#1: [11-May-01]

03-May-2025 -- As I had been teaching and promoting geospatial technologies in New Mexico for several days, I thought I would make a side trip to this confluence on the way to the Albuquerque airport. Never mind that it was completely in the opposite direction: That’s what geographers do ! Hence, when the conference ended, I rented a car in Albuquerque and drove east to Clovis, where I finally visited the recording studio, where Buddy Holly recorded most of his songs. It was closed, and I could not book a tour for early Saturday morning. However, it was great to be on the grounds to soak in the musical history. After visiting the grounds, I drove east across the state line into Texas and south on some wonderful farm and ranch roads and immersed myself in The Staked Plains!

This being the Llano Estacado, it was completely flat and mostly the same view in all directions that one looks. This is one of the largest flattest places in all of North America. It extends from eastern New Mexico into the panhandle of Texas and about halfway down from Lubbock to Midland and up to the panhandle of Oklahoma. It’s really a fascinating area that some might call boring but as a geographer, I find it very interesting. Much of it is covered with wind turbines, cattle, cotton, alfalfa, other crops, and small service communities. The rest is much as it could have appeared when the Comanches and other Indigenous population were roaming the area hundreds of years ago. The area is semiarid so most everything has to be irrigated. In fact the area was hit hard by the Dust Bowl of the 1930s and many left the area for California and elsewhere. But those who remained are resilient and have a strong sense of place or what Geographer Yi Fu Tuan called "Topophilia".

I traveled southeast on US 84, the same roads Buddy and the Crickets were on back in the 1950s. I left US 84 at Texas State Highway 1731, near a set of enormous grain silos, visible for miles around, then south all the way to State 298. I passed some modest homes, a few large ranches, and one massive cattle feedlot. I drove due west from this intersection toward the confluence. There is a gathering of a few houses with a sign posted as the community of Stegall partway to the confluence point. There, I saw a few people out working on a structure. A short distance later there was a camper parked in the field to the north. Other than that, I saw nobody as the population density here is very low. I drove up a small rise, turned around so my vehicle would be facing east, got out and gathered necessary supplies. I then set out.

There was no fence and nothing to impede me from walking a short distance about 10 or 15 minutes to the southeast from where I parked. At the time of my visit, mid spring, there was nothing planted in the field, although there probably had been in the past. I walked due southeast reducing the latitude and the longitude by one digit with each step. About 10 paces before the site, the field was covered with some lovely wildflowers. I saw a few birds, but no animals. Fortunately, no snakes either. There were a few houses visible in the far distance to the southeast. But it is great to see an area like this so sparsely populated after all of the urban sprawl I have seen around the world. It was about 59 F (15 C) on a mid-spring morning with only moderate breezes. The skies were completely clear. There must have been high atmospheric pressure in the region.

I have stood on this line of latitude (34) many times across the USA from California to North Carolina. I’ve also stood on this line of longitude (103) from north to south across the USA from North Dakota to Texas. This particular line of 103 West Longitude has special significance because it is very close to the Texas New Mexico state line. The 19th Century surveyors were very accurate in their work, trying to achieve 103 West, in the days before GPS and satellite imagery: The state line of Texas-New Mexico lies about 2.5 miles west of this point. I took a video covering all directions plus some including a few with my 360 degree camera, which I have posted here.

After visiting this confluence, I attempted to visit the one to the north, at 35 North 103 West. However, some road closures blocked my progress, and I needed to get back to the Albuquerque airport, so rather than listing it as an incomplete visit, I just left it alone for another day. I did have a very nice walk on the state line not too far from the 35 North 103 confluence. Then I went to the Blue Swallow Motor Court in Tucumcari to pay a tribute visit. While in that town I also visited their wonderful public library. Then I drove back to the airport in Albuquerque, arriving with about an hour and a half to spare. It was a fast and furious 24 hour trip but well worth the time and effort! Get out there and explore!