I departed Abilene on Sunday for Van Horn. Temps for most of the trip were 108F-`111F. Owing to the high temps, in Pecos I turned off the interstate for Wink, then to Orla and then into the Guadalupes. Owing to the high temps nothing was seen on the way to the Guads. At 7:10 PM the temps at 5700 feet in the shade on Hwy 180 on the E. side of the Guads was 86F. I turned off on Hwy 54 toward Van Horn and at 7:25 it was up to 92F and increased as I dropped in elevation. I saw nothing on the way to Van Horn. Later at night I went into the Delawares and found 1 w. hooknose adult, 1 adult longnose and 1 juvenile suboc. Back on Hwy 54 I found the largest male mexican hognose I've ever seen, DOR. it was at least 13".
Van Horn nas had no rain this year, and had very little last year or the year before. It is extremely dry. I did see a few horned lizards near sunset on Hwy. 54.
Monday I went to Alpine, where it was in the low 90's. This was not primarily a herping trip, but I did some looking around 10-11PM south of Alpine, saw nothing.
Monday night a serious cold front rolled in and it was drizzly and around 45F when I went outside Tues AM. Temps Tues and Wed never got over 55 in Alpine. Study Butte in the big bend was 112F on Monday, around 82F for a high on Tuesday.
There was some rain on the N. side of the Davis Mts. Tuesday, some light rain and heavy misting in the higher elevations both Tuesday and Wednesday.
Wed. afternoon I left Alpine and headed east to see what the weather was like; some temperatures follow:
Marathon at 2:15- 73F, Sanderson at 3:10 - 77F, Palma Draw at 3:50 - 77F, Langtry at 4:10 - 80F, Comstock at 4:35- 80F.
All these temps were with the probe on the bottom of my antenna mast, so were NOT shade temperatures.
At 4PM Del Rio weather was reporting 75F, winds NE at 10 MPH and barometer of 30.10 so I figured herping was dead and went up Juno Road to 189 then to 277. It was around 68F at the intersection of 189 and 277 at 5:50, and sonora was 69F at 6:10.
Some gas prices around the area for regular: Van Horn $1.579, Alpine $1.599, Sanderson $1.479, Langtry $1.899. Del Rio (walmart gas) was $1.349 when I was there last week - cheapest in the area.
The cool front is supposed to move out today and Friday, possibility of rains in Val Verde county.
Herping The Trans-Pecos
