Well, the latest trip is over... And I feel like I need to go back already! I know, I know... I went, what, seven times last year and two this year already? Yes, this is true, but I still saw something completely different in the bend... Things that made me have a new respect for the area... And though I didn't find all of the wildlife that my underlying journey seems to be focused upon, I did find some signs of top level predator activity! Though the pictures aren't labeled, you should be able to find the few pictures I'm referencing that appear to point to top level predators of some sort...
In the meantime, the first day/afternoon I was in the bend happened to be the same day that a dedication statue to the Peregrine Falcon was unveiled! I got to catch the presentation and a bottle of water while meeting the gentleman that actually created the sculpture. I was honored since I'd seen his work before, although I didn't realize it until I saw his other sculptures on display at this event. That and you guys also might recall two previous stories where I took my wife and then my friends to the bend on two separate trips when we (my wife and I once and then my friends and I on another outing) were buzzed by two falcons...
Here's a link to the Peregrine Dedication story if you'd like to read it:
http://desertusa.com/desertblog/?p=2076Oh, and you'll also be able to gather from the pics, the Corvette Club was having a meet/drive in the bend, too! Oddly enough I'd taken my Boerne 11th Annual Corvette Car Show shirt on hand. Strange, huh? Anyhow, the Peregrine event happened just as I unpacked the car and walked outside with my cam in hand. I had absolutely no clue about the event, nor did I plan to get there just on time for it... But I did! The next morning I was so torn because the clouds came in and began to envelop the upper Lost Mine/Casa Grande area. South Rim was not in the clouds, and I *KNEW* in my heart that the low hanging fast moving clouds would bring in a predator. I know it sounds silly, but I SWEAR to you, I knew it... But I'd already signed up for a tour on which my seat was reserved AND its attendance was something I wanted to give, so I surrendered.
I got to see Mariscal Mine, and I also learned that there is no doubt that I will NOT buy a 4x4 vehicle to drive down this back road. The desert pinstriping job on vehicles traveling the back roads is not something I'd want on any car I was making payments on! The mine operation ruins were awesome, and the weather seemed to be just perfect. The ride started (no pics of this) with signs of wildlife with a LARGE javelina running alone on top of a ridge in our Far Flung/Friends of Big Bend tour van's direction... From what we have no clue, although I've been educated that javelina of its size are rarely attacked by healthy lions. Maybe he was just going on his morning run. Who knows.
When we returned from the trip I had a gift on my car. I have no clue where it came from, but it was to become my riding companion for the duration of this outing. It rode up on my dash for the rest of the journey. It was under my wiper in one of the pics. I went to the visitor center in the basin (big mistake) and found that sure enough a lion sighting had occurred that very day at about 11am. Three hikers were said to have both seen AND photographed the beast! My heart sank, but only for myself. The fact that three people saw this thing and lived to tell the tale AND got pictures is phenomenal! I'm very happy for them!
The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, though I did have a bit of studying to do. I studied a bit, but realized that it was pointless. I need a tutor. Accounting is just numbers, but my managerial accounting class is not about numbers... It is WAY beyond credits and debits. I read, and I took notes AND flagged the pages of interest (formulas), but I will need help. Anyhow, on to the third day...
I woke to a brisk 30something degree morning and got off to an early start with a full pack (water/snacks/lights/knife/rope/first aid stuff/gps-walkie talkie, etc) and went on my way. Don't make fun... I've used almost everything I've taken with me in my pack to date with the exception of the knife (which is normally not IN my pack but rather at my side), first aid kit (who wants to use that?), and the rope. I have previously wished for some rope, so that's why I carry it now. Before hiking, I waited at one of the last pull offs on the left hand side on the way out of the basin. The one that talks about the trees... I've had luck there before...
I waited and waited, my hands were about as numb as can be since I didn't have gloves and was only wearing a windbreaker/holding my cam, and then I heard some rustling! I waited some more... Surely my fingers would thaw out I figured, plus it would be worth it to lose a finger for my prized photo... Then I saw it... A deer. It saw me, too. It studied me from afar, paying little attention as I snapped a few pictures. Then it took off in an all out run! You'll see the one pic I got of it running as my first shot from that day. I never found out what it was running from even though I stayed to see what might have started to chase it. After waiting some 20 more minutes or so to see what might have startled it, I figured the show was over and I left.
I PLANNED to do slick rock since I'd not yet made it to the end successfully, but there were people going down the trail as I arrived. Bah, they'd scare off any wildlife that would've been there crouching and hidden... So I left that area and went to the Upper Burro Mesa Pour-off. That was a superb hike! I thoroughly enjoyed it! I saw a ton of desert creatures that I couldn't even photograph since they were so fast! Some true rock squirrels, some kind of strange big mouse like creature (pack rat?) that ran seemingly straight up a rock incline into a mud filled fissure in the rock, a ton of quail that scared me when I heard a massive rustling come from the grassy area to my right after having passed by the scattered feather remnants of what was a dinner for something or another, and the list pretty much repeated itself over and over (with the exception of getting scared again) but with the inclusion of birds of all sorts.
Some bluebonnets were out... The birds were out... Then all of a sudden on the way to find another place to hike I was struck down with a massive headache after the trek to the pour off, so I headed back to the room. Oh, and I WAS going to camp this past weekend, but I ended up getting a room per the super cold (not just chilly, but SUPER cold) forecast and also because I knew I would try to study somewhat. Yes, I let myself down in that department, but so what. I did that for the first exam and I failed it. Why repeat the same mistake? That brings me to the drive out... I took I-90 both to and from the bend, and it was pleasant. More pleasant than it was last time. Shorter, it seemed... Maybe because I hit almost every light at its green cycle? I don't know. Regardless, I got back as quick as I normally would on I-10, but with less stops at the pump. Also, there is much more to tell, but it is now 10pm and I've got to get SOME sleep before waking up early to work and then hit my afternoon classes. Bummer. Special thanks to all the Friends of Big Bend (members and otherwise) and to Billy from Far Flung! Had a blast!
Rey :)
P.S. I like the bbc gear (will buy a shirt shortly), but I think we should have our own bbc calendar with member submitted/voted photos! What do you guys think? Worth a shot to generate revenue for this board? I know this could be another thread on its own, but I'm just throwing this out here for now since I'm remembering it now. I may forget to post this at all otherwise.
http://web.mac.com/stingrey/
