Come Back To Texas

I can't say that everything is bigger in Texas, but it sure is wider. Horizons, trucks, highways, people. We are definitely in a totally different social climate than we're used to back home. People are friendly, but they're also just a little bit tweaked out here. For example, in the gas station off I-10 West, I witnessed an older gentleman dressed as a Hell's Angel pour a generous helping of Jack Daniels into his Bubba Keg before re-boarding his truck. I couldn't decide which startled me more, the fact that he was drinking so publicly and randomly, or the fact that he was doing out of a mini keg decorated with the confederate flag. That lovely Blake Shelton tune certainly comes to mind... We're just going with it though, it's all part of this experience. ("Chew tobacco, spit.") Honestly, Pete and I didn't know what to expect in Texas, and neither did Carla, poor thing. She's been enduring the 90 degree heat at a solid 75 mph for hours. So far so good, but we did lose a setting on the AC. Now, it's either on LOW or HIGH. Take a guess on where's it's been all day.

But, Carla is not the real victim of this road trip; it's my hair. It's turned into it's own wild creature thanks to the humidity, resembling more of a mane than a head of hair. Since I prefer not to look like Mufasa, I've just been tying it back and feeling grateful that Pete isn't one to complain about my appearance. He's easily impressed and has no sense of fashion; a real win-win in this scenario. Remember this, ladies! 

We got stuck in traffic trying to pass through Houston yesterday and apparently gained some followers! They did have plenty of time to get a good look at Carla. Check out this comment on yesterday's blog:

"I saw you yesterday in Houston while I was coming home from work. So I took a picture of your Toyota(Carla) and posted it on my facebook page. I thought it was pretty cool! Have a great Summer!"

Too cool! This really made our day, we get so excited every time somebody waves at us or takes an interest in Carla. I've started video taping them as they pass or come over to talk to us. We're getting a lot of beeps, thumbs up, and inquiries about what the heck we're doing and everybody gets a big kick out of us, especially our gorgeous Toyota. 

Pleading Pete did not want to rise and shine

We arrived in San Antonio later than we'd intended. The sun set during our truck stop picnic and we drove in the dark for longer than we liked. Not knowing when and where we would get to sleep was making us grumpy, not to mention we hadn't seen real non-trucking civilization in about 7 hours. Just in time, we just came up over a hill and saw a huge expanse of blinking lights in the distance. Apparently that's a city out here? San Antonio was vast and flat. Not what we're used to, but it was a sight for sore eyes after all that traffic. We had been driving for about 11 hours, and we had the stench to prove it. We quickly found a Planet Fitness and showered off the miles of traffic, sweat, and irritability. Like I said in yesterday's post, we found WiFi at a library and then drove around looking for a suitable place to set up Camp Carla. That's when we realized just how isolated we were. There's not much going on in the outskirts of San Antonio, and we were far enough from the city that I felt nervous about parking in any dimly lit area. Of course, well-lit areas are not exactly conducive to deep sleep and so our night spent in the Wal Mart parking lot was rather restless. According to Pete, he didn't sleep soundly, though he certainly fooled me with his operatic snoring. I, on the other hand, awoke to a bird pecking on the passenger window. This was both unpleasant and terrifying, as birds in Texas make the world's most wretchedly annoying noise. I have never heard even an infant child make a noise comparable to that of these horrid birds. I am suddenly not as opposed to sport hunting... 

Pete and Auto Adam -- first time meeting in person!

After a quick drive into downtown San Antonio and a quick navigation obstacle to find a free parking lot, we met up with Pete's friend, Auto Adam. Auto Adam was nice enough to be our tour guide for the day, showing us the San Antonio Riverwalk and the Alamo. The Riverwalk was beautiful. It was like a jungle version of Waterplace Park in Providence. There were little fountains all along the river and it was entirely lined with tall trees, vines, ferns, flowers, and all kinds of overgrown greenery. I was in love. We walked along the pathways for over an hour and I took more pictures of plants than I did of people. I could have spent all day by that river, but we had a piece of history to see. 

The San Antonio Riverwalk

El Alamo, just like in my 11th grade history book

I hate to say it, I really do, but the Alamo was kind of underwhelming. I think being surrounded by modern buildings and a bustling city takes away from the majesty of this piece of the past. It was very beautiful, I can't deny that. But, it was also being guarded by a Mexican cowboy sheriff with a giant mustache and aviators. Not the most authentic sight we've encountered. I'm glad we saw it, but I think I was expecting my high school history teacher to walk out and shoo away all the tourists. Honestly, we would have welcomed that. The Alamo just wasn't the same with a group of Asian school kids posing in the foreground. But, I'm glad it's still preserved and it was worth the visit. 

San Antonio was strange for us. It had good parts and bad, but overall was just kind of flat and stretching. There were no lavish homes like we saw in Atlanta, but no signs of deep poverty like in New Orleans. There was a strong Mexican presence and we were certainly the minority, but everybody there seemed to be of a general working class. It was a little bazar though, seeing a chihuahua wandering through city streets. Where we're from, those dogs only travel in women's purses. We looked up the cost of living there and it is very cheap, especially in comparison to Rhode Island. We're sure that contrast is going to get worse. Pretty soon, Taylor Swift is going to be the only one who can afford the Ocean State, with her buckets of downpayment cash. If I didn't like her, I'd really hate her. 

Sunflowers! Gram, that's for you

After a tasty Mexican lunch of tacos and fajitas, we said goodbye to Auto Adam and drove off in the Del Rio direction. The clouds had lifted and the drive turned out to be sunny and hot. I was grateful each mile that my copilot boyfriend (passed out in the passenger seat) was a mechanic capable of maintaining Carla's air conditioning. Cool and dry inside the car, we were able to take in the beautiful scenery that was most of I-90 West. We have never seen farmland like this before, stretching out for as far as the eye can see. It was so much greener than we expected and filled with recognizable crops. My favorite was the huge expanse of sunflower fields we passed just outside of San Antonio. They're my grandmother's favorite, so of course I had to stop and take a picture ;-) 

Air Force Adam

The rest of the trip was long and repetitive, much like Pete's snoring as he dozed, riding shotgun. I spent the drive gaping at the vastness of Texas and watching the scenery slowly shift from farm green to ranch dust. By the time Pete awoke, he was startled to see that we were officially in the desert. With hawks circling overhead, we drove through what seemed like an eternity of ranches, parched trees, and dry pastures. We liked it, perhaps if for no other reason than it was so different from anything we'd ever seen. With an average speed limit of 70 mph, we made good time and arrived in Del Rio to meet Air Force Adam in the early afternoon. He's Pete's best buddy from high school and a lieutenant in the Air Force. (Obviously.) He's been nice enough to have us visit him for a few days, and despite his several warnings about the remoteness of Del Rio, we agreed he was worth the trip. 

We may as well have landed on the moon. That's how far we are from anything recognizable or densely populated. Air Force Adam joked with us about how when he's flying planes over the base and surrounding areas, his superiors warned him that if he has to make a crash landing. not to hit the local Wal Mart as it contains most of the Del Rio population. Judging by the number of cars, homes, and local attractions, we believe it. It's a funny little place, much of it centered around the Laughlin Air Force base where we're staying. Air Force Adam has been stationed here long enough to feel the need to warn us that there is "nothing to do here," but we've already had a great time. He took us to an interesting place for dinner. It was a BBQ shack where there's a Do It Yourself vibe and the counter girls shout things like "HALF POUND BABY!" to place your order. It took me a minute to process that one, since I thought I'd ordered ribs... As we found ourselves picking beer out of an ice tub and carrying a crate of baby backs and brisket to a wooden picnic table in a cafeteria dinner setting, Pete and I finally realized: this is Texas. We like it, we really do. It's different and we certainly wouldn't move here, but it's quite beautiful if you get a good look. Here's what we got to see: 

Talk about wow

My new favorite shot of us

This has been the most gorgeous view thus far and we were completely stunned. This lake just kind of popped up out of nowhere to us, though it is the heart of the town. We can't think of any other reason why anybody would voluntarily live here, but that water is gorgeous. We fully intend to go into it tomorrow while Air Force Adam is working. We'll have to be careful to stay away from border patrol though, as we're very close to the Mexican border. I mean, really close. There was a point where we were standing in Texas while looking into Mexico. ¡Hola! The border is very closely monitored, but we know what an issue it has become. Since I'd prefer not to be kidnapped into sexual slavery, we're just going to steer clear of that general area and center ourselves around the military base.  Ay dios mio. 

Sigh...boys. 

Right now, I'm typing this from Air Force Adam's dorm room on the base and the reunited boys are getting silly. Adam is a pilot, so he and Pete put a very heavy, very uncomfortable flight helmet on my head. Apparently I look like a giant mosquito. I'm going to let boys be boys and just keep doing what I'm doing. This blog ain't gonna write itself, and I need to let ya'll (especially Laura Mac!) know what we're up to, even if it is mere tomfoolery. 

More Texas tomorrow. Week 1 = done, 2.5 more to go! We can't believe it...