Charlie Gandy and Pam and Richard Hershberger passed through Blanco during the winter storm as part of a “ground proofing” expedition for the xTexas Trail, a 1,500 mile hiking, biking and horseback riding trail that spans the width of the state from Orange to El Paso.
Gandy and the Hershbergers stayed a bit longer in town than they anticipated due to the winter weather, but said that it was a pleasant stop as they test the route by investigating resources, find places to resupply, establish campsites and identify water resources. Finding water resources is particularly important as the route winds through West Texas. The trail could be a Texas version of other long-distance trails like the Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail.
The Hershbergers came to long distance hiking as older adults to stay healthy and active and now count 17,000 miles in the U.S. and Europe between them, starting with the Appalachian Trail in 2010. Gandy is on a “10 year, $10 million dollar” campaign to establish water stations and other limited services along the trail, partnering with landowners who are interested in supporting the initiative. The group expects to complete this test of the route sometime in mid-March. Gandy calls the trail “remote, rustic, rugged, and that makes it romantic” and a unique way to experience Texas. He added, “walking is a metronome for thinking. You come back a different person than when you left.”
