Wednesday
December 24, 2008
If I hadn't bought this car, I'd be in Japan today, trying to find a restaurant that doesn't serve fish. I'm glad I'm in Texas.
11:40 AM = Left motel.
1781.0 Trip Miles
19,867 Total
55 F
90% Oil life
48.3% Fuel
1:00 PM/1880.0 = In Alpine, TX
$27 = 15.176 Gallons (1880.1 miles) and $4 and a whole lot of change for a chicken sandwich to-go from a local diner which is open today AND it's got customers!
1:20/1881.0 = Out of Alpine and heading South to Big Bend National Park -- another one of those "Trip #1" places that I've never visited after Trip #1. This trip is ending up a lot like it -- of course the emotions are different and I didn't go to Bryce -- yet.
ok lunchtime.
1:50/1913.5 trip miles = 20,000 odometer miles...
I remember the last time I was here... I was going 80 and there was a car tailgating me... I think the limit was 65. Today I'm goin a legal 70. That time I was listening to the Star Wars theme on my audiotape, rewinding it over and over ... this time I've got my "CD #1" on -- very different from Star Wars theme but a lot of the same 80's songs I was listening to on that trip... Memories!
And again, there is NOBODY on this road! Just the sun, the Texas desert, and me ...
And I remember the very distinct Santiago Peak on my left right now! Good ole Hwy 118!!!
2:02/1927.0 = I just yawned.
2:09/1935.6 = Those are the Christmas Mountains straight ahead. They should be called the Chocolate Mountains, they look like big brown lumps of chocolate.. Passing Agua Fria Mountain on the right now.
2:14/1941.7 = A car just passed!!!! I'm no longer the only human for miles
Ok, now they look like real mountains, and there are some homes out there too... I still want some chocolate, too bad it doesn't make good roadtrip food in a hot desert.
2:19/1947.3 = Starting to climb the Christmas Mountains so I'll stop writing
2:30/1957.1 = Passed Study Butte.
2:32/1959.6 = Big Bend National Park
2:50/1968.9 = Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
3:34/1994.0 = It's 81 F at the Rio Grande and I'm looking at Mexico
3:39/1994.4 = Turned around at the first sight of "mighty" river. There are almost as many flies here as at the 12 Apostles viewpoint on Great Ocean Road in Australia! ALMOST.
Except for the river view, this road was a little dissapointing
3:49 PM = 2,000 trip miles (near milepost 19). 20,086 total odometer. 80% Oil life. 79 F. 90% fuel.
4:15/2018.5 = Back on the main park road
4:37/2031.1 = Turned left on U.S. 385 (kind of) -- I'm outta here!
5:12/2058.4 = Out of National Park boundary
5:50 = 2097.5 = Turned right on Hwy 90
5:51/2098.6 = Turned Left on U.S. 385. Finally the speed limit is 75 in daytime/65 at night. Lucky for me its still daylight, at least for about 20-25 minutes more.
6:01/2112.9 = I was slightly off... The sun just went down and I just slowed down to 70 MPH again -- I guess that's ok.
6:50/2156.5 = Sleep Inn Fort Stockton, TX
Drove through town looking for dinner, but only place that was open was Sonic Drive-thru -- so that's dinner... First time in my life -- lets see how it tastes
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| Dec 23 | Contents | Dec 25 |