The Haiku North America conference took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from September 13-17 2017. It was an amazing conference. I was the cartoonist-in-residence during the event and captured the conference in cartoons.
Before heading to HNA, I read a lot of Santa Fe and New Mexico. One of the subjects that fascinated me was the roadrunner.
The roadrunner is the official bird of New Mexico. It can run up to 20mph and sometimes eats rattlesnakes.
When I arrived in Albuquerque airport, I took a hotel shuttle to Santa Fe. A few minutes after we left the airport, someone pointed the side of the road and said: “Hey, a roadrunner!” I turned my head, but it was too late. I had missed it.
I made it my objective to see a roadrunner during my trip. During excursions, I would scrutinize the side of the road, but it was not meant to be.
In Santa Fe, the only roadrunner I saw was the one on the RailRunner commuter train at the station.
I imagined Master Kawazu would hop on a real roadrunner to go to the conference. That would be a lot of fun.
So I didn’t see a roadrunner during my trip, but I did enjoy all the haiku talks at the conference.
View all HNA 2017 conference photos and comics.
Old Pond Comics 
I love the way you are putting new things together!
Wonderful U may want to have a jack rabbit meet a road runner ? Janis
Sent from my iPhone
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super, Jessica! your great post speaks for all of us who were disappointed to leave Santa Fe without a real roadrunner spotting!! looking forward to other HNA posts!!
Thanks Susan. I always wondered how big they were: was I supposed to look for a chicken-size bird or a sparrow-size bird? I guess if roadrunners are that fast, they are probably tall and skinny. (Can’t help imagine the cartoon) I’ll never know. (sigh)
aloha Jessica. i’ve seen a roadrunner once or twice. in arizona. the thing is, if they are still it’s hard to spot them because they blend in so well with the countryside, and if they move, they are a sudden blur. at least that was my experience with them. when they stopped it was sudden too, and my eye had a tendency to go right past where they stopped. ha. still, even the blurr was fun. once i knew what i was looking for. fun on. well done. aloha r.
Hi Rick, I want to thank you for describing the experience of encountering a roadrunner. Your description if very vivid. I had not idea they were that fast! Would have been fun to see, but I guess it would have been just a glimpse anyway.
Bonsoir Jessica, La seule fois où j’ai vu un “roadrunner”, c’était sur film dans une conférence Les Grands explorateurs. C’est à peu près la hauteur d’une poule mais effilé comme un pigeon. J’aime bien ton utilisation avec les grenouilles. Amitiés