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This week was a busy one with a visit to the Dalquest Research Site maintained by Midwestern State University (MSU). The site is adjacent to the Big Bend National Park that borders the Rio Grande’s southern boundary of Texas.
I flew to Marfa, Texas with my friend, Charles Engelman, whose single-prop Beechcraft was a delight of sightseeing across western Texas. One thing that astounded me was the number and extent of the turbine windmills. From my count, there were a nominal 12 turbines per section as we crossed section after section of windy plains. (A section is an area of land, one mile on each side, 640 acres). The turbines are enormous, some 90-feet or so across.
Marfa has fashioned itself into a tourist resort after the model of Santa Fe. I intend to return when I have more time to visit.
Charles Engelman is a success story of no small degree. His engineering knowledge and experience in the petroleum industry made the trip ever so enjoyable and intellectually stimulating. He is such a fine person.
At Marfa, we were picked up by Dr. Norman Horner of the university. He had driven a 4-wheel drive, 350 Chevrolet double cab from Wichita Falls, about nine hours. Dr. Horner, a Professor Emeritus of Biology, a former dean, and now director of the Dalquest Research Site had recently discovered, with his students, a new genus and species of underground spider at the Site. With his knowledge of biology and Charles’s knowledge of engineering, and their combined knowledge of geology, it was like having two park rangers and wonderful friends as escorts.
We drove two hours to the site, mostly over dirt roads. The last 30-minutes was passable only by a 4-wheel drive vehicle as we lumbered down and across the arroyos. At the site, though, the view is breathtaking, probably the most spectacular canyon in the entire Big Bend area. My photographs do it an injustice. Walter W. Nelson photographed the site and has available prints and a book, Ribbons of Time. Dr. Horner’s description of the site includes many great photographs. We arrived before sunset and spent the next day hiking it. Two nights were spent with our wonderful host at the (Old Alazan) Stratchen Ranch. (There is no underestimating the value of a shower and the excellent cooking of Dr. Horner).
Dr. Walter W. Dalquest and his wife, Rose, donated the land to MSU in 1996. The total site is now about 3,000 acres. Its mission is to promote research and education about the Chihuahuan Desert for undergraduates and graduate students. It is visited by numerous universities and is seeking additional funds for improvement. Direct any queries to Dr. Norman Horner at Norman.Horner@mwsu.edu