Driving – On the Wings of Angels

2026 SystemsGo Rocket Launch Travel to White Sands Missile Range – Wednesday

The SystemsGo team left Fredericksburg in two shifts, one at 0730 and the second at 0850 this morning headed to Alamogordo, New Merxico where we lodge for White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) rocket launches. Schools from Union Grove, Alamo Heights, Brazoswood, Fredericksburg and Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson also traveled to Alamogordo today to meet and begin preparations for launches this Friday and Saturday.

The early crew, Rebekah Hyatt and George Burns set up in the parking lot of the Sure Stay Plus Best Western to preform pressure and FRR checks for Union Grove Wednesday afternoon.

All schools will repeat these checks and tests on site tomorrow to ensure nothing has rattled lose in transit.

Steve, Ginger, Cash, and Cate, arrived in Alamogordo at 2015. Arriving at Applebees just in time for dinner as Rebekaha and George were headed back to the hotel to check on Union Grove’s progress, and then head to Walmart for provisions for the SystemsGo team for the next few days on range.

And yes, you read that right. We left at 0815 this morning and arrived at 2015 this evening. We had a great rental van from Herc this year. It looked like a wine tour van, so we felt right at home. The first part of the trip went well, but at the first fill up in Fort Stockton, we noticed that the van was getting hot as we traveled. Steve bought anti-freeze and topped off the reservoir hoping this would fix the problem. He also noticed that the cap for the reservoir was broken and not sealing well. We got back on the road and along the way noticed it was getting hot again and that the AC wasn’t responding well either. We made it to Fabens and pulled over to fill the tank and check on the reservoir. Steve refused to turn it off as he was afraid it would not start again. Unfortunately that didn’t work. He topped the tank and pulled to the side to top the reservoir, which he filled but they couldn’t get the vehicle to cool down and then it stopped running all together. And the full reservoir quickly emptied itself.

At this point we called Rebekah and George for help and Herc was dispatched to us with a four door pickup truck, and a 3″ hitch recepticle and we had a 2″ hitch. The pin for the hitch also didn’t fit, and we discovered that the trailer plug had come out and the plug pulled off and was lost. Now after waiting in the heat at the little Speedway station where we broke down for two hours before getting a replacement vehicle, we waited a little while longer while Steve took the pickup to O’Reiley’s for the parts to get us on the road again.

The pickup ran well and the AC worked well too, as long as the truck kept running. When we stopped in line at the border check station we had to roll the windows down to get a breeze as the AC stopped blowing cold when we were not in motion, and the smell of cigarettes and dogs was stifling. To say the least it was a long eventful day. But we made it. We were all glad to see Alamogordo, New Mexico.

We heard when we got here that the Anahuac group had a flat tire on the way, so it must have just been the day for traveling mayhem. We all arrived in one piece and unscathed so for that we can all count our blessings.

Andrew Matthis brought the Fredericksburg rocket class this year with a rocket to launch so they traveled in FISD vehicles.

Portable restrooms are available at the site. Limited electricity is available. Each school is responsible for acquiring food and drinks for their group for all meals and snacks each day.

All documentation was completed online this year or here at the hotel and turned in to Rebekah Hyatt. However having your hard copies with you is requested.

UXO, Wildlife, and Driving in WSMR briefing registry
WSMR waiver
SystemsGo waiver
Medical Release Forms

Be prepared to show ID’s at the security check at the gate in the morning.

There are five schools scheduled to launch six rockets. These include:

Union Gove
Brazoswood
Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson
Alamo Heights
Fredericksburg

The current launch schedule is as follows:

Thursday, June 11th
0530 Depart from hotel.
0600 Meet at Tula Gate for Security Checks/proceed to ABC-1 for SystemsGo set ups.
- Alamo Heights, Union Grove, Fredericksburg and Anahuac will be in our caravan from the hotel. Brazoswood will meet us enroute to the Tula Gate.
0700 SystemsGo Set ups at ABC-1/FRRs.
1500 Load rocker #1 and #2 on launch rails (Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson and Union Grove.)
1630 Complete All.

Friday, June 12th
1st Launch Day Two Rockets
0500 Depart from Hotel
0530 arrival at Tula Gate for Security checks/Proceed to ABC-1
0600 SystemsGo Set ups at ABC-1/FRRs.
0800 Rocket T #1 – Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson
0900 Load Rocket #3 onto launch rail
1000 Rocket T #2 – Union Grove
1100 Rocket T #3 – Fredericksburg
1500 Load rockets #4 and #5 on rails (Alamo Heights and Brazoswood)
1600 Complete All

Saturday, June 13th
0500 Depart from Hotel
0530 arrival at Tula Gate for Security checks/Proceed to ABC-1
0800 T #4 – Alamo Heights
1000 T #5 – Brazoswood
1200 T #6 – 2026 recycle or 2025 Brazoswood
1400 Spare T-Time (In case 1100 T doesn’t work on 6/12)
1600 Complete All – Site is packed/loaded and headed out

Sunday, June 14th
Travel Day

Well that’s the story for today. It’s late and I am done. Catch you on the flip side tomorrow evening after launches. Hopefully we will have some super exciting rocket news to share that will thrill your senses more than broke down vans, overheated AC’s and flat tires. And so with that I say, “Good Night!”

The Goddard level rockets, which are the capstones of the SystemsGo program and the culmination of all the skills the students have learned throughout their years in the STEM program. This marks the final senior project for the schools that participate in for the SystemsGo program.

www.systemsgo.org as always is the place for more information on this program. You may also email them at info@systemsgo.org .Take the time to get your school involved, the future of your students will be benefited.

#Rockets2026 #SystemsGo #Launcher01 #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #EyesOnTheSky #TexasToNewMexicoRocketTrail #RideTheSky2026 #EyeToTheSkies

SystemsGo Rockets 2026 at White Sands Missile Range This Weekend

White Sands Missile Range is once again hosting the SystemsGo Rocket Program for its season end launches. This year four schools will be traveling to New Mexico to test their rockets at White Sands Missile Range, they include:

Alamo Heights HS

Brazoswood HS

Union Grove HS

Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson HS

June 11th through June 13th are the dates for this year’s WSMR launch. The SystemsGo team and schools will be traveling to Alamogordo, New Mexico for lodging on June 10th.

At 0530 the morning of the 11th, our group will caravan out to the Tula gate for security and ID checks.

At 0700 we will arrive at ABC-1 to begin all SystemsGo Setups and FRR checks for launches on Friday. Range complete time for Thursday is 1630. Any unfinished setups will be completed on Friday morning, with the intension of launching 3 rockets starting at 0800 Friday morning.

Currently, as per the draw, Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson launches in the first T-Time at 0800, Union Grove has the second at 1000, and Fredericksburg at 1100 Friday morning. We will load the first two on to the rails at 1500 Thursday evening.

In between these two launches we will load the third rocket. After the second launch we will load the next two rockets on the rails and leave the range by 1600. At this point, the rest of the launch order is as follows: Alamo Heights, Brazoswood, and one final T-Time at 1400 for either a 2026 recycle or 2025 Brazoswood. However, if a school is not ready at their appointed launch time, the next school in line takes their spot provided they are ready, and the school that was not ready goes to the back of the line.

ABC1 is our scheduled range again this year. ABC-1 does not have a large bunker, so only essential launch personnel stay on site, and the SG staff evacuate out five miles for launches. Students and teachers are taken to a secure location known as Tula G, which is further down range where they watch the launches on screen inside a designated facility. Due to this no extra personnel are permitted to attend these launches. All those in attendance please remember to have your state issued ID on your person at all times. WSMR will be checking them.

There will be tents on the range, the same as last year. Rockets need to be complete by the end of the day on Thursday. FRR will be conducted on the 9th at Fredericksburg HS and the 10th in the Hotel parking lot in Alamogordo, and the final checks will bonsite the 11th beginning at 0700. Everything must be complete by 1630 that day.

At this time the schedules for our range time all three days is shown below.

Mission Complete on Thursday leaves the afternoon open. Exploring Alamogordo is most definitely an option. This could also include the White Sands National Monument and sledding. Of course Saturday will be a semi early day also and Sunday should be even earlier which may afford more free time activities.

SystemsGo team members will be residing at the Quality Inn and Suites in Alamogordo this year.

#Rockets2026 #SystemsGo #Launcher01 #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #EyesOnTheSkies #TexasToNewMexicoRocketTrail #RideTheSky2026

SystemsGo Rockets 2025 at White Sands Missile Range This Weekend

Alamo Heights HS

Brazoswood HS

Union Grove HS

Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson HS

June 13th through June 15th are the dates for this year’s WSMR launch. The SystemsGo team and schools will be traveling to Alamogordo, New Mexico for lodging on June 12th. Early on the 13th, preparations at the site will be made with the goal of launching all four rockets Saturday. The 15th, Sunday, is our contingency day, but the hope is that it will not be needed. Sunday is Father’s Day and WSMR personnel would prefer not to work and we would love to be on the road home.

There will be tents on the range, the same as last year. Rockets need to be complete by the end of the day on Friday. FRR will be conducted on the 11th an 12th. Pressure checks will be retested on site the 13th to be sure the trip out to range has not compromised anything.

At this time I do not have exact information on schedules on range for Friday or Saturday. Hopefully I will be able to provide that in Thursday’s update edition.

If Mission is Complete on Saturday evening, then evening activities may include some White Sands National Park dune sledding.

SystemsGo team members will be residing at the Quality Inn and Suites in Alamogordo this year.

#Rockets2025 #SystemsGo #Launcher01 #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #EyesOnTheSkies #TexasToNewMexicoRocketTrail #RideTheSky2025

White Sands Missile Range SystemsGo Rocket Program 2024

White Sands Missile Range is once again hosting the SystemsGo Rocket Program again for its season end launches. This year three schools will be traveling to New Mexico to test their rockets at White Sands Missile Range, they include: Alamo Heights HS, Brazoswood HS, and Union Grove HS.

June 14th through June 16th are the dates for this year’s WSMR launch. The SystemsGo team and schools will be traveling to Alamogordo, New Mexico for lodging on June 13th. Early on the 14th, preparations at the site will be made with the goal of launching all three rockets Saturday. The 16th, Sunday, is our contingency day, but the hope is that it will not be needed. Sunday is Father’s Day and WSMR personnel would prefer not to work and we would love to be on the road home.

We continue to launch from range ABC1. This range required the altitude cap for the rockets to be adjusted from the original height cap which was 100,000 feet. The current cap instituted three years ago is 50,000 feet. ABC-1 does not have a large bunker, so only essential launch personnel stay on site, and the SG staff evacuate out five miles for launches. Students and teachers are taken to a secure location known as Tula G, which is further down range where they watch the launches on screen inside a designated facility.

There will be tents on the range, the same as last year. Rockets need to be complete by the end of the day on Friday.

The T-1schedule on Saturday will be very tight. Range time begins at 7:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm. The range is Hot all day for us, which translates to as soon as we can reset and be ready to launch again, WSMR is ready to assist. This should make keeping the schedule and sending all three rockets skyward a viable task for Saturday.

If Mission is Complete on Saturday evening, then evening activities may include some White Sands National Park dune sledding.

SystemsGo team members will be residing at the Quality Inn and Suites in Alamogordo this year.

There are three schools scheduled to launch their rockets. These include:

Alamo Heights
Brazoswood
Union Grove

The current launch schedule is as follows:

Thursday, June 13th
1. Travel Day
2. Pressure Checks and FRRs that evening at the hotels.
3. Security checks of all Form 5000s
Friday, June 14th
1. Site Set up ABC-1 7:00
2. Depart for site from hotel–TBA
3. Complete all rockets.
4. 3:00 p.m. Leave the site with Alamo Heights and Brazoswood on the rails.
Saturday, June 15th
1. Launch Day (Three Rockets, barring any schedule changes by WSMR.)
2. Depart from hotel for arrival on site–TBA
3. Projected launch schedule:
  - T1 8:00 a.m.
  - T2 9:00 a.m.
  - T3 11:00 a.m.
Airspace Ends – 4:00 p.m.
Pack site
Evening Activities as time allows.
Sunday, June 16th
1. Travel Day-Contingency Day only if absolutely needed. WSMR does not want to work on Father’s Day.
Monday, June 17th
1. Travel Day-Hopefully we are already home.

#Rockets2024 #SystemsGo #Launcher01 #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #EyesOnTheSkies #TexasToNewMexicoRocketTrail #RideTheSky2024

2023 Marks 25 Years White Sands Missile Range Hosts Student Rockets

2023 is a year of milestones for the Fredericksburg based STEM rocket program beginning with White Sands Missile Range hosting the SystemsGo Rocket Program again for its season end launches. This event marks the 25th year the STEM based program has brought high school seniors to the Army Base to test the program’s highest-level rockets, known as Goddard. It would have marked 25 consecutive years, but COVID took out 2020 putting the numbers behind by a year. The program took its first rocket from Fredericksburg High School to WSMR in 1999. The nonprofit organization supporting this STEM program in schools officially began in June of 2003, making this 2023 season its 20^th Anniversary as well. This year three schools will be traveling to New Mexico to test their rockets at White Sands Missile Range, they include: Alamo Heights HS, Brazoswood HS and Union Grove HS.

June 23rd through June 25th are the dates for this year’s WSMR launch. The SystemsGo team and schools will be traveling to Alamogordo, New Mexico for lodging on June 22nd. Early on the 23rd, preparations at the site will be made with the goal of launching all three rockets Saturday afternoon. The 25th is our contingency day, but it is only a contingency for completing cleanup at the site, or if WSMR must delay our launches. It will not be a day to recycle rockets that fail.

We continue to launch from range ABC1. This range required the altitude cap for the rockets to be adjusted from the 20-mile radius the program previously had available for these test vehicles to travel and stay within their parameters. The original height cap was 100,000 feet. The current cap instituted two years ago is 50,000 feet. ABC-1 does not have a large bunker, so only essential launch personnel stay on site, and the SG staff evacuate out five miles for launches. Students and teachers are taken to a secure location known as Tula G, which is further down range where they watch the launches on screen inside a designated facility. Parents are no longer allowed to come, since the theater at Mission Control is no longer the viewing area. Volunteer staffing of base personnel for this has still not resumed.

Schools are asked to arrive early on the 22^nd in Alamogordo to do pressure checks with as little time spent on configuration as possible. At least two vehicles need to have this stage complete before heading down range on the 23^rd. Preferably very little time will be spent on assembly on the 23^rd. Some weight, CG, and FFR verification can be done if needed downrange the 23^rd. There will be tents on the range, the same as last year. Rockets need to be complete by the end of the day on Friday.

The first T time on Saturday will be 8:00 a.m. After that the range is Hot all day for us, which translates to as soon as we can reset and be ready to launch again, WSMR is ready to assist. This should make keeping the schedule and sending all three rockets skyward a viable task for Saturday.

WSMR personnel, including Test Center Commander, Colonel Shawanta Smart, and Range Operator, Lori Leyva, will be on site during the launches. WSMR will be providing lunch for all participants. Colonel Smart began her command in August of 2021, making this her second rocket season with the program. She stopped in last year for a brief visit, but plans to be onsite to see more of how the program operates. Ms. Leyva will be retiring after this year. Her service in coordinating SystemsGo and WSMR in launch efforts has been extremely beneficial to the program over the years she has been with us. SystemsGo will be making special presentations during the lunch break.

Saturday is a contingency day, but preferably it should be no more than a site cleanup day if needed that morning. Provided that we accomplish this early the remainder of the day’s activities will be decided at that time.

SystemsGo team members will be residing at the Quality Inn and Suites in Alamogordo this year.

There are three schools scheduled to launch four rockets. These include:

Union Grove
Alamo Heights
Brazoswood

The current launch schedule is as follows:

Thursday, June 22nd
1. Travel Day
2. Pressure Checks and FRRs that evening at the hotels.
3. Security checks of all Form 5000s
Friday, June 23rd
1. Site Set up ABC-1 9:00- 9:30 a.m.
2. Depart for site from hotel by 7:45 a.m.
3. Complete all rockets.
4. Leave the site with Union Grove and Alamo Heights on the rails.
Saturday, June 24th
1. Launch Day (Three Rockets, barring any schedule changes by WSMR.)
2. Depart from hotel by 4:45 a.m. for 6:00 a.m. arrival on site.
3. Projected launch schedule:
  - T1 8:00 a.m. –
  - T2
  - T3
  - Break for Lunch 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  - Range Time Ends – unspecified currently.
Sunday, June 25th
1. Contingency Day/Cleanup/Fun Day/ Travel (To be determined.)
Monday, June 26th
1. Travel Day

The schedule as seen above is a preliminary estimate, and though accurate as stated by Program Director, Rebekah Hyatt, at the moment, is subject to changes and adjustments as needed once the entire group is in New Mexico.

#Rockets2023 #SystemsGo #Launcher01 #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #EyesOnTheSkies #TexasToNewMexicoRocketTrail

White Sands Missile Range Hosts SystemsGo’s 2022 Goddard Level Rockets in 5 Days

White Sands Missile Range has been hosting the SystemsGo Rocket Program for over 20 years, and the tradition continues for the 2022 season. Changes have been made over the years, including moving from the original launch site which was West Center 50 (WC50) to alternate range ABC1. This change came about after the COVID shut down of 2020. Back logged government contracts took precedence for the larger range, necessitating the program’s relocation for continued support at the base.

The move to the smaller range also required the altitude cap for the rockets to be adjusted. The smaller site meant less than the 20-mile radius the program previously had available for these test vehicles to travel and stay within their parameters. The original height cap was 100,000 feet. The new cap instituted last year is 50,000 feet. ABC-1 does not have a large bunker, so only essential launch personnel stay on site, and the SG staff evacuate out five miles for launches. Students and teachers are taken to a secure location known as Tula G, which is further down range where they watch the launches on screen inside a designated facility. Due to this change, parents are no longer allowed to come. In years past parents watched from the theater at Mission Control. Unfortunately, volunteer staffing of base personnel for this is no longer available.

Stage 1 and 2 will take place on the range this year. In years past with the exception of last year, this was normal progression. Last year the Alamogordo High School hosted this part of the event. Stage 1 and 2 will take place while the SG team sets up the pad, launch rails, fill and fire system and electronics trailers. Rockets need to be complete by the end of the day on Friday as there will be very little latitude between T times to complete work on the vehicles. We are to be Mission Complete by 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Sunday is a contingency day, but preferably it should not be no more than a site clean up day if needed that morning . Provided that we accomplish this early the remainder of the day’s activities will be decided at that time.

Due to higher prices for accommodations, the SG team and schools will stay at a hotel on the base. Since we will be approaching from the Las Cruces side of the range instead of Tula Rosa, travel time will increase as speeds are slower, most are two lane roads, and range police are strict. Please check with your teachers if you need information about our accommodations, as I do not think it is appropriate to post it here since it is not outside the base. For those who are still staying off base, be sure to keep up with schedules and times as they group will need to move together with an escort through the base.

Launches are scheduled for June 25th with a contingency/cleanup day for June 26th. The team will travel out to WSMR on Wednesday, June 23rd, and back home again on the 27th.

There are four schools scheduled to launch four rockets. These include:

Alamo Heights
Brazoswood
Fredericksburg
Union Grove

The current launch schedule is as follows:

Thursday, June 23rd
1. Travel Day
Friday, June 24th
1. Site Set up ABC-1 8:00- 8:30 a.m.
2. Depart for site from Main gate by 7:00 a.m. start time.
3. Leave the site with Fredericksburg and Union Grove on the rails.
Saturday, June 25th
1. Launch Day (All Four Rockets, if possible, at 2-hour intervals.)
2. Depart from Main gate by 5:00 a.m. for 6:30 a.m. arrival on site.
3. Projected launch schedule:
  - T1 8:00 a.m. -Union Grove
  - T2 10:00 a.m. -Fredericksburg
  - T3 12:00 p.m. -Alamo Heights
  - T4 2:00 p.m. – Brazoswood
  - 5:00 p.m. – Range Time Ends
Sunday, June 26th
1. Contingency Launch Day/Cleanup/Fun Day/ Travel (What happens depends with launches Saturday.)
Monday, June 27th
1. Travel Day

#Rockets2022 #SystemsGo #Launcher01 #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #EyesOnTheSkies

Friday, SystemsGo’s Rockets 2016 Officially Ends as Team Travels Home and Transitions into Next Year Preps

At 7:30 a.m. this morning, the SystemsGo team and Fredericksburg students traveled home from White Sands Missile Range, arriving safely in Fredericksburg around 5:30 p.m.

WSMR marks the end of another successful year with launches in Houston, Willow City included. The group helped test 90 Tchaikovsky and Oberth rockets and 7 Goddard level rockets for the Rockets 2016 season.

Now the volunteer staff returns to their daily lives and the SystemsGo team enjoys a much needed break before continuing with more schools, students and rockets. It won’t be long and the “launch season” will be back again with Rockets 2017. This coming season will start a little earlier with launches in April for the new New Mexico schools that will be coming online. It should prove to be an exciting year.

For now, SystemsGo transitions back to helping schools and teachers implement this STEM based program so that more students can participate in this system of learning.

That concludes Friday’s WSMR Rocket update.

www.systemsgo.org as always is the place for more information on this program. Take the time to get your school involved, the future of your students will be greatly benefited. SystemsGo is a Texas-based STEM curriculum program.

Team photo includes from left to right, (SystemsGo founder), Cade Ottmers, Brian Heffner, Josh Hampton, Chelsea Burow, Gene Garrett, Steve Burow, Randy Kuhlmann, Robert Dever, and Andrew Matthes (FHS STEM program instructor).

Day 331-The Blubonnet-Wildflower Trail

Steve, Rebel, and I went for a Sunday drive through the Texas Hill Country yesterday to see the wild flowers. We took a route from Fredericksburg north on State Highway 16, driving first through the Willow City Loop which was beautiful as usual. The Willow Loop is worth the drive with or without flowers, but the flowers were very nice this year.

After returning to Highway 16 we drove on to Llano, and then detoured off onto Highway 71. The Flowers along this stretch were also gorgeous, but from there we took County road 307, better known as Slab Road and traveled along it into Kingsland. It’s a great drive through here as well. It is so wonderful to see the water flowing so strongly over the granite at the slab again. There were plenty of people enjoying the warm day in the water and a nice array of flowers along the route as well.

We ran into some friends in Kingsland. That was an unexpected treat, so we stopped and visited a while and let our little travel companion, Rebel, my son’s white Heeler run around a little.

We returned along Althaus Davis Road. Unfortunately though there were some flowers, this route was relatively bare,except at the Blanco County end, unlike it had been in past years. We cut back through Willow City again and then took the Eckert Road off Highway 16. There were little to no flowers through this area. It was a nice drive through the neighborhood though.

Farm to Market 965 is said to have a wonderful display off flowers this year from Enchanted Rock to Highway 16. I plan to get out there sometime this week. If you are planning to see the Bluebonnets it would be best to do so this week because we observed that they were already going to seed so they won’t be around too much longer, probably only a week of two. Of course there are and will be plenty other flower varieties to fill in and make the drives just as beautiful.

Day 220-Christmas Mountain Slide.

Just before Christmas, in 1986, my parents, sister and brother-in-law and myself, embarked on a trip to Ruidoso, New Mexico, to top the mountains of Ski Apache Resort. Little did we know that instead of sliding down the slopes, the more harrowing adventure would be sliding up and down the icy hillside roads to the resort.
On the first day, the drive was not bad because I rode with my parents, who are experienced snow drivers from all the years they went to Colorado, hunting. But even with experienced drivers, seeing the edges of the road so close to the side of our truck, as we slipped along on ice and snow-covered narrow roads made me want to cry. I knew dad knew what he was doing, but that did not make the 1000’s of feet down onto rocks, trees, and who knows what else look any more inviting. Oh, and of course, no guard rail. The opposite side was no better, there you slid into the hillside, large rocks, or into oncoming traffic. Yes oncoming traffic on a road that was so narrow you could barely go one direction and it was going two. The first day, we made it safely.

The next day the fun began. My parents stayed behind to tour, and let us drive their Chevy truck while they drove my sister’s station wagon around for the day. They should have designated a driver other than my brother-in-law, bless his soul; safe driving was not and still is not his strong suit.

To leave the cabins you had to follow a little road across a small bridge and then turn left on to the road towards town. You had no choice but to turn left because there was a snow-covered hillside preventing you from going any other way. Not so with our talented driver, we made an only slightly left skid directly into the snow-covered embankment. Luckily the only damage was to the snow, where we left a bumper shaped deep dent. Which incidentally my parents told us that they knew was from us as soon as they saw it. But thus started our trip up and then back down the mountain that day.

We invented a new word that day, it went something like, “Sloeeeaahck!” It was a terrified cross between “slow down”, and screams of eek and aahhh! I don’t think I have ever seen my life flash before my eyes so much in one day. It was kind of like having instant replay on a football game that you had watched several times before. I had actually forgotten about some of those events though, so at least I had my memory refreshed.

It seemed we were constantly sliding toward our doom, whether that was 1000’s of feet down to our deaths, crashing into the mountain or perhaps a tree or a rock. Quite often it seemed we were hanging just over that edge looking death in the eye as we stared down that ravine in terror just before our truck some how righted itself back onto the road. Of course then we were usually headed for the snow-covered just as unforgiving hillside. We seemed to be the metal ball in a pin ball game bouncing back and forth off whatever obstacle was there to change our course. Pin Ball is an old style arcade game for those of you too young to know.

We created our own road both up and down the mountain that day. It seemed traveling was either going to literally kill us or scare us to death in which the outcome would be the same; sudden death, just days before Christmas. Somehow, by the grace of God indeed, we are all still here today, survivors of this Christmas mountain slide.

PS. No the picture is not from New Mexico, but I didn’t have any available. As you might be able to tell that is Texas Hill Country snow, but to us it is even more treacherous! Haha! Merry Christmas!

Day 145-Bull vs. Toyota-Livestock and Animals on Texas Highways

I saw something last night that has been a fear of mine for some time. Black Angus cattle are very hard to see at night. Quite often on my own road to the house, where I am already watching for them, I have come to a fast halt while rounding a corner due to one lying or standing in the middle of the road. Of course, I know they are there, so I am always watching for them.

Last evening we received a call from a concerned friend about a bull up by the old road side park on FM 965. They identified the tag, and luckily it was not our’s. We also located our’s standing in the field in front of our house, so we were doubly sure. We gave suggestions for other neighbors in the area that had similar animals.

A short time later a Sheriff’s deputy called us a second time, asking about the bull. I gave him the same information. At this point Brett and I decided to go up and see if we could lend a hand in any way.

From the time we got the call from the deputy, until the time we arrived on scene, which wasn’t more than ten minutes, things had taken a drastic change. We arrived to three sheriff’s vehicles with flashing lights blocking the road and we could tell by the debris in the road that an accident had occurred.

We pulled off the road in behind the last Sheriff’s car, and walked up to the scene to speak to the officers and see if we could help in any way. The bull was lying in the ditch alive but severely injured. Slightly in front of it, also in the ditch, was a white Toyota FJ Cruiser with the whole front end smashed in. The passenger’s side was the worst, obviously the main point of impact, but the vehicle was definitely totaled.

Apparently something spooked the bull and he ran across the median and straight out in front of the woman in the FJ. There was coolant and car pieces all over the road in her wake, but no skid marks that we could see. I don’t believe she even had time to react before impact.

The driver was still sitting inside the SUV with the door open waiting for the EMS to arrive, and a Sheriff’s deputy watching over her. Luckily the cab of the vehicle was completely intact and had held up well in the impact. The air bag had deployed, and most of her complaints injury wise were from the air bag and seat belt. Other than that she was distraught over having hit and injured the bull. She was actually more concerned for him than herself and was literally sick over seeing him lying in the ditch suffering while they tried to determine who he belonged to.

Shortly after we arrived one of the other cattle owners, that leases in the area pulled in behind us, and right after him the ambulance. The vehicle owner was treated and released at the scene with instructions to go to the ER if any symptoms worsened.

At this point, the second cattleman didn’t perceive the bull to be his. At the Sheriff deputy’s request I called another property owner in the area to inquire if the bull might belong to him. After verifying the tag it was determined not to belong to him either.

Eventually after sending a picture of the tag to the previous owner, the neighbor on scene with us did verify that it was the bull that he had just moved in for a 3 month trial before buying. It was a very disappointing discovery for him, coupled with the fact that the animal should have been on the complete opposite side of the property no where near this road. At this point he had no choice but to shoot the bull ending his suffering, and winch him up onto a truck bed to be hauled away. This was a very disheartening scene for all of us.

Folks I am telling you this story because this is an inevitability of rural Texas, or anywhere people raise livestock. Of course, this is a well used highway and the right of way is fenced all along it, but that is where we all get too comfortable. Fenced or not, if there is livestock in the area we have to be vigilant. Deer and wild animals are not the only creatures that may wander into the road ways in front of your vehicle. Domestic livestock do not always follow the rules even if they have fences, and in many rural areas, they are not fenced out of the roadways.

Cattle, horses, sheep, goats, llamas, and various others can and will get into roadways from time to time. Any of them can do damage to your vehicle and you if you hit them. Many of them come in dark colors that are hard to see at night. And the larger ones could cost you your life if you hit them at a higher rate of speed.

Don’t count on fences. Always watch your surroundings. If you see livestock in the area where you are traveling be careful and watch for them even if they appear to be in fenced in areas. No one expects a black bull to run out in front of them in the middle of the highway in the dark. If the animal is not facing you were their eyes catch the light, you may not be able to see them at all.

In this area of Texas, animals of all kinds are the rule, not the exception. If you haven’t hit an animal, at some point you probably will. It is not your fault, it just happens, but driving with caution and being aware that you are in areas where animals roam, both domestic and wild, is your best defense. Altercations with livestock, are bad for everyone involved. Everyone is out money and property.

The woman last night was very lucky. Yes, her vehicle is totaled, but she came away, so far with what appear to be only minor injuries. There are people everywhere that have much different stories to tell, and some that are no longer here to tell their stories at all.

Don’t be reckless when trying to avoid an animal, swerving and skidding can be just as dangerous. Don’t depend fully on the protection of your grill guard either, smaller animals and deer may be deflected but larger animals are most likely not running as quickly and their larger mass doesn’t deflect away or under as well. In smaller cars you could just as likely end up with the animal in your lap as on the road after the collision.

Animals and livestock are a fact of life here in Texas and most rural areas, expect the unexpected.

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