She saw us first.  We were approaching from upwind.  Nostrils flared as her eyes followed us unflinchingly.  She shifted to the side to keep us in sight as bushes came between us.  I’m watching her too.  Feet crunch in the dirt to our right.  She is not alone.  More eyes lock onto us.  Some shuffle their feet nervously or move in circles.  Some start and bolt off into the desert.  Others join in the stare down.  We continue walking, move behind a rise, and I sign in relief.

I would never have thought that moving through a heard of cattle could make me so nervous.  They were mostly very pregnant cows and a couple skitterish steers hanging out near a watering hole on the desert.  Seems that the trail ran right though their favorite spot.

Biosphere 2, it began as an experiment to determine if people can live in a closed environment, like a dome on the moon.  Good to know I suppose but I think that the experiments they are doing now to determine how we can best protect Biosphere 1 are even more important.  We walked through a tropical rainforest, the savannah, a fog desert, along an artificial ocean shore, and a mangrove swamp.  How much oxygen does each release?  Exactly how does each water cycle work?  How do elevated levels of CO2 and extended drought affect them?  Experiments aren’t super complex but data gathering is pretty sophisticated.  Here’s hoping we learn enough, soon enough to leave our kid’s, kid’s, kid’s this beautiful blue-green marble.

The coolest thing about the structure is its “lungs”.  At the end of tunnels off the main experiment space are two 180 ft diameter chambers with a membrane roof.  When the sphere was a closed system these lungs provided the variable volume to maintain inside pressure as the space heats and cools in the desert sun.  We wandered around inside the lung and even saw it “breathe”.

We are in a 55+ RV park in Apache Junction (Phoenix) AZ.  Gravel sites are meticulously raked.  RVs are carefully parked in a line.  So far evenings have included an ice cream social and tonight, bingo.  It is pleasant enough; but for me……maybe in another 10 years or so.

We started early today based on the forecast of building winds late in the day.  By noon we were encountering sustained winds in the 20’s with gusts in the 30’s and predicted as high as 50.  Incredibly these were actually less bothersome when the route turned and they were hitting broadside.  When they were at a 45^O to head-on they really messed with forward progress.  It seemed like we were going uphill all the time.  We gained some altitude and even crossed the Continental Divide at around 4,500 feet but the wind made progress hard fought even on level ground. The predicted dust storms were never really a problem for driving but “dirt devils” dotted the horizon and not-so-distant mountain ranges disappeared at times.  I was a little surprised when the weather radio noted the dust would subside and “visibility will improve after dark”.  Days like this make be glad we have 16 ply tires with 105 psi on the motorhome, even if they do ride a little rough.

You can run a Ford Focus at least 3 miles after it says it’s empty.  Just saying.

Bunkers for sale.  That’s right, not storm cellars, bunkers.  They are the half size metal shipping containers with an air snorkel on top.  Wow, that’s mighty powerful paranoia that puts a family in one of those.

Wildflower nurseries.  They take their blue bonnets pretty seriously here in the prairie land.

The “Crackanoon Bed and Breakfast” on a sprawling ranch.  Great name.

Pronghorn antelope, unfortunately in this part of Texas they are on game ranches.

Beep! Beep!  We are back in Roadrunner country.  They are a bizarre bird.

No luck finding the high priority species, the black capped vireo or the golden cheeked warbler.  The refuge was established to protect their habitat, Texas Hill Country.   Stunted Juniper and oaks cover the rolling landscape with scattered outcroppings of honeycomb limestone.  Sheltered areas were heavy with the fragrance of junipers.  Brilliant colors of wildflowers splashed across the open fields.  I’d say it’s the prettiest part of Texas we’ve seen so far.

That was my favorite.  I think it was Kent’s too.  The Sea Salt Carmel and Mint Chocolate Chip weren’t too shabby either.  We toured the Brenham TX Blue Bell Creamery to witness the creation of snack size “popsicle” treats to 3 gallon canisters of some favorite flavors.  It was an interesting tour and who could go wrong with ice cream sampling?  I recommend this stop.