I was hesitant to end my visit, but as we all know...duty calls. And until my time is my own I had to leave Texas and continue my journey home. I must admit I was not looking forward to this part of my journey. I have driven it before and it is a very long and lonesome drive. But, on the bright side, I had music (I must always have music...ALWAYS), an audio book that I had been listening to, off and on, when I had no radio reception, and my CDs...well, I didn't bring enough so I had grown tired of listening to them. Ahead of me was 700 miles of nothing...nothing, zip, zero, nada!
I got out of Houston like a heard of turtles! I mean, I didn't leave until 9:30. I didn't want to deal with commuter traffic in San Antonio which is about 3 to 4 hours from Houston. So I just left later. Texas is about as wide as California is long...it takes forever to drive through Texas....forever! My next stop....Buckeye Arizona, about 40 miles west of Phoenix. One of my long time friends lives there and I thought a short visit would be great! But first...I had to get out of Texas. I started on Interstate 10 back in Tallahassee, Florida. I-10 swings down into Houston and curves up to Phoenix. I was hoping to make it to the west Texas town of El Paso (I can hear Marty Robbins singing now) before I needed to sleep.
One of the great benefits of driving (or taking the train) is one is surrounded by ones own solitude which allows one to take pause and contemplate the circumstances of ones life. The result of this experience can be very enlightening and in my case extremely comforting. It's joyful to realize the life I've built for myself is delightful, joyful, and so very blessed. I know that luck does play a part in it and I have been so very, very lucky. Sigh...
Outside of San Antonio there appears a most wonderful sign...it says, speed limit 80 mph. That's right....80 mph! Did I go 80 mph? You bet your boots I did! Go Buggy tops out at 83 mph. She is governed. Poor baby. It's like being neutered! So we rolled on down the highway and the wind started blowing and the rig started rocking and I thought....well hell, just because it says I can go 80 mph doesn't mean I have to. So I dropped it down to 75 mph. It was most wonderful. Go Buggy just settled into it and glided down the highway. Heavenly....simply heavenly.
I made it to El Paso and decided to pull over at a local rest stop. Now I know there are many opinions about camping at rest stops...many think it's too dangerous. Well, I think it's no more dangerous than camping any other place. Danger is everywhere and we have to watch out for ourselves. Besides, I don't camp at rest stops. . . . I rest at rest stops. That's what they are for....resting. So I pulled over and slipped into a small spot between rig 7 and 8 of about 17 big rigs and several other motor-homes...all doing the same thing....resting. It only takes about 15 minutes to put the Go Buggy to bed...with me locked in it. Safe and secure...doors and windows locked. Slept like a baby!
I woke up at 4:30AM and was wide awake. Ahead of me was Las Cruses, New Mexico. New Mexico is a beautiful state. I watched the sun come up over the desert horizon...most excellent! It wasn't my first desert sunrise. I spent three of the hottest years of my life in Phoenix, Arizona.
There is nothing like a desert sunrise, especially in the winter. The Sonoran desert is very cold in the winter...very cold and the roads are icy and the sun glitters off the icy crystals that float on the tips of the cactus needles. One of the tiniest owls in the world makes it's home inside the Saguaro Cactus. It's about as big as a hummingbird. They are very difficult to find or to see. But the cutest little critters I've ever seen!
The drive was uneventful. I like that...uneventful is good. I wasn't sure exactly when I would roll into Buckeye as road work all along the highway kept me at bay. It seems I was plagued by road work on this trip.
I did however stop to see "The Thing". I first saw the bill board for "The Thing" when I was 13 years old. I've made the road trip from San Antonio to the bay area many times over the years as my mother is from San Antonio. So we made trips to Texas to visit my aunt and cousins. There are bill boards to see "The Thing" all along I-10. In Arizona at exit 322...visit "The Thing". So I thought I'm gonna check it out. I want to see "The Thing". I've been wondering about it since I was 13 years old and today the wondering is over! I felt very empowered don't you know. LOL! So I paid a buck and went to see "The Thing". (CHECK) Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt. No really. I'm serious, I bought a T-shirt. Guess what it says? Yup...."The Thing". LOL!
As luck would have it, I rolled into Buckeye about 2:30PM. Which was very nice because I could relax and spend some time visiting. I was nearing the end of my road trip and I was needing to rest. As you might imagine it's always wonderful to visit with a long time friend and getting caught up on each other lives. this friend and I have known each other since I was 14 years old. This friend and I will be seeing each other next month to see Eric Clapton...11th row, center stage! We are so excited! That's one more item off my bucket list! Yippee!
I rested that evening and spent the next day sleeping; visiting an RV Center and getting my propane tank refilled. WOW...propane is expensive, $3.04 per gallon. Good thing I only needed 9 gallons. I really didn't know exactly how much it should be...but for some reason I wasn't expecting 3.04 per gallon. So I paid the man and left.
Tomorrow will be my last installment for this trip. And then, what will we talk about?
I hope your day is wonderful and your travels are blessed.
Just go.
I've gotten two more submissions to name Go Buggy...I put them in the hopper. Somebody is gonna get a Starbucks Gift Card. You know you love that!
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