Day Twenty Three: big bend, walking sticks, desert plants

Today's posting will be relatively short, but will have a lot of pictures. Here's the abridged version: Big Bend is fantastic and you should go.

Take a careful look at the pictures and realize that, as with all of the pictures I've taken so far, the actual beauty is far more impressive than I can show with my tiny camera.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

A Border Patrol guard was at one of the scenic overlooks. He was chatting with a few of us and told us he was previously stationed downstream where they would sometimes catch 600-900 people a DAY who were trying to enter the country illegally. He would sometimes see families who had been walking for days, and it wasn't uncommon for a family member to have died along the way. Some were elderly and barely able to walk after coming that far. Others had given their life savings to a “coyote,” a person for hire who helps transport you safely across the border, and some of those never saw the coyote or their money again.

For this Border Patrol guard, they ceased to be people and were simply objects, numbers.... He was burned out, so he requested a transfer to the Big Bend station where they see two to three people a WEEK.

Someone asked about the walking sticks for sale. They were leaning against a large rock, and had a jar beside them for money.

The Border Patrol officer pointed across the Rio Grande to some people sitting on rocks and explained that they wait until he leaves, then run across the river, set up shop, and run back. The Park Rangers, he said, come by periodically to confiscate everything.

By the time he returns, there's almost always another batch.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

It's hard to see, but there are some people sitting on the other side of the Rio Grande.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

Here's a picture of my friend, Jim. In addition to driving all the way to Fort Stockton, he drove most of the day today.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

It gets pretty hot and dry here during the summer, and the desert plants have learned to adapt.

One of the many plants that has adapted is the creosote plant. It drops its leaves, which are toxic to other plants. No other plants will grow within its radius, giving it less competition for the precious water.

Another plant has a coating on its seeds. The seed will stay dormant unless there's enough water to wash off the coating. Enough water to wash off the coating most likely means enough water to fully germinate.

One clever mammal, in order to beat the heat, developed air conditioners to stay cool.

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