A day off in Marfa proved a great choice to recharge our batteries and take in some hippy chill. Originally founded as a railroad water stop in the 1880s it was transformed in 1971 when Minimalist artist Donald Judd moved there from New York City and gradually began using buildings around the area – and eventually an old military base at Fort D.A. Russell – to install his and other art collections.
Since then a new wave of artists have moved to the town with gallery spaces opening across downtown – many of them in historic buildings which seem to have surivived the dereliction and decay we’ve seen in so many other places. The Marfa Lights have helped considerably but it shows how art can transform the fortunes of a community. Compared to Langtry and Dryden, which also began their lives as watering stops on the railroad, Marfa is a shining beacon of success.
The architecture was impressive with some cracking domestic conversions … several old wooden shacks and ex-gas stations are now bijou residences, standing cheek by jowl wiith lumberyards or auto repair garages. It even has a brand new open air swimming pool attached to the big hotel where the public can go and play … and/or drink at the poolside bar. We had lunch there, but decided to spare the families in the pool the sight of our tanned legs and bone-white torsos.
Marfa also brought us some more Trail Magic. We were talking bike trips with a young woman who was staying in one of the old RVs with college friends and told her that the Mexican restaurant Mando’s was really good … and possibly the only non-expensive place open on Tuesday evenings.
After a bit of faffing, we cycled there, and Delia was already at a table with her friends. We said ‘Hi’ and got our meal. When we went to pay, it turned out that Delia had already paid our tab! What a sweetie! On her trips, people had done the same and she wanted to ‘complete the circle’. We cycled back both vowing to remember to give Lloyd and Lewis a donation.
Bed now and just 75 miles tomorrow with no stores or gas stations in between – the only facility being a cold water tap by the carwash in Valentine, 40 miles away. The alarm is set for six, unless the milk train gets us first.
There are so many photos from our day in Marfa we’ve grouped them below into El Cosmico, Marfa architecture and ahem, the amazing classic cars scattered around town.
Today’s miles: 0
Miles since Anastasia State Park: 1,876.45
Architecture and Galleries:
Art and Curiosities:
El Cosmico
Cars and vehicles:
