Big Bend NP, Texas - Part 4

October 22-23; 6,772 miles and 97 days into the trip.
Rio Grande Village CG, Big Bend NP

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As I mentioned in Big Bend NP Part 1, this is a very large park. One of the handouts which were given to us stated the following: "Big Bend National Park shares the border with Mexico for 118 miles. This is a remote region. Visitors should be aware that drug smuggling routes pass through the park." This part of Texas also seems to be the home to the Roadrunner. We saw our first one in Death Valley when it crossed in front of us as we were leaving the first campground. I did not have time to get the camera out. While driving around Big Bend NP we did see many roadrunners. They are not blue like the Time Warner Roadrunner! In this part I have a collection of unique pictures.

On the way to Big Bend we stopped at the Fort Stockton KOA. That's when we found out that the Roadrunner is the towns mascot.

This Roadrunner was resting under a bush on the trail we were on. As we approached it started to move and I was able to get 3 good pictures of it before it got out of sight.

A Dinosaur? When you look at some of the formations you see different things. Formed many years ago by lava squeezing through a crevice and hardening. Then the ground pushed up followed by erosion of the softer material.

Not all Prickly Pear Cactus is green. This purple cactus is related to the Prickly Pear. We saw dull yellow, and shades from red to purple.

These yellow flowers were growning along side the road. A very lush looking plant for the desert.

Why did the tarantula cross the road? This is mating season for tarantulas. We saw many crossing the roads in the park. But I was always driving too fast to stop and take a picture. After awhile I kept looking for them ahead. I stopped to take a picture and he just kept walking along the road. The white line is 4” wide.

While driving on a park road we came over a rise and had to stop while the Border Patrol put a guy in handcuffs on this helicopter.

The Border Patrol drove off with the confiscated pickup truck after the helicopter left. I guess he was a drug runner.

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