After a long day in the Big Bend, we were tired, thirsty and hungry. The final ‘sprint’ out of the park led us to Marathon where we had reservations at the historic Gage Hotel.
Marathon has an altitude of just over 4,000 feet and a population of only 600. The hotel is about the biggest thing in town, but well worth the drive across Texas! According to the town’s website:
“In the early 20th century, Marathon was a bustling community of more than 2,000 — a Southern Pacific railway shipping point for cattle from major ranches in the area as well as silver and mercury from mines to the south. It boasted the only U.S. factory for natural rubber made from the desert plant guayule. It also had the first school in the Big Bend (the adobe schoolhouse now houses the Marathon Historical Museum), churches, a taxi service, a blacksmith shop, a general store and two hotels.”
Part of the charm about the town (and hotel) was that it is on a major East-West rail line. Union Pacific cargo trains traverse this route about 20 times a day (and night). Their haunting whistle as they chug slowly through town was really nostalgic.
The hotel is furnished is a sumptious SouthWestern style. Mmmm. My favorite! I could just move into the lobby and never go home.The White Buffy Bar is where I discover An Yeah Ho, an agave drink that is supposed to be tequila but isn’t really. A little of this mystery stuff over ice with a bit of lime was Yum City.
Dinner is at the Cenizo Cafe. Cenizo the Spanish name for purple sage, and we have seen it bursting with blooms all over the desert during our day of exploring. Notwithstanding the face that we are major hungry, the food is quite tasty. Mesquite grilled quail, roasted venison, black bean soup, fresh peaches grilled in a salad. More Yum City.
