April 5, 2024
Coast-to-coast: San Francisco to Savannah (Part 5)
By Simon J. Lau
We left Bisbee this morning after saying goodbye to a few of the local fixtures around camp. Along the fence line were two coyote carcasses, likely placed there to keep others from approaching the sheep pen. It was a jarring sight, but not surprising in this part of the country where ranchers have to protect their livestock. The desert can feel harsh at times, and reminders like that make it clear how thin the line is between wild predators and the animals people depend on.
Then there was Mole, the camp dog. It took Bruno a little time to warm up to her, but after the first night they became friends. Like Trixie, the camp dog I met in Baja, I suspect Mole may have been a stray in her past life. This morning we found her curled up on a dirt mound outside my hosts’ home, probably more comfortable sleeping outdoors than in.
I finally took care of the passenger-side leg canyon. Bruno had a bad habit of tumbling into it whenever we drove, which always startled him and made the ride less comfortable for both of us. To fix it, I packed the space tight with gear and piled my sleeping bags on top. Now it’s no longer a hazard, and instead it’s turned into a padded platform. Bruno seems to like it. He can stretch out without worry, and he’s even got a perfect spot to rest his head and watch me as I drive.
From Bisbee we made the long drive to Terlingua, a small town just outside Big Bend National Park. Sterling had convinced me it was worth adding to the itinerary, and I’m glad he did. Although it took more than 12 hours, the drive carried us across broad stretches of the American Southwest. From the wide open deserts of eastern Arizona and the low mountains and scrublands of southern New Mexico, to the long, endless highways of southwest Texas. The scenery shifted slowly but dramatically, from red rock and jagged peaks to flat horizons that seemed to stretch forever.
On the way, we stopped in Marfa, a tiny desert town with an outsized reputation. It first made its name in 1956 as the backdrop for the film Giant, starring Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean. Since then, it has reinvented itself as an artists’ enclave, with galleries, studios, and installations scattered across the desert landscape.
Finally, our route from Bisbee to Terlingua (590 miles or 950 km).
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