I would like to take this opportunity to thank some of the sponsors of my trip. First of all, the Worrier Warriors. There are too many of you to mention here, but many thanks to my mom, grandmas, aunts and uncles, and friends. I truly appreciate that you are thinking of and praying for me. And now, to all you whom I've just thanked for worrying, I entreat you to STOP. It's a drive across the country, not into a terrorist attack or a murderer community or a hurricane. Besides, I'm not alone as you thought. Which brings me to my next...I would now like to extend my gratitude to my traveling companions: cell phone, iPod, camera, gps, cd player, Zune. Though you come with myriad cords attached, you make my drive a safer one. And a more interesting one, which is more important.
Speaking of interesting...
New Mexico, Land of Enchantment. And of snow, apparently. And vandalism.
New Mexico is a lot like I remember it from years ago: a whole lot of flat nothing, broken up hither and thither by a speed limit sign or a particularly thick growth of yuccas.
Also, did you know that the Continental Divide happens to run through New Mexico? This interesting bit of trivia was quite hammered into my head, as I passed numerous billboards that indicated all kinds of things you can get at the Continental Divide: Continental Divide Turquoise Jewelry, Continental Divide Leather, Continental Divide Mexican Imports, Continental Divide Snake Stuff...Continental Divide Native American Gifts, Continental Divide Moccasins, Continental Divide New Mexico Souvenirs, Southwest Blankets, Southwest Dolls, Imported Textiles, Fireworks! Pottery! Exit Now! Continental Divide Stuff! Then I passed the actual Continental Divide, and there was one big gas station...still in the middle of nowhere.
Me and my hot-shot cousin, who's stationed in El Paso.
Just before I met him for lunch I drove over the Rio Grande, which I thought was significant because it's a river I've actually heard of. Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of it because the person who was supposed to take it is a picky picture taker and couldn't get a good shot. Also, she was driving over a bridge at 70 miles per hour at the time.
This is Texas.
Well, this is the boring part, anyway. Texas actually welcomed me kindly and told me to "Drive Friendly, The Texas Way."
Ah, yizz, thizz is whut is colled the Pecos gobbledeguppawigga. I finally turned off that endless interstate to take the more interesting highway route through small towns and historical places. This historical place turned out to be a historical dud:
...It looked so boring that I didn't bother reading the sign, so what you see is what you get.
But aside from that one, backwater Texas has some pretty great places:
Iraan, with "Iraan's Pride, the Big Red Band"
Eldorado (Town of...Black Gold, perhaps? "oyl, that is")
Poor Hollow (stream)
Toe Nail Tr.
Sleepy Hollow (stream--spooooky)
Grit
Gooch Cemetery
Art
Chew Cemetery
Play Shuffleboard at Fuzzy's Corner!
Oatmeal
And here are some more I like from other parts I drove through yesterday:
Dragoon Rd.
Hook and Anchor Rd.
War Rd.
"Caution, Dust Storms May Exist" (for the record, I have never debated the existence of dust storms)
"Littering is unlAWFUL" (get it, awful, unlAWFUL?)
Truth or Consequences (another Phantom Tollbooth town)
Elephant Butt...oops, sorry, Elephant Butte
Buy-Moria...dang it, again! I mean Balmorhea
Nutt Ranch (with a road leading off to...nuttin')
"Don't Mess With Texas" (littering sign)
Right-o, then. I'm back on the road in another day. Cheerio from Texas!
[This concludes our British accent part of the program. You may resume your ordinary accent.]
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