We had a great reopening weekend at Long Draw Pizza, and after being away for the summer, it felt so good to be back at the restaurant, around our people, and settling into our normal routine again. I even had a couple of days to catch up on work and spend some evenings relaxing by the pool at Lajitas.

WATCH HERE

Then, the week went downhill pretty quickly.

One thing I’ve promised myself with Weekly Slice is that I’m going to share real life, not just the highlight reel. I love the life we’ve built and what we get to do, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy.

Entrepreneurship isn’t for the weak.

There are nights I lay awake thinking about the responsibilities that come with owning a business. The decisions Andy and I make don’t just affect us, but our staff, our customers, and the people who depend on us. When you’re the person in charge, sometimes it feels like you’re not really allowed to have a bad day. There are things that still need to get done, people still need you and things, and the business keeps moving whether you’re having a great week or a really hard one.

I’ve also taken a little step back from posting lately. I absolutely love sharing Terlingua and Big Bend, but sometimes the messages and comments about what’s happening here become overwhelming because this isn’t just a place I post about online. This place is our home, our livelihood, and our lifeline. And, yes we’re doing everything we can to protect it.. in our way.

Wednesday night, our little chihuahua, Chilly, got really sick again. I stayed up with her all night, and early Thursday morning we took her back to the vet. Her kidney levels were high, and our vet wasn’t sure she was going to make it. We chose to hospitalize her again and see if fluids would help, and thank the good Lord, they did.

After a very long couple of days, we were able to bring her home. She’s been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, and we’re now giving her fluids at home three times a day. We’re leaning on a dear friend who has been helping us through this, getting additional opinions, and doing everything we can to make the best decisions for her.

Andy and I don’t have children together, and these dogs are our babies. I’ve been an absolute wreck and haven’t slept much, which makes it hard to focus on work and everyday life when you’re so worried about something you love.

We don’t know what the future looks like with Chilly, and we know there may eventually be some really difficult decisions ahead. For now, I’m just grateful she’s home.

I’m so grateful I get to hold her, love on her, and have more time with her.

WATCH HERE

This week reminded me that you can love your life and still admit when it’s hard. And, you can be grateful and overwhelmed at the same time. You can also love being a leader and still feel the weight of leadership.

More than anything, I’m grateful for our family, friends who have become family and for our faith. They’re the foundation that keeps us grounded when life gets hard.

This wasn’t the happiest Weekly Slice, but it was real life. Right now, we’re taking things one day at a time, loving on Chilly, leaning on our people, and remembering how much we still have to be grateful for.

Here’s to a gentler week ahead.

-Mallory

Subscribe now

WATCH HERE

Every year, Andy and I try to sneak away for a few days before the seasonal madness begins. Once Spring Break hits, life becomes a whirlwind at Long Draw Pizza, so we’ve learned how important it is to recharge before the busy season starts. This last year, we decided on Secrets Puerto Los Cabos, which was exactly what we needed.

If you’re looking for a vacation where your biggest decision is what you’re going to eat or which pool chair to claim for the day, this is the place.

The resort grounds were absolutely beautiful and everything was immaculate, lush, and incredibly nice. We decided to book a room with a private plunge pool, and I can honestly say it was worth every penny. We spent every afternoon in our plunge pool because it was so quiet and relaxing.

One of my favorite parts of the resort was watching the sunsets. And, every evening seemed more beautiful than the last. We also discovered a quiet overlook behind the beach bar that had a couple of lounge chairs that became our favorite beach spot.

While you can’t swim in the ocean around Cabo because of the dangerous currents, we loved walking along the beach. The coastline is absolutely stunning, and we even saw whales in the distance.

The staff made the experience even better. Every single person we interacted with was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely wanted to make sure we had a great stay. And, man do they work hard! You could tell they had an excellent team.

Since I don’t drink anymore, I look for different things when booking an all-inclusive resort. For me, the priorities are simple: adults-only, great food, and a relaxing atmosphere. Secrets delivered on all three.

The food honestly exceeded our expectations. From the buffet and room service to the specialty restaurants each evening, every meal was consistently delicious. We never felt like we were settling just because it was an all-inclusive.

Looking back, this trip was exactly what we needed before heading into one of our busiest seasons of the year. Sometimes the best vacations aren’t packed with excursions or nonstop adventure, yet they’re the ones where you slow down, unplug, and simply enjoy being together.

If you’re considering an adults-only all-inclusive in Cabo, I’d absolutely recommend adding Secrets Puerto Los Cabos to your list. It gave us the reset we needed before diving back into another busy season in Terlingua.

Subscribe now

(This is my personal opinion and not sponsored)

-Mallory

I’m so excited to officially share that The Weekly Slice is now a weekly YouTube series alongside this newsletter.

Watch Here!

For a long time, I’ve wanted to create something that goes beyond the perfectly curated moments you see on social media. Life isn’t always a highlight reel, it’s the early mornings, the long workdays, the unexpected challenges, the small victories, and everything in between. This series is my chance to invite you into the real life of building businesses, chasing big dreams, exploring Far West Texas, and figuring it all out one week at a time.

Every Monday, you’ll receive this newsletter along with a brand-new episode so you can follow along with everything happening behind the scenes. My goal this year is to grow this YouTube community, so if you enjoy the videos, I’d be incredibly grateful if you’d subscribe.

Youtube Channel: Mundy Out West

This Week’s Slice:

The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind.

We made it home after a summer full of travel and immediately jumped into getting Long Draw Pizza ready to reopen. We were organizing the restaurant, catching up on life, taking care of our sweet Chilly girl, and getting everything back in order, and it’s felt like we’ve been running nonstop.

This past Saturday, we finally reopened our doors, and I can’t tell you how good it felt to see so many familiar faces again. There really is something special about this little pizza place and the people who walk through our doors. It’s a reminder of why we chose this life in the first place.

We’re also welcoming back most of our team and getting everything ready for the busy season ahead. We even added a couple of new menu items that I’m really excited for everyone to try, especially our new Caprese Pesto salad.

Honestly, there haven’t been any huge adventures this week. It’s mostly been work...lots and lots of work. But that’s part of building a dream too.

One exciting change this year is that we’re planning to be open five days a week for most of the season. That’s a big shift for Andy and me, and we’re looking forward to seeing what this next chapter looks and feels like.

If you’re planning a trip to Big Bend this fall or winter, we’d absolutely love to have you stop by Long Draw Pizza. Be sure to come say hello! We’re always grateful to meet the people who follow along with our journey.

Subscribe now

Until next week,

Keep chasing the dream, building the dream, and living the dream.

— Mallory

We’re officially home after a seven-week adventure, and it feels so good to be back in West Texas.

If you missed the journey, Andy and I spent the last five weeks walking the Camino de Santiago across Spain. We started in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and walked nearly 500 miles all the way to Santiago de Compostela. It was, without question, the most incredible trip of my life.

Subscribe now

What made the Camino so special wasn’t just the distance, but how immersive the experience was. We weren’t just walking through Spain; we were living it. We stayed in small villages, met people from all over the world, experienced the local culture, and learned lessons that I know I’ll carry with me forever. It was also the most physically and mentally challenging thing I’ve ever done. I’m still processing everything we experienced, and I can’t wait to share more with you.

I’ll be releasing a full YouTube series over the coming weeks that follows the entire journey from start to finish, and I’m so excited for you to experience it alongside us.

After Spain, we weren’t quite finished traveling! We flew to Alaska and spent a week aboard the Star Princess, exploring glaciers, wildlife, and some of the most beautiful scenery we’ve ever seen. I’ll be sharing those adventures soon, too.

Getting home was an adventure of its own.

We arrived just as heavy rains rolled through West Texas, causing flooding that left us stranded about a mile from our house. Thankfully, my dad came to the rescue with my Jeep and got us home safely. I absolutely love when it rains out here and how it transforms the desert, but it also creates quite a bit of chaos!

As wonderful as traveling is, there truly is no place like home.

We’ve spent the last week getting everything ready to reopen Long Draw Pizza on August 1. While we were away, we had several projects completed at the restaurant, so it’s been a busy week getting everything back in order and ready for another season.

It’s also been an emotional week for us. Our sweet little dog became very sick and spent four days in the animal hospital in Alpine. She’s home now and continues to recover, but we’ve been making daily trips back and forth and keeping her in our prayers. She’s our little baby, and seeing her sick has been incredibly hard.

This weekend, we finally slowed down for a bit and escaped to our condo in Lajitas. We squeezed in nine holes of golf before the desert heat reminded us who’s in charge! If you’d like to come along, I just posted a new YouTube video from the weekend:

🎥 Watch here:

One thing became very clear to me during these seven weeks away.

Now that I’ve finished graduate school, I have the time and energy to pour into something I’ve dreamed about for a long time: building my YouTube channel into something special.

Over the next several months, you’ll see a lot more long-form videos, weekly adventures, behind-the-scenes looks at life in Big Bend, our businesses, travel, hiking, and everything in between. If you’ve enjoyed following along on social media, I think you’re really going to love what’s coming next.

If you haven’t subscribed yet, I’d be so grateful if you would join me over there:

▶️ Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@MundyOutWest

Your support truly means the world to me, and I’m so thankful you’ve followed along on this journey. Whether you’ve been here from the beginning or just recently found my little corner of the internet, thank you for being part of it.

I’m excited for what’s ahead, and I can’t wait to share more adventures with you soon.

See you next week,

Mallory

We’re walking the Camino de Santiago, the Frances Route. This route starts in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, and winds all the way to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

500 miles.. on foot.

Subscribe now

I’m receiving a lot of questions about the Camino and what it is..

For those of you who don’t know, let me give you a little background because this is one of those things that’s hard to explain until you’ve felt the pull of it yourself.

The Camino de Santiago, known in English as the Way of St. James, is one of the most ancient and celebrated pilgrimage routes in the world. It winds across Europe, from France, Portugal, the northern Spanish coast, and beyond, which all meet in the cathedral city of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain, where the remains of the apostle Saint James are said to be buried.

The Camino Francés, or French Way, is the most famous of all the routes. First described in the 12th century in what may be the world’s first travel guidebook, the Codex Calixtinus, it has since attracted millions of walkers, making it the most popular Camino route of all. Starting from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees, it crosses four stunning Spanish regions, (Navarre, La Rioja, Castilla y León, and Galicia) passing through Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, and León before arriving at Santiago.

People walk it for all kinds of reasons like faith, adventure, and sometimes just to figure out life. Along the way there are medieval bridges, UNESCO-protected cathedrals, an ancient iron cross that pilgrims have marked with stones for centuries, and a castle of the Knights Templar. It is, in every sense of the word, a journey.

Last year, Andy and I walked the Portuguese Route. It changed us in ways that we knew we would be back again. And, less than a year later, we will be doing it again.

Subscribe now

Here’s what I learned on the Portuguese Camino: your pack will humble you.

I carried a full backpack last year. By the end, my shoulders were wrecked and a wrecked shoulder, it turns out, travels straight down to your hips. I was compensating with every step, and my body hated it.

We decided to use a suitcase transfer service where your luggage gets picked up each morning at your accommodation and delivered to your next stop. This allows me to carry a lighter pack this year which I’m excited about.

With the suitcase transfer handling the bulk of our gear, I’m walking each day with an 18L Osprey day pack (linked here: Osprey), which is light, fits perfectly, and carries everything I actually need on the trail:

• My Sony A6400 camera (more on that in a second)

• Tripod for content

• Change of clothes

• Foldable sandals because the moment you get to your destination and take your hiking boots off, you want something on your feet immediately

• Rain jacket

• A few other trail essentials

And clipped to me: my Cotopaxi fanny pack (linked here: Cotopaxi) for my passport, license, and money.

I brought my Sony A7III last year. I love that camera. It is also an absolute brick to carry for 500 miles, and I felt every ounce of it.

This year I made the switch to the Sony A6400 which is significantly lighter, still shoots beautiful content, and actually makes me want to pull it out instead of dreading the weight. If you’re planning a Camino and you’re a content creator, learn from my expensive lesson: go lighter. Your footage will be just as good and your shoulders will send you a thank you note.

Here’s the full packing list for anyone planning their own Camino and wondering what actually makes the cut:

• Hiking poles

• Athletic dress

• 3 pairs of socks

• 3 t-shirts (linked here: Studio Smooth)

• 1 long sleeved t-shirts (linked here: Old Navy Hiking Long Sleeve)

• 3 pairs of shorts

• 2 pairs of hiking pants (linked here: Hiking Pants)

• Underwear & sports bra

• Zip-up jacket

• Swimsuit

• Water Bottle

& care essentials like blister cream, band aids, kinesiology tape, shampoo & conditioner bars, etc.

Best sunscreen face moisturizer (linked here: Shaklee)

Sleep Gummies (linked here: Lemme)

When you’re walking 500 miles, you stop caring very quickly about having outfit options and start caring a lot about weight, function, and whether something dries overnight.

I will be sharing this entire journey with you: the good days, the hard days, the blisters, the views, the albergues, the café con leche (I’m excited to try) at 7am in some tiny Spanish village where nobody speaks English and somehow you feel completely at home.

The Camino has a way of giving you exactly what you need, not always what you expect. Last year it gave me perspective. This year I’m walking lighter, in every sense of the word, with my husband by my side.

Buen Camino, friends. Be sure to follow along!

-M

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

What a weekend it was at Long Draw Pizza. This was our final busy weekend to close out the 2025/2026 season, and we ended it with another record-breaking year. We are so, so grateful. To everyone who came in, tried us out, sent people our way, bought merchandise, and supported us here on social media: thank you. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for keeping our dream alive. It means the absolute world to us. We were also incredibly lucky to have an amazing team this year, and we get to celebrate them next weekend at our end of season pool party. They deserve all the kudos!

We leave a week from today! Living out in Terlingua, getting to the airport is an adventure in itself, so we’re actually heading out a day early to give ourselves some breathing room. Our route goes Midland to Dallas to Madrid, then a flight to Pamplona and a bus to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, where we begin our walk on June 5th. If you’re new here, my husband Andy and I are walking 500 miles across Spain on the Camino de Santiago. I plan to document as much of the adventure as I can, though posts may be slower than usual while we’re on the trail. When we get back, I’ll be releasing longer-form videos on YouTube, so please subscribe so you don’t miss them:

https://www.youtube.com/@Mundy_Out_West

And here’s something I don’t think I’ve shared yet; when we finish in Santiago, we fly to Seattle to board an Alaskan cruise with our family. It is going to be the most incredible summer, and I cannot wait to share every detail with you all.

As the season winds down, my brain naturally shifts into planning mode: what can we do better, what do we want to change, what comes next. I had a couple of weeks packed with appointments to get things in order before we leave, and one of those experiences was honestly the worst I’ve had in a professional setting in a long time. I won’t go into detail, but it was a real reminder of how one bad interaction can shape someone’s entire perception, and as a business owner, that’s a lesson worth sitting with.

This is my last Weekly Slice until we return! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for following along on all of our crazy, beautiful adventures that we get to call life. I love you guys so much!

FYI: Long Draw Pizza will be closed starting next Sunday, May 31st. I’ll update with official opening date soon.

Your Local Terlingua Friend,

Mal

Leave a comment

It’s called FM 170, also known as River Road. And, if you ever find yourself anywhere near West Texas, it is the one thing you absolutely cannot skip.

FM 170 runs roughly 120 miles through one of the most remote and rugged stretches of land in the entire country. It connects the border town of Presidio in the west to the eclectic outpost of Terlingua in the east, cutting straight through the heart of Big Bend Ranch State Park along the way.

The road earns its nickname by doing exactly what it sounds like, hugging the Rio Grande for mile after mile, with Mexico sitting just on the other side of the water. At points you can look across the river and see another country so clearly it almost feels surreal. It’s one of those rare drives where the road itself is the destination, not just the means of getting somewhere.

Subscribe now

The landscape out here is constantly shifting. One moment you’re in wide open Chihuahuan Desert, the kind of flat, dusty expanse that stretches as far as the eye can see. Then the road starts to climb, winding up into dramatic rock canyons and mountain passes before dropping back down again. It will twist and turn, snaking around curves, and crests hills that reveal views so unexpected they almost don’t feel real. At the highest point on the drive, you can see both Texas and Mexico simultaneously; with the Rio Grande cutting through the valley below you.

Much of River Road runs directly through Big Bend Ranch State Park, and it is massive. The park covers over 300,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert wilderness, making it the largest state park in Texas, and one of the least visited, which is part of what makes it so special.

The park offers far more than just the scenic drive. There are 238 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Primitive camping is available throughout the backcountry, and the remoteness of the location means the night skies out here are some of the darkest and most spectacular in the state. If you’re into astrophotography or just want to lie on the hood of your car and stare at the Milky Way, this is the place.

Along the road itself there are designated pull-offs and scenic overlooks that give you a chance to step out, breathe in the desert air, and take it all in. Do not rush past these as every single one of them is worth the stop.

River Road is remote in a way that most people aren’t prepared for. This isn’t a scenic drive with rest stops and coffee shops along the way. It’s an unforgiving West Texas wilderness, and it demands a little respect and preparation.

Gas: There are virtually no gas stations along the route. Fill your tank completely before you start, either in Presidio on the west end or Lajitas/Terlingua on the east end. You don’t want to run out of gas out here.

Water: Bring significantly more than you think you need. The desert heat is serious, especially in the summer months, and there are no services along the road.

Cell Service: It is essentially nonexistent for the majority of the drive. As much as I want to tell you that you don’t need cell service and to just “enjoy”, it’s important to prepare for as you go out and explore.

Timing: Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need. The drive itself can technically be done in an hour and a half, but if you’re stopping at overlooks, getting out to take photos, and actually soaking it in, plan for most of a day. You want to start early, especially in summer, to avoid the worst of the heat.

Night Driving: BE CAREFUL. There is usually wildlife on the road and the complete absence of lighting can make it dangerous after dark.

Subscribe now

There’s something about River Road that’s hard to put into words until you’ve actually done it. It’s the kind of drive that slows you down in the best way, where you find yourself pulling over constantly, stepping out of the car, and just standing there taking it in. The scale of the landscape, the silence, the history, the feeling of being somewhere that hasn’t changed much in centuries: it all adds up to something that feels genuinely rare.

We live in a time where most scenic destinations are crowded, over-documented, and carefully managed for mass tourism. River Road is none of those things. It is raw and quiet and almost entirely overlooked. You might pass a handful of cars the entire drive. You might pass none.

If you’re planning a West Texas trip, whether you’re coming for Big Bend, Marfa, or just passing through build River Road into your itinerary.

You won’t regret it.

Living the dream,

Your Local Friend in Terlingua

Leave a comment

The week was also full of appointments, which led to more appointments, all things that piled up during season and need to get done before we leave for Spain. It’s officially catch-up time.

Subscribe now

Speaking of Spain, we leave for the Camino in two weeks from tomorrow and I am SO excited! We are all packed and ready to go. This week I’ll be posting about what I’m bringing and where to find all of the Camino content, so stay tuned for that. If you’re new here, my husband Andy and I will be walking over 500 miles across Northern Spain this summer. We did a shorter version last year and it was an incredible experience. I cannot wait to bring you all along for this one.

We also celebrated my sweet husband’s birthday yesterday! It wasn’t an over-the-top kind of day, but he got the entire day off, which, if you know our life, is probably the best gift of all.

A little heads up: there will be two more issues of the Weekly Slice before I take a summer break. But don’t worry, we will do a major catch-up when I get home and I’ll have so much to share!

One more thing: I’ve decided to focus a lot of my energy in building the the Mundy Out West YouTube channel.

If you’re on the platform, I would love for you to subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@Mundy_Out_West.

And if you watch my videos, please leave a comment telling me what content you want to see: I promise, I read every single one.

Leave a comment

Not much of an update this week, just know your friend in Terlingua has been enjoying her down time. Ha! The weather is hot, the time slows down, and the sunsets get even better during these summer months. I appreciate every single one of you.

-M

And I’m here to tell you that what you’re seeing is the highlight reel and nothing more.

My husband and I own two restaurants. And it is the hardest thing we’ve have ever done.

Subscribe now

It’s Not Easy

The money will always go out before it comes in. There is no version of owning a restaurant where you aren’t watching the numbers with one eye while trying to run a business with the other. You’ll write checks bigger than your thoughts on a regular basis. The equipment breaks at the absolute worst time, food costs spike, and a slow week doesn’t care that you had a great month. And, the expenses don’t pause because you need a moment to catch your breath.

You build a team, you train them, you invest in them, and then a holiday weekend rolls around. The weekends you need to be fully staffed, the weekends that can actually move the needle for your bottom line, the weekends you’ve been counting on and the time-off requests start rolling in.

Nobody tells you about that part. Nobody posts that moment where you’re staring at the schedule at 10pm trying to figure out how to make it work with half your team gone. But, you do it any way and somehow it always works out.

No one thinks about how your entire livelihood depends on the success of the business. The stress and anxiety that comes with it is unexplainable. There are one hundred moving parts, a million questions, and a responsibility that takes over your life.

The Question That Lives in Your Chest

There’s a question that every entrepreneur knows and the one you may not say out loud. The one that lives in your chest on the hard days, quiet and heavy:

Can we really do this?

I have asked myself that question more times than I can count.

And somehow, the answer turns out to be yes.

And, it’s not because it gets easier or there’s some magic moment that arrives and the hard parts disappear. But because you dig into something you didn’t know you had, and you pull it off.

The schedule gets covered, the week turns around, the doors stay open, and another day happens.

You pull it off, and that becomes the answer.

What Social Media Gets Wrong About Owning a Business

Here’s the thing about the highlight reel, it’s not lying, exactly. Those good moments are real where the house is full and the pride is strong. The days when everything clicks and you look around and think I built this; those happen, and they’re worth every hard thing that came before them.

But social media skips the part in between. It skips the 6am and the midnight. It skips the loneliness of being the person who has to hold it all together when everything in you wants to sit down and cry.

If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur looking at someone else’s business and thinking it looks effortless: it isn’t. I can promise you that. And, what you’re seeing is the result of a thousand hard days that never made it to the feed.

And if you’re a fellow business owner reading this at the end of a brutal week: I see you. I feel you. We’re all in this together.

Why We Keep Going

I’m not going to wrap this up with a bow and tell you it’s all worth it in some easy, tidy way. Because it’s not easy, it’s messy, and anybody who tells you otherwise is selling something.

But, what I will tell you is this: there is something on the other side of can I really do this that you cannot find anywhere else. You won’t find it in a salary, not in a title, not in anything someone else built for you. It’s this particular feeling of pulling it off when you weren’t sure you could. It’s keeping the doors open day after day. It’s writing paychecks that support other families. It’s meeting new customers who give you a great review.

That feeling is worth it. You won’t feel it every day but enough days which makes all of this worth it.

Owning a business will ask more of you than what seems fair and it will test you in ways nothing else will. It will have you questioning yourself at your lowest and surprising you at your highest.

And if you’re built for it, you’ll keep answering yes.

Always keeping it real & cheering you on,

M

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

Indian Head Trail is one of them.

Here’s the thing about living somewhere people travel from all over the world to visit, you learn fast which places the guidebooks get right and which ones they miss entirely. You won’t really find the Indian Head trail in the guidebooks, but that’s for good reason.

This trail sits on the western edge of Big Bend, accessed from outside the park off Highway 118. You will want to look for Indian Head Road just north of Big Bend Resort & Adventures. It’s easy to blow past if you don’t know it’s there. You will want to follow the dirt road for a little over a mile until it dead-ends at the park boundary. You’ll walk through a small gate and follow the faint trail until you see an information side.

The hike itself is just under 2 miles, nearly flat, and takes less than an hour at an easy pace. I’ve been many times and every time, it gives me something new.

I want you to understand what’s actually out here, because I think people walk past it without realizing what they’re looking at.

The boulders at the base of Indian Head Mountain are covered in petroglyphs and pictographs, carvings, and paintings made by human hands thousands of years ago.

There are also grinding holes worn into the bedrock, bowls carved over generations by people processing seeds and plants, and a small natural spring at the trail’s end. In the Chihuahuan Desert, water is life. People returned to this spot for thousands of years, and you can feel the weight of all those return trips.

Staring at the pictographs is almost spiritual. And, that’s what this desert is, if you slow down enough to let it be.

Since I live here, let me tell you what the internet won’t:

There is no shade. Pack more water than you think is reasonable and then add more. In spring and summer, temperatures climb fast and they climb mean. At least a liter per hour, more if you’re bringing kids or older folks.

The dirt road is fine in dry weather for most vehicles, but after rain it becomes a different thing entirely. If it’s rained recently, wait.

Come at sunrise if you can. The light on those boulders in the early morning is worth the alarm. Indian Head Road is also one of the best stargazing spots near the park, dark enough out there that the sky actually does what it’s supposed to do.

Bring your Big Bend pass. The trail is inside the park boundary even though you reach it from outside.

No camping, no pets, no wheeled vehicles on the trail. Pack out everything you pack in. There are no facilities out here, and that’s exactly how it should be.

Do not touch the petroglyphs. Do not take artifacts from the ground. And please, please do not add your name to anything out there.

Vandalizing archaeological resources on federal land is a federal crime: up to $20,000 in fines and two years in prison. But honestly, the law is the least of it. The real cost is what gets lost and never comes back.

This place was here long before us. With the right kind of respect, it’ll be here long after.

From your local friend,

Mallory

Subscribe now

Our season has officially ended at the restaurant, and the change of pace has been such a gift. I’ve had more time to slow down and really connect with people, and I’ve met so many incredible humans at LDP who follow my content. It genuinely inspires me to keep creating. This is my favorite part of the work: the people. We get to meet amazing individuals from all over the world, and that fills me up in a way that’s hard to describe.

On another note, my final grade is in.. I am officially a graduate of Arkansas State University with my Master’s in Strategic Communication in Social Media! I learned so much in this program and have seen real progress in building my own brand. I can’t wait to see what comes next. I look forward to creating, coaching, and consulting more in the future!

Subscribe now

We also got out on the trail this week and hiked one of our favorite trails, Indian Head. If you want a truly spiritual experience, walk where our ancestors did. You should see where they lived, experience the pictographs. This place is so special and so rich with history.

Indian Head Trail - Big Bend National Park

We are three weeks away from our journey.. Camino de Santiago, here we come! Now that grad school is behind me, the excitement is really building. If you’re new here: my husband Andy and I are walking 500 miles across Northern Spain this summer, and I’ll be bringing all of you along with me. We walked the Portugese Way last summer and it was an incredible experience. This one, though, is going to be something else entirely.

Catch up on our trip from last summer here:

Camino de Santiago - Portugese

We’re still working out our summer schedule at the restaurant and I’m not quite sure what things will look like yet. I’ll update you all as soon as I know more. Thank you so much for your support!

-M

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

Three years ago, everything changed. I went from having a structured career to being completely unemployed and at the same time, completely self-employed. There was no safety net, no guaranteed paycheck, no clear roadmap, but just a decision that we was going to figure it out. No matter what.

Today, I work for myself in every sense of the word. I contract with Keller Williams, co-own two restaurants with my husband, create content full-time, sell merchandise for our restaurant, and I’m in the process of launching something new that I’m really excited about. It didn’t happen overnight, and it definitely didn’t happen in a straight line. It’s been messy, uncertain, and at times extremely overwhelming, but also the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done.

Because when you bet on yourself, you don’t just build a business: you build a life. And that comes with a different level of responsibility. There are no off days, no one else to point to when things don’t go right. You wake up every day and decide if you’re going to show up and make it work. That’s the part most people don’t talk about.

I’ve always been a worker. I love the grind. I love the day-to-day, the problem-solving, the constant movement forward. I’m a visionary, but I’m also someone who genuinely enjoys putting in the work. There are long days, intense pressure, the figuring it out as you go. That’s what makes this life work. Dreaming is easy. Executing is where most people stop.

There have been moments over the last three years where it would have been easier to go back and choose something stable, predictable, and comfortable. But I knew that wasn’t the life I wanted. I wanted ownership. I wanted freedom. I wanted to build something that felt like mine. So I kept going.

If you’re sitting on an idea, a move, or a decision you know you want to make, take this as your sign. Not in a cliché way, in a real way. Go after it. But understand that this path will ask more of you than you expect. It’s not about chasing comfort, it’s about chasing purpose. It will push you, stretch you, and force you to grow.

Chase your passions like you’re on fire. Go all in. Because your dreams are yours: no one else is going to build them for you. This is your life.

Cheering for you.

-M

Subscribe now

Subscribe now

A lot of work, a lot of creating, and a lot of thinking about what’s next… because I officially finished grad school.. WHOOHOO! 🎉 It’s one of those milestones that feels big, but also a little surreal. Like, okay… now what? And truthfully, I’m really excited about that question. Stay tuned.

At the same time, this was our first real week of business slowing down. After the chaos of busy season, it’s honestly nice to take a breath. But if you own a seasonal business, you know the deal. When things slow down, it’s not time to coast, it’s time to prepare. Summer is coming, and we’re already shifting gears to make sure we’re ready for it.

And speaking of what’s next… we officially leave in less than a month for the Camino. I cannot even explain how excited I am. Over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to start sharing everything: what we’re packing, our plans, and how we’re getting ready to trek over 500 miles across Spain. It’s going to be a full journey, and I want to bring you along for all of it.

I’ve been in the gym every day, really focusing on getting my body ready to move. That’s been a non-negotiable for me lately. We also made a last-minute decision that I’m very okay with for our trip. We’re using a suitcase service, so we won’t be carrying everything on our backs every single day. That said, we’ll still have our daily backpacks, so packing is still strategic. I’ll show you exactly what we’re bringing soon.

Outside of work and prep, there were some really special moments this week too. I got to help my goddaughter get ready for her prom, and she looked absolutely beautiful. And yes, we do have a school out here. It’s small, tight-knit, and the kids here are just really good humans. It was fun to see her experience something like that in a place like this.

We also made it a point to get outside this weekend because the weather was just too good to waste. We stopped at the Contrabando Movie Set, one of our favorite quick spots, and I shared more about it over on Substack.

And speaking of Substack… it’s been so fun. Seriously, thank you for being here. Getting to connect with you all, whether it’s online or in person, has been one of my favorite parts of this whole journey.

I’m already working on a content plan for when we get back from our summer travels, and I want to build it around what you actually want to see. So tell me, what do you want more of?

Because we’re about to ramp things up in a big way.

-M

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

We didn’t have a ton of time before work, so we hopped in the car, headed down River Road, and decided to make a quick stop at one of our favorite spots: Contrabando Movie Set.

If you didn’t know it was there, you’d probably drive right past it. It sits about 9.5 miles west of Lajitas on the left side of River Road, tucked right along the river, and it has this quiet, almost forgotten feel to it.

The old adobe structure is still standing, and knowing that multiple movies were filmed there just adds another layer to it. It’s one of those places where you can’t help but imagine what it looked like when it was in use; the crews, cameras, stories being brought to life in the middle of the desert.

Subscribe now

It’s perfect for a quick picnic, or honestly just sitting there and taking it all in before heading back into the day. No crowds, no pressure to do anything. It’s just a really beautiful spot to exist for a little while.

We didn’t have hours to spend out there, and we definitely had things waiting for us back at the restaurant, but getting outside completely shifts your mindset.

Living out here has taught me that it doesn’t always have to be a big hike or a full day in the park to matter. Sometimes it’s just about choosing to go, even when your schedule says you don’t have time.

And more often than not, those are the moments that stick with you the most.

If you find yourself out this way, it’s absolutely worth the stop. It’s easy, it’s beautiful, and it’s one of those places that reminds you why being out here is so special.

-M

Leave a comment

This week, we made it back out to our place on Terlingua Ranch, and every time we go, I’m reminded why we fell in love with this area in the first place. This was actually our first place here, before everything else, and it still holds something really special for us. There’s a quiet out there that’s hard to explain unless you’ve experienced it. And the sunsets… truly some of the best you’ll ever see.

We do have it listed for sale, not because we don’t love it, but simply because we don’t get to spend enough time out there anymore. It deserves to be enjoyed fully, and right now, our days are pretty full in a different way.

Subscribe now

But, back in town, it was a busy one across the board.

Real estate has been steady (in the best way), with a lot of upcoming meetings and conversations in motion. It’s one of those seasons where things are building behind the scenes, and I’m leaning into it.

Over at Long Draw, we were busier than we expected, which is always a good problem to have. Friday night was especially fun because we got to host a group from the Big Bend Conservancy. It’s always great seeing familiar faces and connecting with people who care so deeply about this place. Nights like that remind me how connected this little town really is.

On the personal side, I’ve officially entered full packing mode.

We’re getting ready for Spain, and I’ve been going back and forth on backpack choices more times than I’d like to admit. If you’ve ever tried to pack for multiple types of trips at once… you get it. I think we’ve landed on a solution, but I’m waiting on one more bag to come in before I fully commit. I’ll share what I end up going with, because I know I’m not the only one who overthinks this part.

And as if that wasn’t enough, we’re rolling straight from Europe into an Alaskan cruise in mid-July… which means the suitcase logistics are getting a little wild. We can’t bring everything, so it’s been a bit of a puzzle figuring out how to pack for completely different climates and experiences in one stretch.

But honestly, it’s a good kind of problem to have.

This week felt like a mix of slowing down and speeding up at the same time. Moments of quiet out on the ranch, balanced with full days of work, planning, and prepping for what’s ahead.

Grateful for all of it and I’ll be sharing more soon on what I’m packing, what I’m learning, and everything in between.

Oh, one last hooray…

I’M DONE WITH GRAD SCHOOL THIS WEEK!

I will soon have a Master’s in Strategic Communication with an emphasis on social media.

WE DID IT!!

Love you all,

Mallory

Subscribe now

This trip with us has been on my dad’s radar for a while, and we finally got a day off after our busy season. For those who don’t know us yet, my dad and I are super close. When my husband and I moved to Terlingua after buying a little pizza place, my dad wasn’t far behind. We’re lucky to have him as our personal guide, and he also runs Jeep and ATV tours with Far Flung. If you’re interested in booking a tour, give Far Flung a call for more details!

Subscribe now

We set out for Buena Suerte, and I’d recommend having a guide if you want to access the site by vehicle. I can’t even begin to describe how much I loved this trip.

Along the way, we took time to snap photos and explore the land. The road to the ghost town is part of the Marfa-Terlingua Road, which was the original route from the mines to the towns. Just imagine the people who once made this trek. The history blows my mind sometimes.

One of the things I love most about living here is the plant life. We spotted a few living rock cacti, and I learned that they’re actually protected due to being an endangered species of wild flora. We also took a moment to admire the stunning limestone and gypsum, it looked like a mountain full of diamonds! Gypsum is used in a wide range of applications, from drywall to certain foods and pharmaceuticals. This stop was one of my favorites.

When we arrived at the ghost town, I was absolutely blown away. From what I understand, the Fresno mines began operations in the 1940s and ceased in 1973. During both world wars, the United States was the leading producer of mercury, so this area primarily served as housing for the mine workers. There was even a post office here at one point.

We wandered through the grounds, soaking in the history and the breathtaking views. Can you imagine this place once buzzing with life? My dad then took us to the Fresno Mine, where we got to see the remnants of the entire operation. I love history, and it’s fascinating to imagine what it would’ve been like back in its prime.

This place is filled with stunning plants, wildlife, and a deep history that takes you back in time. I highly recommend booking a trip to see Buena Suerte. If you’re heading to the Big Bend area, be sure to ask for Chris at Far Flung. I can promise you an unforgettable experience!

Interested in seeing it on YouTube? Click the link below:

YouTube Video: Our Trip to Buena Suerte

Subscribe now

See you out west!

-M

We’re also gearing up for our big 500-mile walk this June (Camino de Santiago), which still feels a little surreal to say out loud. I’ve started thinking through how I want to document it, and I’m leaning toward sharing updates here on Substack and on YouTube, then pushing everything out to my other channels. So if you want to follow along in real time, make sure you’re subscribed. I have a feeling this is going to be something really special.

Subscribe now

This week felt a little magical. I got to hike Cattail Falls with my dad for the second time, and it was just one of those perfect West Texas mornings. We had the trail mostly to ourselves, and after a good rain, everything out there just feels alive. It’s one of those places that reminds you to slow down and take it all in.

Work has been really good, too. The restaurant is starting to slow down as we move out of peak season, which always shifts my focus a bit. Real estate has been a big priority lately. For those of you who may not know, outside of the restaurants, I coach and consult in real estate. I help people start their careers and grow their businesses, with Keller Williams, specifically with Keller Williams Austin. I genuinely love what I get to do. These conversations around growth, business, and building something meaningful never get old to me. And, it’s crazy that I hit 10 years in the business last December!

Speaking of business, I’ve got something fun in the works for this fall. If you’re a small business owner, or someone trying to grow your brand or presence on social media, just know… I’m building something for you. More to come soon.

And a big personal milestone: I have TWO weeks left of grad school. I can’t even believe I’m typing that. I’ll officially have my Master’s in Strategic Communication with a focus in social media. It’s been a lot of work, but also incredibly rewarding. To be able to pair real-world experience with actual education in this space has been a game changer, and I’ve already seen the impact. I’ve loved marketing and social media for as long as I can remember so to be able to communicate strategically has worked wonders for our businesses.

If there’s one thing this week reminded me, it’s this: you’ve got to roll with it. Power outages, unexpected challenges, things completely out of your control: it’s all part of it. You figure it out, you keep moving, and you don’t let it steal your joy.

Life is good. I’m grateful. And I’m really glad you’re here.

—Mallory

Subscribe now

Subscribe now

This week, I made one of those decisions.

Nothing catastrophic. No major fallout. If you walked into the restaurant, you probably wouldn’t have noticed anything was “wrong.” But behind the scenes, I knew. We were too short-handed. And the truth is, it didn’t happen by accident, it happened because of a decision I made.

I made a call too quicky and I assumed we could make it work. I didn’t adjust early enough. And in a business like a restaurant, especially out here in Terlingua, those small calls compound quickly.

And, what that looked like in real time was a team stretched thinner than they should have been, longer ticket times, and more pressure in the kitchen. There was less margin for error. Everyone still showed up, still worked hard, still delivered, but it wasn’t the standard I expect from myself as a leader. I screwed up.

And that’s the part that sucks. I put my team in a tough position.

These are the things people don’t see when they think about owning a business, especially a restaurant. They see the full dining room, the food, the atmosphere, the brand, and fun times. What they don’t see are the decisions made days before… the ones that either set your team up to win or quietly make things harder than they need to be.

This is the kind of thing that keeps me up at night.

Not because it was a disaster, but because it didn’t have to happen.

As an owner/operator, you carry a different level of responsibility. You don’t get to pass it off or explain it away. If the team is struggling, if the system is strained, if things feel harder than they should: it’s on you to trace it back and own it.

And this one? It was on me.

But there’s something important in that, too.

These small mistakes are rarely about one bad decision; they’re about awareness. They’re signals. They show you where your systems are tight, where your assumptions are off, and where you need to level up as a leader.

Because if you ignore them, they do turn into bigger problems.

It leads to staff burnout, inconsistent service, missed opportunities, and resentment to your own business. It’s all a slow erosion of the standard you’ve worked so hard to build.

That’s how it starts. Quietly.

So here’s the lesson I’m taking with me:

Small decisions deserve the same level of attention as the big ones.
Because in business, there’s no such thing as “just this once.”

Every schedule you approve, every shift you leave uncovered, every time you assume it will “probably be fine”: you’re either protecting the standard or chipping away at it.

And leadership is really just a series of those choices, stacked over time.

This week was a reminder that the standard doesn’t slip all at once. yet it slips in moments. In decisions that feel minor and in the things no one else would ever notice.

But you do, and you will.

And if you’re doing this right… you don’t ignore that feeling. You learn from it, you tighten things up, and you move forward better than you were before.

That’s the job.

I’m always learning.

-M

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

My dad and I got out early and headed toward Cattail Falls. The weather was absolutely perfect. It was cool, quiet, and just enough breeze to make you feel awake but not rushed. It was the kind of morning where everything feels still in the best way.

We had the trail to ourselves almost the entire time.

The hike itself is a little over 5 miles round trip, but just know that you’ll have to park about 1.5 miles from the actual trailhead and walk in from there. It adds a little distance, but honestly, it’s part of what keeps the experience what it is. I would start early because there is very little shade until you get to the falls.

And when you get there… it feels like pure magic.

Cattail Falls is one of those places that doesn’t feel real at first. Water in the desert always stops you in your tracks. It’s quiet, tucked away, and incredibly fragile. That’s the part that matters most.

Subscribe now

Please note: if you go, respect it.

Don’t bathe in the water. Don’t add anything to it. Don’t treat it like it’s there for you to use: it’s there to exist. The ecosystem out there is delicate, and it stays special because people choose to protect it.

On the way back, we started passing people heading in and it reminded me how rare it is to have a place like that to yourself, even for a little while.

It wasn’t just a hike. It was time well spent. With my dad, in a place that continues to give more than it takes, if you let it.

These are the moments I’m trying to build more of.

Out here, you don’t have to go far to remember what matters.

Grateful to be here.

Thanks for being here!

-Mal

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

This week slowed me down… whether I liked it or not.

I got hit hard early in the week. Monday started with a sore throat, and by Tuesday I couldn’t get out of bed. The body aches, fever, cough: the whole works.

And if you’re anything like me, being forced to stop is one of the hardest things.

There’s always something to do. Sitting still? Not exactly my strong suit.

But sometimes your body makes the call for you.

I finally started feeling like myself again on Saturday and made it back to work. Huge thank you to my husband for holding everything down this week. That’s the reality of what we’ve built: when one of us is out, the other steps all the way in.

Subscribe now

Of course, the desert didn’t take a break.

Saturday rolled in with one of the wildest storms we’ve seen in a while. If you caught it on social, you know that the wind was insane. There were even rumors of a tornado touching down in the Ghost Town.

Out here, we get these sudden microbursts that come in fast, loud, and a little intimidating if you’re not used to them.

Somehow, we only had a few power flickers and never fully lost power, which honestly felt like a win.

Now it’s time to shift gears.

The Camino is coming up fast… like less than two months fast.

And if I’m being honest, I feel behind. I’m so behind on training, preparing, and I have checklists I need to make for everyone while we’re away.

But I’m not going to spiral about it. We’re just going to do what we always do: adjust, refocus, and start stacking days again. Progress doesn’t come from perfect timing, it comes from getting back in motion. And, lots of prayer… we’re going to need it!

Tomorrow morning, “Hiker Dad” and I are heading into the park, and I’m really looking forward to that time. There’s something about getting outside, moving your body, and having a good conversation that resets everything.

I’ve missed getting out in the park.

On the business side: we’ve been moving.

We’ve sold a ton of merch lately, and I don’t take that lightly. Every shirt, every hat: it all supports what we’re building out here, and I’m so grateful for it.

I’m working on some new designs now, and I’ll be sharing those soon. And for those of you asking about the shirt from yesterday’s videos, I’ll drop the link here so you can grab it.

Respect the Wildlife T-Shirt

You all keep this train moving, and it means more than you know.

Cheers to a new week.

To feeling better.
To getting back to work.
To fresh starts, even when they’re a little delayed.

And if you’re in the area, come see us. We’d love to have you.

—Mallory

Leave a comment