March 31, 2026 I drove from Carlsbad Caverns through New Mexico, Texas, and back to the corner of New Mexico along highway 9 which runs along the Mexican border. I could see the "Wall". I'd never seen it before! Border Patrol all over mostly in pickups, some on ATVs, blimps tied to the stations floating high above in the air. Lots of dead rattlesnakes on the highway. I camped just east of Animas out in the desert. So very quiet especially at night with no one on the highway and the stars bright in the sky.
The next morning I headed to Bisbee through Portal and Douglas. You know when you are in Arizona by the condition of the roads. No other state is this bad! Even Texas has awesome roads and they are a Republican state. WTF, Arizona?
But the weather has cooled to high 70s - low 80s and the prickly pears are blooming which makes up for it!
And then there are the rats...see him bottom of the photo? I think this is a pack rat? Not sure. I was told they are rather cute like chipmunks when they aren't eating your vehicles, but they are more like vampires coming out at night and not in the sunlight so I'm not sure. He does look like the pack rat photos online. Now I know I'm back in Arizona!! I have my rat beepers and blinking solar lights in the engine. I'm ready for them!
But what about the scorpions, giant spiders, and
RATTLESNAKES?
The news is warning there have been an increase in rattlesnake bites this spring. I've been trained by people who have lived here all their lives. When the nighttime temperatures are above 50 degrees, the rattlers are out in full force. In the spring they are aggressive, probably because they just got out of hibernation and are hungry. I enjoy hiking or walking since I'm sitting a lot when I'm driving or even when I'm not traveling I spend a lot of time on the computer. I like to get out of the van, exercise, and stretch especially now that I'm still trying to recouperate from the ankle fracture and trying to break in my new hiking boots. However, I am now nervous about hiking in the desert. My eyes are constantly scanning the landscape. Last night was 64 degrees. The rattlers should be out now regardless of whether I see them or not. I've only seen one on the highway to Arizona, but it was slithering off the road into the bushes so I only saw his tail.
One life-long local told me avoid walking near piles of rocks, bushes, or piles of sticks as that's where they are usually camouflaged or curled up. Don't reach for anything and be aware of your surroundings. OK. That doesn't help my stress and paranoia. Maybe I can avoid hiking until I leave Arizona?
Another van woman said when you walk, walk hard, the vibration will warn them, and they will slither in the opposite direction (sometimes). They will usually start rattling about five feet away and this woman said, "It is unmistakable...the rattle of death!" I told her I'd seen rattlesnakes on TV and in the movies. She said, "No, up close and personal, the rattle is much more traumatizing! You know you are going to die if you don't get the hell away."
This morning I encountered my first rattlesnake...ever!!! Walking cautiously down the middle of the drive, watching my steps, watching the side bushes, rocks and sticks (Is that a snake? No it's just a stick! Whew!), and there he is about fifteen feet ahead sunning his whole three (?) foot long body across the dirt drive. OMG!
He's kind of flat and skinny. I wondered if someone ran him over, but no one has been driving around here and I hike this drive a lot. He's just hungry. Maybe he's a baby? He's shiny, unlike a stick. I threw some rocks that came close to him, but didn't hit him. I wanted to see him curl up and hear the rattle. He didn't move. No aggression that I could determine. I gave up and backed away. No need to tempt him. I imagined he'd slither after me out of spite. Hike over. Now everytime I hear a noise I'm jumping out of my skin. LOL!
OMG! I saw a gila monster! Sluggishly making his way across the dirt road in the desert! This camping location is great for wildlife which might not be a good thing, but it's definitely an adventure! This guy was about a foot and a half long. I stopped driving, turned off my van, and attempted to take photos before noticing he headed for under my van! I couldn't drive away for fear of running him over so I got a fly swatter and swatted his tail. He continued to the other side. They are venomous, bites can make one sick or dead (rare), but so beautiful! I kept my distance. I remember hearing stories of big ones that would attack pets and small children, but I think those are just urban legends. Arizona is adventure land!!
It's April and the temperatures are fluctuating between 68 and 85 degrees. Tolerable, not too bad. Like last year I'm waiting for the temperatures up north to get into the 50s at night. Right now they are in the 30s which seems so odd when it's so warm here. I also keep having mechanical problems. Of course. It might be a long wait. I feel like I'm at a starting gate, posed for take off, waiting to hear the magic word, "GO!"
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