It's 80 miles from Terlingua to Alpine. A gorgeous piece of road that encompasses just about everything that feels Texas. Open highway that stretches to the purple horizon, windy switchbacks on rocky mountain roads. Horses, goats, and deer painted in a backdrop of endless landscape. It just feels Texas. Then 14 miles South of Alpine you come up on something so out of place it jolts the road high right out of you. The U.S. Border Patrol Hwy. 118 Check Point. Dozens of cameras and sensors line the drive into the structure. Men and women with guns and dogs quickly shuffle out to meet each vehicle. The "Talker" always is polite and says, " good afternoon...US citizen?" A yes will get you waved on as long as "butch" the super nose canine approves. No matter what you think of the politics, these dudes are doing a hard and dangerous job. I'm not asking for your "thumbs up" on border immigration. Just an respectful understanding of people doing a hard job. There are stories to be told in border communities that most would not believe. It's all about respect no matter which side of this check point you end up on.
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