Amarillo TX

In September of 2009 I made a loop through Texas to visit family and friends. My first stop was Amarillo to see good friend, eventually girlfriend, artist Aletha Butler. Our first trip was to the Cadillac Ranch. The ranch consists of 10 Cadillacs partially buried in a field. It is free to enter and graffiti is encouraged. We picked up paint cans on the way there and went to work.

Among other things that I sprayed, I partook in some viral advertising.

The weather was already cool and I didn't have much hope of seeing reptiles, but we went to Palo Duro Canyon to see the sights and hike the 6 mile loop to "the Lighthouse" and back. Near the parking lot we spotted these Rio Grande Turkeys Meleagris gallopavo intermedia.

Shortly after starting the hike we saw this Tarantula Aphonopelma sp.

I am unsure about what species this is, so any arachnophiles out there feel free to let me know.

It had recently rained and a another hiker told us this was a male, based on the way it held its pedipalps, that was out looking for a female.

It is a crappy job, but somebody has to do it.

Dung beetles Canthon sp. doing their thing.

Throughout the Canyon you can see exposed veins of gypsum.

The sun came out for a bit and we did get to see some reptiles on the way up to the Lighthouse. Like this Texas Spotted Whiptail Cnemidophorus gularis.

A few Side-blotched Lizards Uta stansburiana.

And numerous Collards. Like this basking Collared Lizard Crotaphytus collaris.

The Lighthouse, a hoodoo, is larger than it looks in this shot. From the base it is 300 feet tall and the elevation gain from the start of the trail is 900 feet.

The view from the Lighthouse.

On my rapid descent from the lighthouse I skidded to a stop when I noticed this Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox laying across the trail. It retreated to the cover of a bush while keeping its head towards me and silently rattling its single button tail the whole time.

Texas Longhorns in a pasture near the park entrance.

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