Texas Day Two

We left Van Horn, TX about 9 am experiencing our first “oops” of the trip.  We had pulled out of the KOA RV Park with the electric cord still plugged in.  It came out as we pulled away unbeknown to us and it dragged behind the coach for 7 miles before a passing motorist flagged us down.  Thank goodness for Good Samaritans.  It was ground down by the pavement but luckily the 10 feet of the cord did not get hung up in the car we are towing nor was the rubber hose surrounding the cord damaged.  The prongs were a bit bent but Jim was able to straighten them out and it works just fine.  We’ll replace the cord just for good measure when we reach a big enough town to find an RV repair business or Camping World that can take care of it.

We followed I-10 until we reached Route 20 which heads northeasterly toward Pecos, TX.  Here the terrain is flat, flat, flat...as far as you can see to the horizon.  Pecos is where the phrase “Law west of the Pecos” came from and where Judge Roy Bean reigned as sheriff, judge, jury and hangman along with being the purveyor of the general store and probably the local house of ill repute.  About here we saw a group of a dozen or so motorcyclists and I thought of the movie “Road Hogs” with Tim Allen and John Travolta who took off on a ride across the west with two other guys.  Maybe these riders were doing the same thing.  It’s fun to imagine some story about them because any story you think up could be true!  Here we also began to see the oil drilling and pumping begin.  The pumping machines remind me of a praying mantis or grass hopper for some reason as they bob up and down.

An oil pumping "praying mantis"...

Next we came upon Monahan Sand Hills State Park where off in the distance from the Interstate we could see some dunes.  They were nothing like the ones near Yuma, but I suspect the activities there are the same.

Near Odessa we saw red truck after red truck pass by with what seemed to be identical machinery built onto them which I presume is something to do with the oil fields.  Here also we saw our first oil refineries.  The oil industry seems very much alive and well in western Texas.

Entering Midland, TX we were welcomed by a sign that said “home of President George and Laura Bush.”  An historical marker at a road side rest area here claimed the town was named Midland because it is half way between El Paso and Ft. Worth and it was established in 1885.  Beyond Midland, the soil turned a red hue and wind generator fields started to appear.  We also saw a large mesa here with its horizontal strata and flat top followed by several others as we moved along down the road.  

The large Mesa we passed with several more beyond this one.

Turning north on Route 70 we traveled a smaller state highway out of Sweetwater, TX en route northerly to I-40 east of Amarillo.  Here the road turned more rural and wild flowers in shades of red, yellow, blue and white graced the edges of the road.  The rolling hills were freshly plowed red soil below the brilliant blue sky.  To the south of us huge cumulus clouds built in the sky but lingered well behind us.  We passed a group of Long Horn cattle and finally came to a tiny town of Jayton, TX where we opted to quit for the day pulling into a city owned RV park adjacent to a residential area and across the street from a horse riding corral where we saw three riders on horseback.  Jim purchased diesel fuel at the local Farmers Co-Op and we weighed the coach on their scales.  It weighs 33,160 pounds of which I account for 160+ of that.  We drove down to the City Hall and paid our over night fee, then we came back and threw together a spaghetti dinner and salad in the comfort of our RV home.  Life is good.

This lady was on the way to the corral to ride with two others.

Sweet dreams and may all your wishes come true.

P.S.  When you don't hear from us for a day or so it is because we did not have good internet service, so don't worry-we'll be back as soon as we can!

Snoopy's Corner:  The most amazing thing happens in this RV...the bed comes up and I can see and touch the ceiling.  Who would have thought it possible?  Also, it is very interesting to watch Dad put something away under the bed.  I tried to hide there too, but he would not let me-something about the bed squishing me and I could not get out either!