You Never Know…

[f-Stop]

...what you might find while riding through the Texas Hill Country...



Meet Nelson.  He is an 80lb African Spurred Tortoise (or Sulcata Tortoise)...



Nelson lives about a half mile from my house and decided to take a little stroll this Sunday afternoon.  Luckily, he was not too far from his own home when I came upon him.  Nelson's next door neighbor saw me trying to corral him back home and went to notify his owner.  His owner brought his car over for us to put Nelson in for the short ride home, but Nelson wouldn't fit!  At about this time another neighbor drove up in her pick-up and offered to give Nelson a lift.  We then carefully heaved the very docile tortoise into the back of her Chevy and Sky -- her daughter -- kept Nelson company for the duration of the ride...



It wasn't long before Nelson was back in his own back yard roaming about...



We found the area where he had made his escape and it was filled with some big stones to ensure his safety. 

See you later Nelson!



What a way to start a Sunday ride through the Texas Hill Country!

...and you really never know what's just around the corner!

[john]

              ???    
                         hellooooo nelson          
                     W O W ...  what a nice surprise            
  today I found dead skunk .. dead dillo ... dead bizzard ... dead pig
                nice day though 

[Disco]

That's really cool, Charlie!

[Houdini]

That was nice of you to stop and assist that Harley   

[Jess from VA]

Nice rescue.  

Thou prohibited to KEEP them, I rescued a number of Eastern Box's out on the roads around my home, and released them in my secure back yard.  And fed and cared for them (thou they do fine with no help). They were all males, except for the one small (unfortunate) female who became the prize attraction (and the subject of many slow speed races).  I ended up with dozens of tiny babies crawling around the following year.

Your pics don't really give away the African's size, until you see him in the truck bed.  That is a big boy.

Mine liked strawberries.


Nelson looks to be pretty old, but still likely hunting companionship.  They are diggers, and if he wants out, he'll be out again.