N 34° 56.00' W 101° 39.72'

“The stars at night are big and bright…Deep in the heart of Texas.” 

As I lie in my tent and gaze upon the midnight sky in Palo Duro Canyon, I catch myself humming the words to “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” a tune that has all but become the de facto state song of the Lone Star state. The grandeur of the west Texas skyline is captivating, and for me it holds a special place deep inside because of the memories forged in my mind as an adventurer and steward. 

Before I was the editor of this awesome publication we call JPFreek Adventure Magazine (okay, so I’m a little biased), the founders and I were college students who, between studying for exams and hitting the books, spent most of our time in this very canyon, either on our mountain bikes, on foot, or in a Jeep YJ. My first “real” mountain bike was purchased for two purposes: get to class and ride the trails at Palo Duro Canyon. I learned a real appreciation for the outdoors from my experiences in the canyon, as well as the importance of being a good steward so that someday I could share the canyon with my own children. As a matter of fact, one of our contributing editors met his future wife in this canyon. The canyon is a special place for me and our staff for many reasons.

Each of us has memories of a time and place that will forever be special. It’s up to all of us to enjoy those places as responsibly as possible so that future generations will have the opportunity to someday reflect on their own memories of our natural world. Together, through responsible use of our shared public trails and public lands, we can make a difference that we can someday look back on and quantify an achievement for each of us and who knows, maybe even an achievement for society as a whole.

Happy Adventures,

Frank Ledwell
Editor-in-Chief, JPFreek Adventure Magazine