Running the Borderland

I had several good runs in the remote West Texas County of Hudspeth this weekend. I did back-to-back long runs 4 and 3 hours long respectively. Our dog pack accompanied me on parts of my adventures and we had some good wildlife encounters.

Click to meet our dog pack

The first day we heard some coyotes barking and yipping much closer than usual. I climbed up on a rock mound to try to get a glimpse and a photo of one, but was only able to get a quick peek before he took off into the brush. A short while later, I heard another coyote who was very close by and then saw him run across the dirt road we were running on.

The second day my dogs stirred up a javelina, also known as a collard peccary. While they barked at this pig like animal, the dogs never got very close. This was fortunate because javalinas have tusks and can be very aggressive when cornered. I saw the peccary running along a hill above me and then he ran across the road and into an arroyo. Once again I was too slow to get a picture of it.

Running in the borderland is very interesting because of the desert vegetation and wildlife. This is harsh ranching country in a very remote area. The Rio Grande separates the U.S. and Mexico and I can often see the newly constructed border fence when I run out here.

I can’t help thinking how ironic it is to have a barrier between the driest part of the U.S. and the only water source for miles around. If I were to get injured and become stranded out here, I could dehydrate only yards away from water that could possibly save my life. I’m sure that ranchers of days gone by would never have imagined this wall that now exists in our borderland.

Following my running adventures, I enjoyed the call of a male gambel’s quail that was perched in a tree. Perhaps he was trying to call a mate. This type of quail has a very peculiar feather that sticks up on its head. Several lizards also showed themselves and I enjoyed some outstanding sunsets at the BR ranch where I spent the weekend. See you on the trail.

Enjoying the sunset with my running crew

Bullet