Roadtrek Travels: Roswell/Bitter Lake to San Angelo 2/9/17/ Home again 2/10

Thursday, February 9

We'd like to go the UFO Museum here in Roswell today, but it doesn't open till 9:00, so we decide to visit Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge just outside of town.

We arrive there as volunteers John and Iris are opening the Visitor's Center. Established in 1937, this refuge encompasses a salty lake which was once part of an inland ocean.

There are several rabbits in the area and lots of birds visiting a feeder.

They have set up a water feature which captures rainwater from the roof.

Iris shows us a map and talks about what people have been seeing lately - the usual cranes, geese, ducks plus some shore birds, hawks and more.

We spot a coyote across the lake, many ducks - mostly shovelers and coots leaving lovely trails on the water.

This gorgeous meadowlark is perched on a sign and singing its heart out and doesn't seem to be bothered as we stop for photos. Beautiful song. Like many birds, their territory is shrinking and the number of birds is falling. A photographer friend fears that it will become more and more difficult to photograph a wide range of birds.

These white faced ibis with a slight iridescence are foraging in the grasses.

We are used to seeing the all white ibis in Texas so are glad that Iris identifies these for us from our photo. We see a lesser yellow legs which is a shore bird and learn that there are quite a few terns, plovers, willets and other shore birds which breed here. Seems a long way from any shore!

Next we head back to town and the International UFO & Research Center, which is quite busy. It all

began in July 1947 when something crashed near a ranch about 75 miles north of town. It took a while to get reported and in the meantime various people saw pieces of debris - supposedly an extremely light but very strong metal. An initial press release from the military claimed that it was an extraterrestrial vehicle...but soon the area was restricted and another release was issued that claimed it was just a weather balloon that crashed.

Several of the locals involved were soon told not to discuss any details, but over the years things were written including descriptions of bodies found near the site. (They were described as 3-4 foot tall, hairless, with large eyes and four fingers.) Everything, the debris and the bodies, was loaded and removed from the area by the military.

Set from a movie about the Roswell Incident.

The debate continues as to what really crashed and what was coverup. Lots of speculation. Other displays show information about other supposed sightings of UFO's, abductions, etc. Quite a few reputable scientists or others are quoted, including President Jimmy Carter who claims to have seen a UFO. There was even a display of forged or faked "UFO" photos.

All in all an interesting place. The town, of course, has taken up the UFO banner with restaurants and shops with names like Outer Space Diner and Alien Zone.

From Roswell, we continue east into flat flat land.

Many antelope along highway 380 and then we begin to see farmland, all with large irrigation sprinklers.

Many cotton fields, some large bales of cotton in the fields and some fields freshly plowed. As we enter Texas more oil pumps appear amid the cotton fields and more cattle.

A few peanut farms and vineyards as well. Without irrigation this would be desolate, scrub land. We see a sign advertising well digging for $7/foot. We also see several very large solar farms as well as many wind farms. The word "gin" has a whole other meaning as we pass large cotton gins which process the crop.

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Old and new wind power side by side.

As we approach San Angelo, we talk with Matt and plan on seeing him tomorrow for lunch. We are about 3 hours from Austin. We have seen many variations of painted animals on display in towns - bears, bison, dolphins, cows, horses, groundhogs (in Punxatawney), etc. Today we add sheep to the list in San Angelo.

Friday, February 10

We rise to find a text from Matt saying he won't be able to meet us, so we adjust our route and head for home. A long 7 hour drive through hill country we've been through before and back to prairie land. Texas cattle, goats, farms and small towns. More green as we travel east.