Slowing down enough to see

When you first enter Big Bend National Park, your momentum feels a disconcerting thud. Getting here is a long anticipated moment, and you're eager to make your way to the heart of the park. But then you notice the sign, "Speed limit 45 mph." And just a few minutes ago, you were traveling down the interstate at 80.

At first it is highly uncomfortable, this slowness. And then you begin to realize it is exactly what you need.

You begin to notice more. You see the orange blossoms on the spiny ocotillo, the brassy green color of the greasewood, javelina rooting in the distance. The pace of the city is far behind you.

But get on your bike and your vision seems to grow exponentially. You spot the blossoming cacti, the lizards scattering across the road, a tiny rodent running for his hole. We move too quickly, really we do. Even a slow-paced life in Van Horn benefits from a few days at an even slower pace.