BREWSTER COUNTY -- If marketing experts haven't already thought of this, they should pin a "Golden Triangle" label on that patch of gorgeous Texas from Fort Davis south to Presidio and east to Big Bend. Not much changes in the region, but that's not to say there's not a lot going on.
Some of the most creative, outside-the-box doers I've met recently are shaking things up and making things happen in places like Alpine, Marfa and Lajitas, efforts that are greatly entertaining and maybe even landscape-changing in scope. Certainly that's the case in Lajitas where former PGA Tour pro Forest Fezler (runner-up to Hale Irwin at the 1973 U.S. Open) has taken command of the redesign of the Lajitas Resort Golf Course, which was destroyed by flooding last September after heavy rain forced Mexican officials to release water from the Rio Conchos dam. Downstream it was widespread flooding from Presidio to Rio Grande Village. Fortunately, to my knowledge no one perished, and most of the high water areas, at least in the U.S., were mostly remote, unpopulated places that look like they have either fully or partly recovered seven months later. Fezler is building a PGA calibre golf course at Lajitas, a course designed by former tour pro Lanny Wadkins, who now makes a living creating golfscapes such as the beauty being built in Lajitas. With an October opening date, it stands to be the crown jewel golf course of West Texas.
Alpine residents finally received approval for their Class A Independent League baseball team to play in historic Kokernot Field after reaching agreement with the school district, college and lawyers for all concerned. Organizers have only about a month to field a team of young players. The Big Bend Cowboys' first date is a May 17 doubleheader. The season is roughly two months long and if you're a baseball fan, seeing a game in this miniature replica of Wrigley Field is a must. Alpine's a neat little tourism city with plenty going on and plenty more to come (and if you go, be sure and stop by Alexander's for some excellent fajitas).
Next year, the city hopes to begin what will eventually evolve into what will be called the Texas Mountain Music Festival, a weekend (at least) in June of Texas country music played to the background of the gorgeous mountains that line the town to the west and south. Hope to hear more about this later.
Speaking of festivals, Robin Lambaria and Lena Hill are in their second year of producing the Marfa Film Festival, which has emerged as a major event for film buffs and independent producers -- after just one event. "Put Marfa on anything and it's magic," Robin told me last week. This year's festival is April 30-May 2. At last year's debut event, 400 movie lovers watched "There Could Be Blood" on the actual set of the movie, on a ranch south of town. This year, the guest of honor is Larry McMurtry, the reclusive Pulitzer Prize winning author of "Lonesome Dove" and other books and movies too countless to mention. To score McMurtry in just the second year proves Robin and Lena are doing something right.
Hate to use this forum as a teaser to get you to read more, but this time I will: watch MyWestTexas.com later this week for extended stories on everything mentioned in one of the most beautiful pieces of Texas you'll ever come across.
Another note about Alpine: Railroad Blues makes the best homemade Sangria I've ever tasted.
Posted by: John | Monday, April 20, 2009 at 06:01 PM
Nice info to stash away for next trip down.
Posted by: Jimmy | Monday, April 20, 2009 at 09:18 PM