In spite of the challenges , Allbright is heartened to see new adventure companies coming to the area , bringing with them an influx of young people eager to learn about the area and teach others how to protect it .
“ There ’ s lots of demand for what we do ,” she says , “ and there are all these new young people here to help visitors enjoy and appreciate this place .”
and the complex history of the Big Bend is one of Allbright ’ s favorite aspects of the industry . She views it as an opportunity to teach conservatorship and encourage people , especially young people , to be outside , away from the numbing effects of modern life and technology , where they can hear themselves and the world around them .
Allbright knows firsthand about the injuries , and rewards , the desert deals its dwellers . She and her partner built their home from stone found on their property over the course of 20 years . It ’ s powered by solar and rain catchment . “ It ’ s really just in the last five years that we ’ ve been living comfortably , without being in a work zone ,” she says . “ It has a small footprint . It ’ s hard here when you work full-time in the high season . You have a short window to build , and that is usually in the summer heat .” Like so many Terlingua residents who hand-make their homes , it ’ s always a work in progress , but being so in tune with the cycles of nature and every aspect of one ’ s dwelling gives the concept of ‘ home ’ a deeper meaning .
Any business faces challenges , but seasonal tourist industry businesses especially so . Desert Sports closed down in mid-March of 2020 for Covid , except for occasional bike repairs . When they reopened on August 1st of that year , business was non-stop until after Thanksgiving , when the river dropped to extremely low levels . Allbright notes that the winter and spring seasons have still been very busy , though the river is as low as she ’ s seen it in a long time . The hardest part about Covid for her ? “ I really miss going to Boquillas ,” she says wistfully . The little border crossing is still closed as of this writing , the villagers waiting in limbo for their friends — and their livelihood — to return . The Covidprompted closure is reminiscent of the devastating , decade-long closure after 9 / 11 .
At the same time , Terlingua is in the midst of a major boom , with new residents and businesses , and record numbers of visitors , flooding into the formerly sleepy little desert town . Allbright notes that in decades past , building in Terlingua was for restoration — people would take a little stone shack and stabilize it , make it into a home off the grid and enjoy the quiet life at the edge of nowhere . Now , there is constant building and the focus is more toward visitation , with dozens of new and trendy AirBnBs popping up , and heavy advertising campaigns aimed at enticing tourists . “ There ’ s a strong core of people who have lived here a long time ,” she says , “ and while I love sharing the Big Bend and everything it has to teach us with visitors , I hope the growth plateaus . We need time to look at the problems and come to a community resolution about how to deal with them .”
Some of the difficulties with the sudden surge in business and population have to do with resource capacity , mainly water , which is notoriously scarce in south Brewster County . Even the Rio Grande , on which Allbright used to be able to raft nearly year-round , has struggled mightily in recent years . The rafting season is now brief and spotty , and at times it can be difficult even to take a canoe trip without having to ‘ walk ’ your boat through shallow sections .
In spite of the challenges , Allbright is heartened to see new adventure companies coming to the area , bringing with them an influx of young people eager to learn about the area and teach others how to protect it . “ There ’ s lots of demand for what we do ,” she says , “ and there are all these new young people here to help visitors enjoy and appreciate this place .” She notes that outfitters , including Desert Sports , work with each other and agencies like the State and National Park , sharing what they all know and working together to make sound decisions for the community , visitors and the unique ecosystems of the Big Bend . One example of this collaboration is the summer art program with which she ’ s been involved with Amber Harrison from Big Bend Ranch State Park . The program ties science in with the arts for children ages four through high school , allowing them to learn about the unique place where they live and use this knowledge to develop their creativity .
Allbright would like to see a greater emphasis on this kind of community development . “ I feel like the heart of the community is contained in the school ,” she says . “ And our school is so awesome . So many wonderful things happen there .” She hopes the many changes happening in her community will turn the focus inward , toward the next generation , to create a place for residents and visitors to enjoy for generations to come .
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