Tag: solitude

Whose Season is It?

I’m not talking about the holidays, but about tourist season. And coyote mating season.

The local economy depends on the human snowbirds who flock here along with pelicans and sandhill cranes and other winged visitors to our lakes and the Rio Grande. My runs in the desert are no longer solitary. I must have met six different people today, ranging from dog-walkers to a man trekking with poles. The sky was a brilliant New Mexico blue with flares of white clouds, and the sixty-degree sunshine felt even warmer reflected by rock and sand.

And then there was the coyote trotting past, trying to escape the human disturbances. Winter is the only time I see coyotes by day, out seeking a mate. I wonder how they feel when they keep hearing, seeing, and smelling us. Do we put a damper on the courtship mood?

I stopped, kept my distance, and let the animal have some space, then resumed my run. The encounter felt special compared to the polite smiles and greetings I share with hikers. Pure. Wordless. A glimpse of the wild world that still would be here if we weren’t.

Wisdom on Wheels

A pair of large RVs came rolling down the hill on the back road between Truth or Consequences and Elephant Butte as I was driving up it. Across the front of the first vehicle, where the sleeping quarters rose above the truck cab, was written Solitude. On the second vehicle was the word Reflection.

Good advice. Thank you. I needed the reminder.