Dixie Chicks
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There were sure a lot of big bugs in Texas. The Lone Star state, where everything is oversize, took us close to 10 hours to get out of! Not that Texas doesn't have some cool and interesting things to discover ..... But we needed to keep moving in order to arrive in Yosemite by Thursday afternoon for our campground reservation. And even the Texas Prison Museum (intriguing ...no? Doesn't it make you just wonder...) could not sway us from our intended goal.
So - as I drove north - all I really saw/heard was a lot of bugs smashing into the windshield. However, I was also struck by the following signs, towns and points of interest.... in no special order:
The Cadillac Cowgirl Boutique
The TXShooting Range - interesting because it was right alongside the highway.
Only to be outdone by Rifle Range Road. Imagine trying to get home at night!
A town named Jolly.
Fried pies. I did almost forgo Yosemite to try those!!
The "It'll Do" Motel.
and
Prairie Dog Town. The image of prairie dogs running an old west town got me thru a few hours of driving. Think about it - the way they stand .... They are so ready for a gunfight!
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We made it to Albuquerque, NM by 2:30am and stopped to sleep for a few hours. So glad we did! Waking up surrounded by the red mountains and clear blue skies was so rewarding.
The mesas of New Mexico
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Traveling thru New Mexico and Arizona made us wane a bit nostalgic for Santa Fe and our 2 years in this area. We were reminded of its beauty and how much there was to see and explore here.
From the perch of my seat the dried arroyos and the windswept mesas that passed were as surprising and beautiful as when I first drove through here 35 years ago. Tiny pueblo towns and the constant trails of trains in the distance (I counted 85 cars being pulled by 4 engines on one of them) highlights both the past and present cultures indicative of this area.
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Both in the high desert and in the low altitude of the Mojave there is a an almost crystalline quality of the light and the showdows cast- clouds on the hills, rocks against rocks - crisp and defined. The muted colors of the low growing brush- desert sage and pinion soft against the dust colored dirt. In the distance layers upon layers of craggy peaks that rise angrily in direct contrast to the soft foreground.
We have currently added New Mexico and Arizona to the "places we need to wander for 2 months at some point next winter" list.
Hey - gotta have a list!
Flying J, Barstow, CA
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We spent another night on the road - this time in Barstow, CA. Most large travel plazas offer free overnight parking. We have found the Flying J's to be both convenient and quiet! We even got to enjoy a great sunset view with our dinner!
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Early morning start for our drive thru the Tehachapi and up the Central Valley to Yosemite.
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