Running Across New Mexico: Sun, Wind and the Border Patrol

Day three: Bedtime was early after day two and on day three I was up before the alarm went off. I surveyed the damage in the bathroom mirror and decided if the wind was blowing, I wasn't going. Life is like a race, you have to finish before you can win.

The third morning it was necessary to go east of Columbus to set out my water and food and then back to the ninety mile marker to start the day.

East of Columbus the road is table top flat and you can see for miles. Off in the distance, about twelve miles and at the top of the ridge, I noticed stationary lights, lights that would give me problems later.

I planned to go as far east as mile post 130, if I could make it.

I was still driving the pickup that my friend had loaned me. I dropped off water and food as usual and continued to the end of the flat road and then turned north and up the rise. Two Border Patrol pickups were sitting along side the road, one facing south with the headlights on high, directly in the eyes of anyone coming uphill. When I went by the one with the bright lights, the driver turned a spotlight on the pickup I was driving. I went to mile post 110 with water then turned around and headed back with the intent of starting at mile ninety as soon as it was light.

The Border patrol was still sitting alongside the road at mile 103 and still had his lights on bright and flashed me with the spotlight again. I watched them in the mirror and when I was about half a mile down the road, the truck with the bright lights pulled out and quickly caught up with me. I was doing 60 mph and he had to be going a whole lot faster in order to catch up as quickly as he did.

He followed me, actually tailgated me, with his lights on bright. I turned the inside mirror down so I could see the road ahead, and slouched down in the seat in order to be out of the reflections from the two outside mirrors. At one point, I thought about turning on the right turn signal and pulling over in order to give the guy a hint. A short time later I would be wishing I had.