Thursday, June 21, 2007
Back from West Texas
Lucky me. I got to spend 8 days with the best personal herping guide (Mike Price) in the Trans-Pecos/Big Bend of West Texas. Being there was like becoming a boy again. You don't age in the Big Bend...you grow younger. I'm serious...it was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. When you do what you were born to do, whatever the cost may be, you experience a joy like none other...a joy of finding yourself.
I saw plenty of snakes and made many new friends. People who I am proud to know. I was also able to meet my publisher, Bob Ashley, and my book's layout designer, Russ Gurley, and I was able to have an enjoyable evening with them herping/road cruising for snakes while discussing our ideas, hopes and dreams for the upcoming book about subocs.
I thought I would share a small sampling of some of the things we saw while we were there. I know I haven't posted in a good while, and I apologize. I have been concentrating on subocs intensely lately, but just about everything I have been doing is pointed towards finishing the book. So, I haven't had as much time to write on the blog. Anywho, here are some photos for you to enjoy.
The children are Mike and Julie Price's kids. I had a lot of fun getting to know them.
I found that Ambystoma salamander crossing the road on a rainy night.
The two pictures of me are with a suboc on the River Road (reaching down to grab it) and a feisty emoryi ratsnake.
The Texas "horny toad" (Phrynosoma cornutum) and the Mohave Rattler (Crotalus scutulatus) were found on roads during daylight hours, and the Blacktail (Crotalus mollosus) was found south of Marathon at night.
Michale Price is moving a Prairie Rattler (Crotalus viridis) off of a ranch dirt road.
The little Coleonyx gecko, a beauty, was found in the Big Bend region under a rock.
I saw plenty of other critters on this trip...more later.
By the way, check out the site (Suboc.com). We should have some more pairings this year that have not been previously mentioned on the Expected Offspring page.
More updates on the book soon too!
Thanks!
