When the video call is loaded, I immediately recognize the interior of a sprinter van. Charlie Gandy has been parked on a desolate road in the depth of Big Bend National Park. Gandy runs his hand through his white hair, bearded stub for several days standing on his face and riding in the forest.

Gandy shared, “It is now about 100 degrees and is still real.” It is currently on a mission for a ground proof for a ground proof, one of the most remote sections of a brand-to-to-point bikepacking route, 1,500 miles in some wild parts of Texas. Known as XTEXAS Trail Project (XTX), this trail’s mapping and design is a true labor of love.

Gandy is a fifth generation of Texan, who served in the Texas legislature, traveled across the state as a businessman, and established Bercatexas Advocacy Organization in 1991. Even though the 66 -year -old now lives in the state of Washington, he was inspired to give back to the home state, which has given him a lot.

Inspiration for XTX

“I was traveling hiking on the Taho Trail Lake in June last, and wondering what I am going to do next, and the pieces just came together,” Gandy said. “I realized that as a native texon … I could see the path we basically have now, and I can imagine the path of an EPLCHAN trail-type, or as a Pacific Crest Trail-type route, or perhaps even more accurate, because it is more accurate, because it is so young, how young is, the Continental divide Trail.”

“Basically what I am doing, installing a tour of Texas which is rustic, distant, rugged and therefore romantic.”

Most of the inspiration for the layout of the route comes from the Cross-Washington Mountain Bike Route (XWA), which is primarily off-road route 690 miles that crosses from state to west to east. Gandy has rode XWA for the last two years, and said “this is a physical and emotional challenge.”

“This is one of the sources of my imagination, people suffer on the way to see the hidden gems of Texas, so that they will appreciate the route and search.”

Where does XTX go?

To adopt that challenging ethics, the 1,500 mile route survives from all major cities and passes only small cities to re -form the riders. “Generally, it is rooted through where we can find dirt roads and or trails,” Gandy said. “There are ghost roads, where there was no reason for anyone to be in the interstate and highways, except the Rankers who live on them and the Melman.”

Notable highlights along the route include Deep East Texas region, filled with some trails on endless sandy ghosts and pine woods trails. This route then passes through the hill country, which has a lot of singletrack trails to ride.

Possibly the most bumpy, distant and beautiful areas reveal the route, where I found Gandy when I talked to her: Big Bend and Chihuahuan Desert. Through the Big Bend, the route follows the road of the gravel river at a distance of about 60 miles, from where Gandy called. After being curved through the National Park on the endless gravel, the route lifts the singletrack at the Big Bend State Park near Lazitas, which detects the Eastern Constrabando trail and then goes to the depth in the park on the rugged singleTrac.

“There is a lot [an] abandoned […] Smuggling route. And because there is water along the route … This is the major singletrack through the state park. ,

The route then leads to the north, and the hikers will peak the highest peak in Texas – Guadalup peak before leaving for the western border. Unfortunately, Mountain Bikers must leave Guadalup peak.

Most of the route follows dirt, gravel and sandy roads – many of which may be rough and or the other, and are filled with rocks and pits. There are also smattings of singletrack and pavement on the route. In Gandy’s brain, a bike similar to Salsa Jackfruit – Quintessiant Tour divide Bike – will be ideal for XTX.

It has been allowed to get local approval quickly by creating a mark for a “horse standard”

“We are making it for a horse standard, and we will also have hikers and mountain bikers on it,” Gandy said. “If a horse is safe on it, there is a mountain biker or a hicker.”

While Gandy is an experienced Mountain Biker and Hicker, who has completed all 14 residents of Colorado and many long-range Through-Haik, he is very intentional in involving mounted riders in a conversation with Gate-Go. And this inclusive approach is proving to be beneficial on a large scale.

In many areas of Texas, all land is owned by private rankers. Gandy is working to root the footpath to remove the footpath through private farm land in many areas. While this work is going to take time, he is achieving success in large parts due to “horse standard”.

“People in Texas Love Horses. When I arrive in rural Texas, I just have to say, ‘We are making it for a horse standard, and we will also have hikers and mountain bikers on it.’ And they do not listen to that other part, “Gandy said.” They only listen to ‘horses’, and they love this idea, and they are the same as the most enthusiastic in our three groups, as they can see an overland route. ,

Since 96% of the land in Texas is privately owned, there is no overland horse riding route anywhere in the state. Horse riding state parks interested in trail rides are limited to loops. The XTX is giving a vision to horse riders that are possible for epic, long distance adventures.

In fact, as Gandy has recruited locals to help with ground-trunk, horse riding has been the most emotional group of volunteers.

When will the riders be invited to pedal the XTX?

Currently, the XTX is still in a draft form because the Gandy works to get out – and to identify the best ways for passengers to reach the sources of water. “Our goal is to water every 15 miles away. Because we are seeing again, a horse standard; and it is also good for the hikers, and it is usually speaking, it is more than the need of bicycles. But that’s fine. So it’s fine. So it’s fine. […] Suppose we have a difference between water at a distance of 15 to 20 miles. ,

However, there are some sections in the current route where passengers may need to go at a distance of 60–100 miles without water, such as in Big Bend National Park. Gandy is trying to find a solution to this problem, but in the meantime, to prove that the route is still possible, he admitted to ride his friend Riya Wolike.

Wallace completed 1,500 miles in 17 days at a distance of 1,500 miles, before he had to leave for a family commitment. Wallace has planned to return to the pedal at a distance of the last 300 miles after the weather has cooled down.

Talking about the weather, Gandy was adamant that it is a winter route, with an ideal window to ride the XTX running from November to March. However, even within that window, the temperature can still flare up: I have memories of the camp at the Big Bend State Park on Christmas in a year, even though the high has reached 99.

The next decline, Gandy riders “best 100 miles for a horse, best 100 miles for a bike, best for hicker, and best 200 miles, and then I am showing places where you don’t want to be on a horse or horse, I am showing places where you are working on a bike or an alternative route.

“Where water is not present, or the camps are not present … I would say that this part is not yet ready, until you are not able to carry more than 50 miles of water on the bike,” Gandy said.

So perhaps you need to ask yourself whether the mark is ready for you, or [if] You are ready for the mark, “Gandy quipped.