Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Day 5 - Third Time Zone - Texas

In the interest of your sanity, I decided NOT to post the photos of the drive of the rocks, dirt and straight road from Albuquerque through Las Cruces, bypassing El Paso and ending up in Fort Stockton. It was a "breathtakingly" boring drive. EXCEPT near Las Cruces where the air conditioning had stopped working and I started getting sick - we later determined probably from dehydration. We stopped in Las Cruces and I was feeling so ill that I couldn't eat lunch. I hadn't had breakfast either. BUT two glasses of lemonade got me back on my feet.

I had a slight panic attack when the air conditioning wasn't working because I knew we were going into the hottest part of the trip. There were some frazzled nerves on TM's part, but miraculously after NOT checking the a/c anyway, it started cooling again. Whew.

Sooo we did make it to Fort Stockton, late. And the first photo is our leaving Fort Stockton the next morning at sunrise because we wanted to get to the Columbia Bridge at the border to "do" car paperwork and a visa for TM. Onward we went.......hauling, you know what, as fast as we could drive......sometimes 85. Did you know the speed limit in Texas is now 80 MPH or was it 85? Yeah.

As we headed out at 7AM, it was cool and the sky was so beautiful. I LOVE vistas. Even the vistas of the wind power for electricity that we saw all over West Texas. I realize it is very controversial with the ranchers and naturalists but it sure is a sight! We DID make it to the Columbia Bridge - in 107 degree heat with heat index making it feel like 112. I walked as fast as humanly possible from the parking lot to the Immigration building. A $10 bill flew out of my purse and we decided it was a gift to whoever found it some day. I was heading for air conditioning, not the fence or field nearby.

As usual, only two other people in there to get paperwork. We were in and out in no time at all. Headed into Laredo for last minute shopping - a good night's sleep and to cross the border next morning for home - blessed home. This was Tuesday night. We had left Richmond BC the previous Wednesday morning. Enough was enough.

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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well a road trip will challenge even the best of friends.

He in the casista and you both deciding not to go "down that path together" -- has your friendship remained intact?

Dehydration always surprises me. I feel junk, and wonder why, and it goes on with my trying to figure out what i ate or didn't, why I feel like molasses, and of course, it is dehydration!

Duh.

Glad you got a remedy.

I'll bet you are happy still to be home.

1st Mate said...

I remember standing in a fabric shop in Guaymas and almost passing out; we crossed the street and I had a lemonade. Que milagro! It made all the difference, as you found yourself.

Unknown said...

That photo of you and RUCO meeting and hugging at the restaurant in Vancouver....looked like a happy COUPLE to me. Physically, the other guy didn't look like a good fit for you. You looked too young and happy for him.

Is RUCO coming to visit San Miguel?

Babs said...

Well Charley, what a question! You'll have to ask RUCO.
And to ANON, only time will tell.
First Mate - it was like a miracle cure - the lemonade, thankfully. I sure didn't want to spend a night in Las Cruces - or any longer then necessary.......