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| My brother, Luke, his two adorable dogs Kaleesi (left) and Bogie (right) and me as we return to our odyssey to Austin, TX. |
After a couple of days in Laramie visiting our parents and getting the 1995 GM Econovan in for a new fuel filter and service check-up, Luke picked me up on his way south.
Thursday, June 7
Departed 12:40 p.m. after picking me up. Terrified poor Bogie when the low branches of our Honey Locust tree scraped against the roof of the Caravan, sending Bogie from the back over the center console and under the steering wheel! It was a terrible screech and it took both of us to try and console him after moving him back to his space. For the rest of the day any loud unexpected sound sent him back into "duck and cover" mode. Poor baby.
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| Storms over Colorado Springs create dramatic skies. |
We have mysterious flashing lights on the dashboard and, why did the Caravan want to die?
2:39 p.m. Denver traffic on I-25 slow and stopped near Lone Tree to cool the engine.
Luke disconnected the obnoxious alarm. Hope it wasn't signaling something important.
Turning the Caravan off at least got us out of 2nd gear, a gear we seemed to be stuck in for some reason. Ol' Betsy (my sympathetic nickname for the Caravan) didn't really want to start, but did. We decided to cautiously continue.
(Luke writing.) Stopped for food south of Colorado Springs. Ordered a chicken salad and didn't realize it was missing the chicken until several miles down the highway.
Regular speed demon uphill at 35 m.p.h. There are lots of hills heading to Trinidad. Oh, yea, and we have gusty winds, too.
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| South of Trinidad the horizon stretches seemingly forever. |
As we began to depart, a busload of high school students walked by. We asked if they were a sports team and they told us they had been camping in the Powderhorn and were all from Texas -- "The best state ever!"
Lots of elk and deer crossing signs as we head to Springer, NM. Luke just saw a rattlesnake in the middle of the road. Poor Ol' Betsy had to really strain to make it through Raton Pass, 7834' in elevation. We learned it helps if we turn off the a/c. (I wish we could help by pedalling!)
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| Storm clouds glow pink as the sun sets as we get to the Oasis Motel in Springer, NM. |
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| Best breakfast ever! |
Best decision to eat at Elida's Cafe, a stone's throw down the street from the Oasis. It's a local spot, my favorite kind of restaurant, and was our BEST BREAKFAST choice for our entire journey!!
68 miles to Las Vegas, NM. Just crossed another river-- except they all seem to be dry.
Entering Mora County. Just spotted an antelope in tall bleached yellow grass. Of course there's a headwind.
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| Dry grass, blue skies and distant mountains become our view for miles and miles, |
Calumet/Las Vegas - "Where the Great Plains meet the mighty Rockies."
Sign: Do not pick up hitchhikers in this area.
12:42 p.m. leave 84 for I-40 East.
Santa Rosa is a great spot for a rest break. It's greener.
Pass crumbling stone walls of houses from long ago. Reminds me of western ghost towns.
Toby took dogs for a walk and Bogey got 3 sharp thorns in his paw. As she tried to remove them, one got stuck in her finger. She waited for me to cross the street to hold the dogs so she could pull all the thorns out.
Crossed into Texas at 4:12 p.m. "Central" time so just lost an hour.
Just saw three more wind turbine blades heading west on big trucks. Passing an area with hundreds of wind turbines. It's so flat and there's lots of wind.
Looking for exit for I-27 South. 162 miles to Post, TX, tonight's stop.
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| The sun begins to set, still 40 miles away from Post, TX. |
We turned off the a/c entirely, hoping that will give us more power. Can't hear the radio anymore with our windows wide open. We have to shout to talk to each other.
Gotta be 90 degrees in here. Poor pups. Think my deodorant is failing.
Sign: "Don't mess with Texas."
Luke just saw a dead armadillo.
Sign: "I am with you. God" (As we rock through West Texas at 57 m.p.h. with a wicked headwind, I find that comforting.)
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| A long, hot day and grateful for reservations at the Best Western in Post, TX. |
*The elementary school with about 400 students mysteriously burned down on a Sunday morning in 2014.
*There's a big fair in Post this weekend.
*She referred to me as "ma'am" or "honey."
Saturday, June 9 - Hopefully, we reach our destination, Austin, tonight.
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| Bogie, Kaleesi and I enjoy our last morning walk together as Luke packs up our luggage and gear. |
Asked Luke what he would remember about Post and he said:
"Windy!! Both when we arrived and when we left."
As for me, I will remember that there are a lot of very nice people in Post, it seems to always smell of oil and there are a lot of red ant hills.
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| Hundreds of wind turbines take advantage of wind that never seems to cease. |
Cactus, scrub brush and winds at least 35 m.p.h. At least the wind turbines can take advantage of it.
We have to drive with the a/c off and windows open to have any power for forward motion.
Dog hair flying--in my water, in my mouth, in my lip gloss.
We move like a brick wall through the wind--nothing remotely aerodynamic about Ol' Betsy. Luke says it's like going into the water with a belly flop.
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| A welcome rest stop in Sweetwater. |
There's a murder of crows that are noisy, whistling and abundant.
After leaving Sweetwater we saw a sign for Stink Creek. We laughed. Can you imagine a high school basketball game between the two towns??
28 miles to Abilene. Oil wells pumping, wind turbines spinning.
Sign: "Trent High School, home of the gorillas."
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| Texas is a big state. |
Rest area: Montana, with its Lodge Pole Pine and carpet of pine needles.
Motel: Wallace Inn in historic Wallace, ID.
Breakfast: Elida's in Springer, NM.
Lunch: Not for the food but for the ambiance of a picnic table next to a 3-tiered water fountain.
Dinner: Smokehouse Saloon in historic Wallace, ID, because of its ambiance and dogs were welcome.
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| Lots of time to talk about the BEST trip moments. |
Best music: Elle King station on Pandora--(when we could still hear music.)
Memorable surprise:
Luke: Wild hawk roadside.
Me: Elmer's Fountain - a 3-tiered water fountain - unexpectedly located next to I-90 before we entered Montana.
Greatest kindness: Luke: Toby walking the dogs. Me: A woman who got on her knees to reach under a bathroom stall at the Sweetwater rest area so she could fetch a roll of toilet paper to give to me to use as the stall she just left was out of paper. How do you thank someone enough for that?
Sign: "Edible church." ???? This is where type face can really make a difference. It really said "Bible church."
Leaving Coleman 2 p.m. Hot and sweaty. Dogs watered and panting. Stopped at a DQ in Goldwaite at 3:55 p.m. Very hot. Kaleesi threw up.
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| As we neared Austin, an approaching storm with big, gusty winds filled Ol' Betsy with the most savory smell of cedar! Learned the Austin area is filled with cedar trees--and wineries! |
6 p.m. Arrived!!! Hot, sweaty, windblown and grateful!! A road trip full of adventure, beautiful vistas, car troubles and new memories with my brother!!
(The rest of the story: In addition to meeting his new granddaughter, Luke also got the Caravan into a GMC service center for more repairs. Mechanics discovered a loose distributor wire that had almost burned through on the manifold. The mechanic said we were truly lucky to get to Austin. Good news is that Luke and his wife and happy sweet dogs enjoyed forward motion AND a/c and speeds of 65 m.p.h. They arrived safely home last weekend.)
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