the tough female protagonist. The prof-
its from the rafting company paid for
treatment for a lung disease which she
was told, when it was diagnosed in
1985, would end her life in 6 months.
Garcia sold Big Bend River Tours in
2000, and started the Terlingua Youth
Club dealing with the after-school
needs of local youngsters. This devel-
oped in the Boys & Girls Club of
Terlingua. The project, which she calls
“the most meaningful thing I ever did,”
was sabotaged by local interests and left
her with a huge anger.
She turned to writing professionally.
In 2013 she finally completed her first
Deputy Ricos book (One Bloody Shirt at a
Time), and exorcised the anger. Front
Street Books placed a big order. The
book went on to win “Best Crime
Novel of the Year” by the Texas
Association of Authors for 2013.
Her seven books all have catchy
titles (eg Darker than Black, Beautiful Bones)
and strong covers. She has a dedicated
local fan club as well as faithful readers
further afield. Carol Wallace of Alpine,
one of these fans, says, “She takes us on
a ride. I eat up her books.” Beth Garcia
is brimming with story plots for the
future. I ask if there will be more books.
“Oh Yes. Yes Sir!” she replies.
CHARLIE ANGELL
From a thriving roofing business in
Miami to an expanding tourism enter-
prise in the quiet desert near Presidio,
Charlie Angell gets things done. He
was born in Hawaii in 1961. Family life
was unsettled since his father was an
abusive man. However, after a divorce
and a move to Fort Worth in 1964,
matters improved for Angell, his sister
Ruth and his mother Judy.
Angell’s schooling was in Dallas,
where the family moved when he was
in fourth grade. At Seagoville High
School he became captain of the swim
team and showed promise in writing.
He enjoyed the outdoors and left the
city whenever he could for camping
and hiking.
Graduating from high school in
1984, he spent a few semesters in com-
munity college. Hearing of construc-
tion opportunities in Miami following
Hurricane Andrew, he headed there in
1992 and found work suited to his
high-charged energy. Later he formed
a company that came to employ 60
workers.
Around 2001, he was contacted by a
lawyer in West Texas regarding a
house near Ruidosa, that had belonged
to his father, now deceased. He inherit-
ed the house, and started to make peri-
odic visits to fix up the house in the bor-
derland of desert and mountains, and
few people. He felt super-connected to
the area. Running half-clothed through
the desert as recreation was much more
satisfying than coping with the crime,
noise and crowds of Miami.
In 2008 he moved permanently to
his Ruidosa property. He threw himself
into developing a guiding and rafting
company. A timely recommendation
from a happy client got his company,
Angell Expeditions, a top listing on
Trip Advisor. Passionate about wildlife,
he worked on learning about the natu-
ral life of the area as well as the history.
Angell Expeditions offers hiking trips,
jeep tours, rafting trips, and Angell later
got into the camp cooking business.
Pilar Pedersen of Alpine, who ranches
near Ruidosa, calls him “a world class
guide.” Meanwhile, he is always on the
lookout for properties to turn into
rental houses.
Angell thrives on the solitude and
beauty of the desert. His nearest neigh-
bor is one-and-a-half miles distant. He
vigorously promotes and tends Angell
Expeditions, where he now has 40
boats.
Building a good relationship with
Big Bend Ranch State Park, where he
caters for events, he also looks to bene-
fit when the Chinati Mountains State
Natural Area opens, since this yet-
undeveloped area is on his door step.
He deals increasingly with school
groups and Boy Scouts troops.
Angell Expeditions’ headquarters in
Redford sits on a site of Tapacolme
Indians. Angell hopes to get involved
with an archeological dig, leading to a
book about the area. Already qualified
to operate in Big Bend National Park
and Big Bend Ranch State Park, Angell
recently got qualified as a guide in the
Devil’s River State Park. Meanwhile,
on any day, Angell is somewhere on the
move,
promoting
his
Angell
Expeditions or looking for a new inter-
est in the region to satisfy his curiosity
and drive.
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Third Quarter 2016
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