Chameleon Moon

There is something mystical this before and after photo. The blood moon in costume and the next night in casual attire.  No photo retouching.  No losing 89 pounds in 2 weeks or growing back your hair with chipmunk salvia.  This before and after is the real deal and one for the ages.  Thanks to the deep dark desert skies for making this one possible.  Viva Terlingua.

Nothing like BJ's

Some things you just have to love about Terlingua.  Sure there is the Chili Cookoff, the Rio Grande River, the beautiful canyons on the border.  All those things are here without a doubt, but they seem to fade away in the dry desert sands when you know that BJ's are just a half
of a mile down the road.  I have found it causes me to speed up for some reason.  I'm sure BJ's are in a lot of places but they rarely seem to be in my neck of the woods, at least until now.  Rumor has it that BJ's in Terlingua are for sale.  At the very least you can rent.  If you ever make it down to this piece of heaven,  let me know and we will go find BJ's as long as you want.  Just remember to bring your trailer or RV cause the BJ's RV park doesn't have rooms.  

Ice Box or Oven....No place like home

What is it that makes a place feel like home?  Is it a familiar bed? The person that may be in it? Maybe those friends coming back into your life? As long as you don’t stay away too long.  Friends have a shorter shelf life than we all think.  I’m not sure what makes that feeling happen.  I’ve been back in the desert for a week or so kind of getting my jackrabbits in a row.   I left Yellowstone in 38 degree weather and arrived in Terlingua around a 108 degrees.  I don’t think it’s the change of season.  Today I took a drive out to one of my favorite places in the world along one of my favorite roads.  The Old Maverick Road to the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon.  It was rough, dusty, and hot as hell but for some reason it got under my skin.  Maybe it’s some kind of unseen appreciation that is unique to the individual.  Wouldn’t it be amazing to feel that way where ever you are?  

A Wolf at the Table

“The song that the darkness composes to worship the light”.  Anyone know the artist? Dawn has become my most treasured time.  So much happens and is gone in just a short stoke of the brush.  I hated the early morning most of my life...not any more.  A contrast beyond imagination and the image of Hayden Valley’s alpha male wolf in the sunrise.   755 is his name to the biologists,  I’m calling him REX.   Since I have been here he has taken down two elk and fought off a couple of griz.  He has been hit by a car and almost been run over my me.  All to make sure his little band of pups and mom are going to survive.   It just goes to show you.... we aren’t alone in what is important. 

The Art of Bison Wrangling

Nothing quite like wrangling to make a man feel like part of the old west.  Visions of The Duke, Capt. Call and Gus, or Charlie Postalwaite danced through my head today as I got more confident at the craft.  The only catch was I was wrangling Buffalo and I was in the saddle of my 350 super duty ALS Ambulance.  The Buffalo are starting the rut and that means love is in the air.  I don’t mean just love I mean BIG LOVE.  The big bulls wait patiently for the females to decide when the time is right and then it’s Whoopie time.  Sounds like us, right?  I didn’t think so.  During this time everyone leaves their Buffalo brains at home.  Sounds like us?  I thought so.  Bulls are fighting and females are running and getting chased.  Now this has gone on forever but not with cars and roads as the playground.  Buffalo in the road just hanging out seems to cause a worse traffic jam  than a four car pile up on the Katy Freeway.  Miles of cars in both directions.  It has become the rangers job to move the beasts off the road by whatever means is appropriate.  Short of murdering them.   My chosen technique is a high speed run up to the big shaggies and then a subtle turn away on the opposite side of the direction I hope they will go.  All the time whooping and scratching my PA mic with my finger nails.  Occasionally I catch a glimpse of the terrified motorist watching me play chicken with the monsters.  If the big boys still don’t move then it’s time to play rough.  A little nudge with my grill guard will most often get a slow long look back and then a, “ I’m only moving because I want to” look.  So far....these antics have been mostly successful.  It was some show all day in the “narrows” of the Hayden Valley today.  Traffic stopped  for miles, with Canyon 1 and myself and a patrol car driving my Nicole Gruver running up and down a half mile stretch with lights and sirens blasting to nudge the beasts off the pavement.    And to end...a love story.  The two buffalo butts you see in one photo belong to Romeo and Juliet.   Juliet has a bad hip injury and can barely move at all.  She would manage about 6 steps onto the road and stop.  Romeo would move his body to whatever side the closest vehicle was and block for her.  He would not leave her side.  He is the only one that “the gentle nudge” with the ambulance would not move.  So, the lovely couple was given a pass.  To the dismay of hundreds of car bound tourist.  Usually a good western has some kind of love story, right?    

Johnny Rocket

This guy has it all.  A cool slick back doo, plenty to eat, lots of beach, and he can swim on this back while eating with his hands.  Eat your heart out John Travolta.  Johnny and I met the other day when I was having one of those Yell moments on the shores of Lake Yellowstone.  He just meandered by while I was exploring some Albertsons sushi and a vino on this spectacular little point.  We got close ....as close as an otter will let you.  Don’t let the photo size fool you.  Johnny was a big boy.    I’m slicking my hair back as we speak...well  hairs anyway.   The leather jacket is still in storage ,I think ,so when I get back to Texas get ready.  

The Law of Accidental Triumph

Over the years I have come to believe that the old saying, “fortune favors the brave”, is without a doubt true.  In my experience it has shown it’s face in many situations, some of great consequence.   That has lead me to discover a little discussed law of the universe.  I’m calling it " The Law of Accidental Triumph”.   If you were to put pen to paper the law would read something like this, “ One’s propensity for unexpected victory is directly proportional to one’s determination and action to feed personal curiosity”.  Kind of a mouthful I suppose.

In other words, “ the harder you look the more you see”.   Maybe it’s a turn on a dirt road, starting a conversation with a stranger, saying no or maybe yes, or perhaps changing the course of your life.   Today for me it was turning down a road.  Pacific Creek in the Teton Wilderness.   Five miles away there were a million tourists moving mindlessly from one turn out to another in the Tetons and Yellowstone.  I sat in my chair with a perky chard listening to the running water.  Bothered only by two Elk and a deer.  Please do the world a favor and obey the LAW.