Bandera Bulletin Publisher
I love highway signs. On a summer drive through the Midwest, I discovered one of my favorites dotting Interstate 35 through Kansas. It reads “Don’t litter. Keep Kansas the beautiful.” Every time I saw it, I thought to myself, “Ok. I the will.” Always a stickler for proper grammar. Possibly the clearest sign summer is upon us is the need to mow grass. When I was young, my older brother and I started mowing neighbors’ yards for extra money. Our father didn’t give us much of an allowance, believing hard work developed character. So, together, we set out to build character using our father’s lawn mower. We didn’t advertise and knew nothing about self-promotion. We were nine and ten years old respectively. Our business came from word of mouth and referrals. But I had an
idea. I instructed my brother to wave at passing cars and smile a lot, to at least give the impression he enjoyed the work and, in turn, we would get more referrals. It worked. The more my brother waved and smiled at passing cars, the more work we received. Our weekends were booked solid. Some yards looked as though they didn’t even need mowing and we were nearly always greeted with lemonade and snacks. Tips were nearly guaranteed. Business was picking up and we were making money. About the time I was making plans to upgrade my bicycle, the whole enterprise came to a screeching halt. While we were mowing, my father was receiving informational brochures from members of our church advertising various schools for special needs children. Our yard mowing enterprise was trending because everyone thought my brother was mentally challenged. For the remainder of the
summer we built our character by painting the house. I share this story with you because I have been thinking about my brother a lot lately. Not so much because he is a professor of architecture at a college in New York and we are just now exiting the pandemic crisis and New York was one of this country’s hot spots. It is just every time I pass a roadside sign that reads “Slower Drivers Keep Right,” I think of him. Don’t get me wrong, I love my older brother. My fondest memories of him as kids is when he did something outrageous and got hurt. No lie. I am grateful for the memories, as I am grateful for the end of the pandemic and our town is awake and back in business. But enough about my brother, this crisis and what it cost our country and our town. You will have to excuse me as I just passed a roadside sign that read “Low Bridge Ahead.” I am pulling over to try and cheer it up. VOL. 2, NO. 2 | SUMMER 2020
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JULY 4TH EVENT RAMPING UP Celebrate this great country loud and Bandera proud on the Fourth of July. The Shindig nightclub and the Guilds of Requiem Marketplace are seeking local sponsors, local vendors, local food trucks, local artists, and local entertainers for the annual community event. The goal is to keep this event as close to free as possible, officials said. They said the only way that can work to is with the help of area businesses and organizations. The event, to be held at The Shindig, which is at 3719 Highway 16 South just outside Bandera, is set to be a day-long, old fashioned community celebration, with food, vendors and a place for a daytime ground fireworks displays for the kids and a bigger fireworks show on Highway 16. Live music also is planned for the celebration. Last year’s July 4 event had almost a hundred people in attendance, and this year, organizers hope it will grow larger. Sponsorship packages for the celebration were offered beginning on June 8 through social media outlets and the website www.guildsofrequiem.com. More information about the celebration can be found at the website, including how to get involved as a vendor, sponsor or entertainer. 4
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Visitors at a past Day of the Cowboy celebration in Bandera enjoy cowboy grub cooked up by Kelly Scott, who brought one of his chuckwagons for visitors to explore at the event. Scott is expected to return when the Bandera Business Association holds its Day of the Cowboy extravaganza on July 25 outside the Bandera County Courthouse. Bulletin photo by Chuck McCollough
Bandera celebrates Cowboy in Style There’s no better place to celebrate the National Day of the Cowboy than Bandera, the official Cowboy Capital of the World. Bandera’s celebration starts on July 24 at the Frontier Times Museum, 510 13th St. in Bandera. The museum is home to the Texas Heroes Hall of Honor. Since 2009, the museum has inducted great Texans who have exemplified the spirit of Texas into the hall. The museum is proud to have a permanent display of memorabilia from previous inductees exhibited there. Due to the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus, however, museum officials chose not to induct new members this year. Instead, the museum will host an outdoor reunion of all past inductees on July 24 that will be opened to the public. The dinner will be the kick-off event for Bandera’s National Day of the Cowboy that is celebrated every year on
the fourth weekend of July. This year’s celebration will move on July 25 to the Bandera County Courthouse grounds at 500 Main St. for a salute to American cowboys hosted by the Bandera Business Association. Travelers from around the world flock to Bandera for the event that gives them a taste of the Old West. The Bandera Cattle Company Gunfighters engage in staged shootouts (with blanks), and the good guys always win. Among visitors to the event last year were a group of 10 from Belgium who were captivated by a bullwhip demonstration from Western entertainer Kimmy Williams. This year’s cowboy celebration will include a Little Wrangler’s Ranch Rodeo, Native American Exhibits, Western craftsmen, a Chicken Ropin’ game for youngsters, storytellers, a picker’s circle, Western games and a blacksmith demonstration.
BAND
E RA CI Borderi TY PA ng Highwa the Medina Ri RK RU ve y 173 b ridge th r, Bandera Ci LES ty rough t he bend Park continu e
PARK OPERATIONS ARE GOVERNED BY THE FOLLOWING RULES:
• Park hours from 8 a.m. daily to 30 minutes before sundown; • No camping; • You can no longer park on the lower level. Do not cross the boundaries inside the park; • Speed limit is 10 mph; • No glass containers; • No swimming nearby or standing on dam; • No off-road or all-terrain vehicles allowed; • No swinging from ropes or tree limb. You may only enter the water from the river bank; • No entering on the south bank of the river as that is private property; • No loud music; • No littering; please use park garbage cans; • No loose animals; all animals must be attended or on a leash at all times; • Do not move picnic tables; • Park only in designated areas; please read the signs; • No horse trailers or recreational vehicles allowed; • When park gates are closed due to bad weather, visitors can park outside the gate and walk into the park;
in the r
s south of the ear Pec an Stre et.
iver to n
• No refunds issued for park admission; • Admission fee on weekends and holidays are $5 per person ages 4 and up, $3 for seniors, military representatives, veterans, police officers and firefighters; • Anyone with a Bandera utility account can get two park passes; • The Bandera City Park season pass is valid for a car of no more than five people; each additional person will be charged the normal park fee; • Fees for park pavilions are $65 per day plus a $50 deposit for cleanup or damage that will be refunded if the pavilion is left cleaned and undamaged; • Pavilions available on first-come, first-served basis; • No refunds available if party changes date or mind; • Fees must be paid when reservations are made; city will not hold a date without a payment; • Pavilion may not be rented more than 30 days in advance; • Pavilions are for citizens of Bandera and visitors; they are not to be used as concession stands for food and drinks; • Pavilion rentals are available during park hours only; • Reservations are to be made at City Hall in person. VOL. 2, NO. 2 | SUMMER 2020
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Hill Country State Natural Area
Beautiful vistas and rugged terrain abound at Hill Country State Natural Area southwest of Bandera. It is located at 10600 Bandera Creek Road.
Courtesy photo
Connecting visitors with nature BY CHUCK MCCOLLOUGH
this former ranch on the south side of Bandera County.
Hill Country State Natural Area, a short drive from Bandera, is having more visitors than usual in the early summer weeks, said Park Supervisor Paul Hendrix. “Our visitations usually start to fall off in June and the start of summer because our camping is more primitive than say Lost Maples, which offers RV parking,” he said. Hendrix, who has been at Hill Country for three-and-ahalf years, said the park is operating on a slightly reduced capacity, with group areas closed and a rule of no more than five people in a camp site. More than five people can be in a camp site if they all live in the same household, he noted. Hill Country sprawls across more than 5,000 acres of rugged canyons, scenic plateaus and tranquil creek bottoms at
Things to Do
Special to the Bulletin
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Hill Country State Natural Area offers primitive camping, backpacking, nature-watching and multiuse trails for hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. Help keep this natural area pristine by following these rules: • Trails and backcountry campsites may be closed to protect sensitive areas or for bad weather; observe closure signs. Call or check the Facebook page or Twitter feed for updates before your visit. • Campfires are allowed only in fire rings. Visitors must bring firewood; visitors may not gather dead wood or cut standing timber. • Pets must be on leashes no longer than six feet. • Fire danger conditions can change rapidly, leading to burn bans with little notice.
Check before visiting. Hill Country does not have a park store or potable water, so visitors must bring everything they will need, including drinking water.
Trails
Trails range from easy to challenging, from one-mile strolls to miles-long rambles. The easy Heritage Loop takes visitors past remnants of the former ranch. The West Peak Overlook is a staff favorite, with a steep climb leading to expansive views of the western Hill Country.
Horseback riding
Visitors can bring their own horses to explore the natural area (they must have proof of a current Coggins test). Trail terrain ranges from flat, broad prairies to steep, rocky canyons. The equestrian arena is
available by reservation only; contact the natural area for information.
Camping
Visitors can get back to nature at one of the primitive walk-in or hike-in campsites. These sites have vault toilets nearby, but no showers or running water. The lodge is available for those with and without horses. It has a kitchen and bathroom and sleeps nine. Five stalls, two pens and corrals are nearby. Horseback riders can reserve an equestrian campsite or the group camp. The group camp comes with a barn and nine stalls. This camp has water for horses and a vault toilet nearby but no showers or potable water. Hill Country State Natural Area is at 10600 Bandera Creek Road. For more information call 830-796-4413.
OUTDOOR ATTRACTION
Lots of people finding Lost Maples park BY CHUCK MCCOLLOUGH Special to the Bulletin
Lost Maples State Natural Area Park Manager Lisa Fitzsimmons expects more visitors this summer than last year, even with fewer offerings. “We have no (ranger directed) programs this summer. The park is open for visitors to enjoy using the trails and camping,” Fitzsimmons said. She said the programs were discontinued to avoid large gatherings in the natural area, which would make it harder to comply with social distancing standards and to fight the spread of the coronavirus. Lost Maples is also recommending that visitors wear face coverings, but it is not required. The park manager said the park is seeing more visitors now than last year in part be-
cause of the lack of entrainment and sports offerings for people to take part in. “We are seeing people who have never been here or any other state park and are really enjoying the natural beauty,” she said. Lost Maples State Natural Area covers 2,904 scenic acres in Bandera and Real Counties, north of Vanderpool on the Sabinal River. Cell phone service is not available in the natural area. All guests, including annual pass holders, need to pre-purchase day passes and make overnight reservations in advance. The natural area is located at 37221 FM 187 outside Vanderpool and can be reached by phone at 830-966-3413. Visit the nature area's website at https://tpwd.texas. gov/state-parks/lost-maples for more information.
LOST MAPLES PARK
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OFFERINGS INCLUDE • More than 10 miles of hiking trails, including a loop that takes you along the top of a 2,200-foot cliff; • Thirty campsites with water and electricity; visitors also can backpack to one of the natural area’s primitive campsites; • Fishing in the Sabinal River which runs through the park or
on Can Creek; you do not need a fishing license to fish from shore or a pier in a state park or natural area; • Birdwatching for the large variety of birds that make the area their home; that includes the endangered Golden-Cheeked Warbler and the recently de-listed Black-Capped Vireo.
Quality Handmade Items 1302 Fiorella St. Castroville, Texas, 78009 OPEN: Tuesday -Saturday:10am-5pm | 830-444-1773 grannymstx@gmail.com VOL. 2, NO. 2 | SUMMER 2020
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Traveling the
‘Swiss Alps of Texas’
Often referred to as the "Swiss Alps of Texas," this approximately 85-mile loop allows you to cross both the Medina and the Sabinal Rivers many times and takes you through majestic vistas ranging in elevation from 1,400-to-2,150- feet above sea level.
DIRECTIONS 1) Head North from Bandera on Highway 16 to Medina. 2) In Medina, go West on Highway 337 towards
Vanderpool to Highway 187. (At this junction you may want to go North on Highway 187 for several miles to visit the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum and/ or Lost Maples State Natural Area.)
3) Go South on Highway 187. 4) Go East on Highway 470 and return to Bandera via
Tarpley.
5) Go South on Highway 16 to return to Bandera.
FOR A LARGER CIRCUIT For a larger circuit, adding about 15 miles to the trip, a traveler will go through vistas created by the Frio River. To make that loop, a motorist should: - Head north from Bandera on Highway 16. - In Medina, go west on Highway 337 to Vanderpool and on to Leakey. - In Leakey, turn south on Highway 83 to Garner State Park. - Turn left on Highway 1050 to Utopia. - Turn left on Highway 187 in Utopia. - Turn right, heading north, on Highway 470 to Tarpley. - Continue on Highway 470 through Tarpley to Highway 16 and turn right to Bandera.
The hills west of Tarpley off of Highway 470 create a majestic panorama in a photograph taken earlier this month. The highway is on one leg of an 85-mile loop that is Bulletin Photo by Bill Pack called the Swiss Alps of Texas. 8
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VOL. 2, NO. 2 | SUMMER 2020
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Riding on Faith Rodeo Returning on Fridays this summer The Riding on Faith Rodeo series is back at the Mansfield Park arena for a third year offering rodeo lovers all their favorite events on Friday evenings through Aug. 7. Rodeo events scheduled every week include open bullriding, novice bullriding, mini bullriding, tie-down rop i n g , b r e a ka w ay roping, open team roping, open barrels, junior barrels and muttin bustin for the youngsters. Exhibition barrel racing, junior barrel racing, team roping and possibly more mini bullriding competion could be held both before and after the regular rodeo if enough participants sign up to go after hours. The events are open to anyone to enter, except for the No. 10 team roping event which is only open to competitors who qualify for that level of competition. All horses brought to the arena for the events will need to show proof that they have passed the Coggins test the state requires. Troy Konvicka, a former bull rider who put the rodeo series together with his wife Karen, sees the series as 10
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One of the contestants in the mini bullriding event has a good ride at the first showing of the Riding on Faith Rodeo series at Mansfield Park on May 29. The rodeo is being planned for Friday nights at the park outside Bandera through Aug. 7 Bulletin photos by Bill Pack
a place for people to develop their rodeo skills, win cash prizes and entertain crowds while they are at it. It’s a family-friendly event that has drawn good crowds to Mansfield Park in the past and is expected to again this summer. The park is located at
2886 Highway 16 North just outside Bandera. “The moto for all we do is promoting the cowboy way of life,” said Karen Konvicka. Gates will open at 6 p.m. each Friday, and the rodeos will start at 8 p.m. Until the rules change, organizers are limiting the crowds to 50 percent of the capacity at the park’s arena and fans will be encouraged to keep six feet of separation from other fans when they can to help fight the spread of the coronavirus. Tickets for the rodeo will be $10 for anyone 7 and older paid in cash at the gate. No credit card or check payments will be allowed. Anyone age 6 and younger will be admitted for no charge. The grounds will have a variety of concession stands available, including a food truck by the Ranch House café and meat market in Bandera. The series is affiliated with the World Champions Rodeo Alliance this year to attract more competitors. Its mini bullriding competition is sanctioned by the International Miniature Bullriders Association.
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Open Daily 7AM-6PM Closed Wednesday
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VOL. 2, NO. 2 | SUMMER 2020
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This Labor Day Weekend, pull on your boots, dust off your hat, gather your family and friends and hit the trail to the annual Bandera Round-Up. The Round-Up is a spirited threeday celebration of the town’s storied cowboy heritage. Set for Sept. 4-6, the Bandera Round-Up welcomes folks of all ages to relive the days of cowboy shoot-outs, rodeos and cattle drives. The weekend starts on Sept. 4 with the annual Western Artist Round-Up Exhibit Opening and Reception at Bandera’s Frontier Times Museum. The museum will host outstanding works by Western artists dedicated to preserving the customs of trailblazers who settled the West. By staying true to authentic historic detail, these paintings tell the stories of hardy souls who shaped the American West as we know it. The event opens to the public at 6:30 p.m. and goes to 9 p.m. at 510 13th Street. Admission is free. The artists will be back at the museum at noon on Sept. 5 to give painting demonstrations until 4 p.m. The Bandera County Chamber of Commerce kicks off the day at 11 a.m. on Sept. 5 with a traditional Longhorn Cattle Drive and Big Cowboy Capital Parade down Main Street in Bandera, sponsored by the Bandera ProRodeo Association and Coldwell Banker. A herd of Texas Longhorn cattle, cowboys and cowgirls on horseback, covered wagons, colorful floats and the Bandera High School Marching Band are all part of this salute to Bandera’s cherished Western heritage. 12
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RUSTLE UP SO
THE BANDERA
OME FUN AT
A ROUND-UP
A herd of Longhorns amble down Main Street in Bandera during a past Longhorn Cattle Drive and Big Cowboy Capital Parade that is featured at the Bandera Round-Up celebration. The parade, put on by the Bandera Chamber of Courtesy photo Commerce, will be on Sept. 5 this year.
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Stroll the historic Bandera Courthouse Square grounds from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 5 and 6 for the Cowboy Capital of the World Foundation Cowboy Market to see live gunfighter shows, enjoy outstanding live musical artists and storytellers, and shop Western-themed vendor booths for cowboy gear and more. On Saturday night, Sept. 6, the Frontier Times Ranch Rodeo will be the first of two big rodeos during the Round-Up. It will be held at the Mansfield Park Arena just north of Bandera. Gates will open at 6 p.m. and the Grand Entry will be at 7 p.m. Cheer on working cowboys as ranches from across south Texas send their cowboy teams to compete in events that are designed to test the cowboys’ skills in the work they do every day. The Frontier Times rodeo includes a colorful patriotic grand entry, calf scramble, wild cow milking and bronco busting. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 6 through 12 and are available at the gate or in advance at Frontier Times in Bandera. The grand finale of the Bandera Round-Up weekend is the Bandera ProRodeo Association’s All Women’s
A team of Rescue Racers races down the arena at Mansfield Park during a prior All Women’s Ranch Rodeo & Kids’ Mutton Busting event. The rodeo put on by the Bandera ProRodeo Association is scheduled for Sept. 6. Courtesy photo
Ranch Rodeo & Kids’ Mutton Busting, also at the Mansfield Park Arena. Gates open at 6 p.m. on Sept. 6. Registration for Kids’ Mutton Busting starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 7:30 p.m. The Women’s Ranch Rodeo begins at 8 p.m. and will feature a Rescue Race, Pony Express, Cowhide Race, Muggin’ (Steer Roping) and Steer Branding, with a break
TRIPP’S TIRE & BOBCAT RENTALS
for Mutton Busting. The fee for Mutton Busting is $30, which includes one free adult admission, a $10 value. Admission to the rodeo is $10 for adults 13 years of age and up. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Please join us for fun for the whole family. Online ticket will be available at www.banderaprorodeo.org.
For more information, visit BanderaRoundUp.com or go on Facebook to see a video highlighting all the major events of the weekend, produced by the Bandera County Convention & Visitors Bureau’s James Hernandez. Share your Round-Up memories with us using #BanderaRoundUp and #BanderaCowboyCapital.
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Canine contestants in a past Pet Parade relax in Superman, Batman and Boy Wonder costumes after award winners in the parade were announced. The free parade will return for its 24th year on July 4 in Bandera City Park. Courtesy photo
Pets take spotlight at July 4 parade BY TRACY THAYER Special to the Bulletin
The 24th Annual Pet Parade will take place at 10 a.m. on July 4 in Bandera City Park by the Medina River. Entrance to the park and registration are both free. However, you must inform the park admission office upon entering the park that you are there to participate in the parade. Park rules still apply. Come see proud pet owners showing off their most 16
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prized critters competing for prizes in different categories. The judging categories are Star Spangled (most patriotic pet), Best of the West (Cowboy Capital Western pet costume), Look-A-Like (pets who look like their owners), Most Talented Pet (must show talent to judges), Most Original costume or pet, and Favorite Storybook Characters (storybook character and their pet). A Best-of-Show award winner and Most Creative costume also will be chosen.
Parade registration will begin at 9 a.m. with judging to follow at 9:30 a.m. The parade is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Local favorites the Gibson Sisters of Pawdners Pooch N Puss Primpin Parlour will emcee the parade. Past parade participants have included dogs, cats, crabs, fish, camels and horses. The Barrel House Feed Store of Pipe Creek is donating dog treats for parade contestants. The Cowboy Capital Pet Assistance League sponsors this
free event to celebrate the 4th of July in Bandera. For more information about the parade, call 210-705-4794. The Cowboy Capital Pet Assistance League, Inc. is a no-kill nonprofit organization serving all of Bandera County. The league’s purpose is to provide safe, loving, permanent homes for county strays and for those already in pet foster homes. To learn more about CCPAL or to volunteer, contact ccpal inquiries@gmail.com.
Around
ROCK SPRINGS
Bats fly at dusk from the Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area which is outside Rocksprings west of Kerrville. Officials with the natural area are taking reservations again for the public to visit the park. Reservations can be made by calling 830-683-2287 or e-mailing devilssinkhole@swtexas.net. Bulletin photos by Bill Pack
Devil’s Sinkhole natural area accepting visitors The Devil’s Sinkhole Society is pleased to report that visits are available again to the Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area in the Rocksprings area in Edwards County west of Kerrville. Natural area officials have made a few adjustments to meet guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state officials and are accepting reservations to visit the sinkhole, which is the only way to explore the natural area. Reservation can be made by calling 830-683-2287 or e-mailing devilssinkhole@ swtexas.net. Four of the five types of visits are currently available: evening bat viewing, daytime cave viewing, nature walks and birding, officials said. All visits begin at the Rocksprings Visitor Center on the Rocksprings town square at 101 N. Sweeten St. Masks are recommended but not required. Unless visiting as a family, visitors will be
grouped in units of five or less. The Devil’s Sinkhole is the largest one-chamber cave and the fifth deepest cave in Texas. At the height of bat season, the cave is home of the fourth-biggest bat colony in Texas, with numbers estimated between four and six million bats. The cave was declared a National Natural Landmark in 1971. The visits are guided by the volunteers of the Devil’s Sinkhole Society, a Texas Parks friends group established in 2001. Visits are available Wednesdays through Sundays. The visitors center is currently on a partial schedule of 12:30 – 3 p.m. except for Saturdays, when it is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Officials said bat numbers are on the low side as bat season begins, but with interesting owl behavior to see and barking frogs to hear, the bat viewing is pretty satisfying.
y l i m a F Fun! WESTERN ARTIST ROUND-UP EXHIBIT OPENING -FRI ✷✷✷✷ LONG HORN Cattle DRIVE & BIG Cowboy capital Parade-Sat ✷ Cowboy capital of the world foundation Arts & crafts with Live Bands Sat & Sun ✷✷✷✷ FRONTIER TIMES RANCH RODEO-SAT ✷✷✷✷ BANDERA PRORODEO ALL Women’s RANCH RODEO & Kids’ MUTTON Busting-Sun
Friday Sept. 4 - Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020 More Info at Banderaroundup.com VOL. 2, NO. 2 | SUMMER 2020
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Floating fun is Medina River Company’s specialty BY BILL PACK
bill@banderabulletin.com
The Medina River Company has been open for business since May 1 and is ready to help Medina River lovers take a float or kayak trip down the river every day through Labor Day, Sept. 7. The river outfitter located at 1114 Main St. in Bandera can provide inner tubes and kayaks and even ice chests for visitors who don’t have those ingredients for an invigorating trip down the river or just the transportation back to their vehicles for river lovers who bring their own water rides. Leisurely floats down the Medina have become a popular excursion as the weather turns hotter, and kayakers have always loved a brisk trip down the pristine waterway that flows through Bandera County as long as it’s been wet enough to keep the river flowing heavily. Colby Miller, the river company’s owner, said he can accommodate any size of group as long as he knows how many are comCall the ing. Groups of 20 or so are regularly company at attracted to the river, and one recent float trip included 64 people, he 830-796-3600 said. or visit online at His company has many spots along the river where customers www.themedina can start their float, but how long rivercompany.com the float lasts generally depends on how high the water level is and how for any other strong the flow is that day. questions. If the float is short because of low water levels, visitors can take the trip more than once. But for longer trips, only one trip per customer will be scheduled. The prices for the excursions are $20 if the river company provides the tube and $50 if it provides the kayak or $10 for the shuttle service alone if the floater has his or her own inner tube, $15 if they bring their own kayak. The travelers follow a river company vehicle to the site where they are put in the river. In a change caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the river company is now taking only one person back to his or her vehicle when the excursion is over. That person then takes the car back to the end spot to pick up the rest of the group. The river company is open now from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week to help guests enjoy the river. It has an ice machine at the office and water that guests can use to fill up their ice chests and water bottles. No Styrofoam ice chests or products are allowed on the river, and no glass bottles are allowed either. After the summer season ends on Labor Day, the company will continue to serve floaters but by appointment only. A group of tubers enjoys leisurely float down the Medina River in this photo provided by The Medina River Company. The river company is open seven days a week through Labor Day to help river lovers take a fun break on the Medina. Courtesy photo
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CajunFestival MedinaLake.com (830)460-0600 for information
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GAS GROCERIES CONVENIENCE VOL. 2, NO. 2 | SUMMER 2020
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TRAILHEAD MAGAZINE
Bandera Historical Rides SERVING UP BANDERA’S HISTORY ON THE BACK OF A HORSE BY JONATHAN DEELEY Bandera Bulletin Publisher
Bandera’s history is filled with cattle drives and cowboys on horseback, living up to its title as the Cowboy Capital of the World. In fact, it is not unusual to see cattle being transported through town or even a horse or two tied to rails outside a bar or restaurant. Today, one local outfitter is offering historical lessons on the backs of horses named Wyatt, Concho, Wrangler and Whiskey. “We will ride the nature trails of Bandera City Park, then continue riding into town like old-time cowboys,” explains Harrieth Stewart, co-owner of Bandera Historical Rides. “We visit all the major historical sites of town and make stop overs where riders wish,” she adds. Stewart, a native of Finland, founded horse-riding company with Tom Lamonica, just over four years ago. Stewart says she has been riding since the age of four and her experience includes harness racing, pony racing, jumping, dressage, reining, training horses and mules and is certified in equine assisted learning and equine sports massage. “Pretty much just anything with equines,” Stewart adds. Lamonica was born and raised in Colorado, cowboying in Arizona and New Mexico in his younger days. He later escaped the seasonal restrictions of Colorado, moving to Bandera to work dude ranches. Together they care for horses, give lessons in horsemanship and rehabilitate rescued horses. All rides begin with a thirty-minute introduction and lesson for all riders to get used to their horse. “We are happy to take you out on a calm trail enjoying
“We always start with getting to know the horses and go through a safety instruction. So, count an extra 30 minutes to the ride.”
TOM LAMONICA
CO-OWNER OF BANDERA HISTORICAL RIDES the view, sunset ride, or loping over vast meadows,” Stewart says. “Let us know what you wish, and we will make it happen!” Most rides, for both the novice and advanced rider, begin at Cypress and 3rd Street, adjacent to the city park. A typical two-hour ride will be split between riding along the river and a ride downtown to include Stanislaus Catholic Church, the old jail and courthouse, Frontier times Museum (fee included)
with time to shop and enjoy refreshments. “We always start with getting to know the horses and go through a safety instruction,” Lamonica says. “So, count an extra 30 minutes to the ride.” In addition to historical rides through the town, Bandera Historical Rides offers day outings at the 5,300-acre Hill County Natural area just outside of town, as well as camp outs at the organization’s ranch.
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“Kept far removed and untouched by modern civilization, where everything is preserved intact, yet put to a useful purpose.” That is what Louise Lindsey Merrick, owner of the Bar-O Ranch, requested when she donated portions of her land over a seven-year period to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “This location is by far the largest area of riding you will find,” Stewart says. “The park has 40 miles trails of absolute everything you expect in the Texas Hill Country. At this location we offer several different rides, and also a thrilling Camp out with horses under Texas Sky. It cannot be more Cowboy than that,” Stewart adds.
Stewart explained the operation has two sides: trail rides and equine rescue and rehabilitation. “We believe that all horses can have a job,” Stewart says. “We rescue and retrain at Willow Creek Ranch under the operation The Cowboy Way Equine Rescue & Rehabilitation. The riding operation, clinics, riding lessons and mental health program is how we finance our program for re-training and re-establishing horses.” Stewart also points out a gift shop that specifically supports the rehabilitation and re-training of horses. For those staying as guest at the ranch, there is the opportunity to join in the training.
TO BOOK A RIDE OR CAMP OUT, CALL 830-328-2203 OR EMAIL BOOKING@ BANDERAHISTORICALRIDES.COM.
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