Entries this day: Brrrrr Check_engine Good_morning_Marfa Hello_world McDonald_Observatory balmorhea bye_Texas

Brrrrr

3:23am CST Wednesday 27 November 2002

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I'm back in my car. Holy fucking shit it's cold.

3:39am

I walked over and saw a spring and smelled its freshness. Now I'm going to drive to Marfa, about 60 miles away.

Check engine

4:02am CST Wednesday 27 November 2002

Wow that was fun. Scottie's check engine light just came on out in the middle of the dark highway 17 south. I was smart enough to put a quart of oil in my front floorboard instead of in my trunk where I'd have to take off my bike and bike rack to get to it, so I am thankful for that. I don't have a flashlight to see what I'm doing so I tried using Scott's headlights and reflect them to inside the engine, but that didn't really work. so I used my computer screen to light the engine. Oil is low. More oil in and now we are off to Marfa hopefully with no problems. Except that I spilled some oil on the valve cover and on the bumper.

4:05am

494.1 miles traveled.

5:12am

546.6 miles traveled. I'm in Marfa. I can see why Jack hates this town. Not even the gas stations are open 24 hours. I'm parked behind Thunderbird Restaurant to sleep.

On the way here, I went through Fort Davis (city, not the fort) and a fox(?) ran across the road close in front of me. And then a black cat did as well. I could only see that cat's eyes.

Good morning Marfa

7:42am CST Wednesday 27 November 2002

It's light outside. Light-ish. A BORDER PATROL truck just drove by as I wrote "Light-ish." Across the street from me I see Acco Feeds company with a Purina checkboard logo on it, stacks of hay, and a small grain silo thing. I see a yucca plant, several leafless trees, some yellow/brown leafed trees, and some old one story houses with extra rooms added on over the years. No caved in rooftops except for two metal sheds.

I'm going to search for breakfast so that I can charge my battery and get something warm inside me.

8:37am

I got an apple (found one that did *not* have frost on it) at the grocery store, which reminded me of a small Fiesta store. All the normal stuff and normal muzak (Madonna and something else) and Jesus candles and friendly people in the store. Even regular walking around people seem friendly here.

There are a ton of churches in Marfa. The Republican Headquarters of Presidio County has a church on each side of it.

9:09am

I just had a sausage burrito for $2 including tax from Country Time? Town Country? TC or CT. Anyway it was yummy and for that I'm thankful.

I'm in Marfa Public Library now and my computer is plugged in, though not internet connected. The computers here are in plain view of the front desk, so I won't likely fuck around with them too much to see if I can get my computer internetified.

Oh, I saw a Historical Marker suggesting that this is the oldest town in America (10,000 years old) and is the site of the first wagon train from Mexico into Texas (1540 something). I don't think Texas is quite that old, but hey.

Hello world

10:39am CST Wednesday 27 November 2002

Today I plan to see McDonald Observatory, Balmorhea, Carlsbad Caverns, not necessarily in that order.

I'm leaving Marfa (Public Library) now.

10:49am

Driving on a straight mostly flat two lane highway 17 going presumably due north. Flat flat flat grassy speckled with cacti around me and not mountain ranges around, but lumps of mountains scattered about. Just passed Marfa municipal airport.

11:09am

Have gone through Fort Davis and now am within some hilly terrain and some trees, including this beautiful yellow tree. Wow.

If it wasn't so flipping cold, I might climb this hill thing.

11:14am

"Alright, that does it," I announced outloud when I turned another corner, saw a cool rock formation and a picnic table and small parking area beside it!!!

11:38am

Fun fun fun climbing. Rocks were so easily climbable. I carried out 6 cans/bottles from the area. I'm thankful it is cold because I was able to climb more easily and with fewer injuries wearing shoes and long pants and long sleevie hoodie and gloves.

McDonald Observatory

11:45am CST Wednesday 27 November 2002

I doubt it will be easily visible, but I just took a picture of McDonald Observatory as i just crested a hill to discover it on a small mountain. 586.3 miles traveled so far.

12:14pm

I've now purchased a postcard for my dad at the visitors center. I'm going to walk 1 mile horizontally and 500 feet vertically to the big open to public telescope. Most people drive, but the girl at the gift shop said I can walk it "if you want to..."

"I'll see how I feel when I get outside and see it."

I see it, and I feel fine.

1:04pm

I drove. I encountered a fence with equipment behind it and chose not to walk through that area.

Drove up to the observatory and enjoyed seeing ice affixed to and dripping from trees. Climbed the steps to see the telescope and it was as big and boring as I guessed it would be. But I did learn a few things like when the first space shuttle launched (April 1981) and that this observatory did the first laser lunar-distance measurements back in the day, and that the pleiades are 410 light years distant.

Oh, and that they have nightly star parties at the 107 inch telescope after dark throughout the year.

Going now to Balmorhea.

1:09pm

Heehee; as the wind blew through the frozen leaves, a virtual snowstorm spattered onto the parking lot. I stood in it for a while. Fun!

balmorhea

2:43pm CST Wednesday 27 November 2002

Guess who's back? Back again? At Balmorhea, about to swim...

I might be crazy, but the pool here is spring fed and therefore "a constant 78 degrees" which is not exactly warm, but it's as warm as room temperature, and warmer than Barton Springs in Austin.

But the ambient temperature outside is a bit nippy and there seems to be no concept of hot water in the men's washroom.

*BUT*, there is a warm air hand dryer that I can use to warm up after a cool swim and ice cold shower. Or maybe I'll say forget the shower.

There's little fish in the water; I wonder if they'll chew on me.

3:42pm

They did a little bit. I got into the water way slowly cause it felt so cold, and ultimately I have learned three things:

(!) It's okay for me to have fun just for fun's sake without having to be sharing it with someone. I almost didn't go swimming because "it was cold" but the real reason is that I didn't have someone to share the experience with - my brother, Dude, Janette, Sally - anyone. But I went anyway.

(@) A great new game without a name: the bottom of the pool is algae covered quite smooth and slick. On tiptoes, I tried not to slide into deeper water, but often ended up going deeper if I tried to move. I realized if I run in place, I mostly didn't go deeper into the water, *and* I would warm myself up. So the game would be best played with Fred, as we frantically try to keep warm and not slide deeper into water and gently try to nudge the other into deeper water all at once. Crazy.

(#) When taking a shower, the water was ice cold. At first I was all wussy shivery about it, and then I remembered my men's group weekend, including non-hot showers (in November (oh hey it's our anniversary)). I just switched to non-cold mode. Bang. Feeling cold sensation, but not reacting timidly, or even violently. Just shower. Stand dripping in the middle of the room in tadasan (sp) yoga standing pose. Warmth circulating through me. Excellent.

($) Memories of Fred and I here years ago, running alongside the canals of spring water. Crystal clear and beautiful.

3:53pm

Going to Carlsbad Caverns now. I dunno how many miles away they are. 640 miles driven so far.

bye Texas

4:53pm CST Wednesday 27 November 2002

I'm on 285 going north from Pecos, Texas. Pecos!

Around me the land is flat flat flat flat. With lots of green bush cover. Like whatever kind of plant we were cutting down at the U Bar U ranch thing back in June or so. Cedar bushes, plus a few yuccas peeking over the top. The soil looks like broken limestone maybe just a bunch of rocks. A single lonely windmill spinning with one vane missing from its fan (which makes it easy to see that it's turning).

The sun is considering setting over to my left. Surface of the 2 lane highway was rough rocks, and now I'm on highway under construction, with "lookout!" markers in the center for there are no lines. No lights out here either; it would be tricky to drive this at night without the markers I think.

Eminem's "Business" on loud

Just like old times
the dynamic duo
two old friends
why panic you 
already know who's
fully capable
the two caped heros
dial straight down the center
eight zero zero
you can even call collect
the most feared duet
since me an Elton
played career Russian roulette
never seen me blink or get to bustin a sweat
people steppen over people just to rush to the set
just to get to see
an emcee
who breathes
so freely
ease over these 
beats and be
so breezy
jesus how can shit be so easy?
how can one Chandra be so Levy?
turn on these beats MCs don't see me
believe me BET and MTV 
are gonna grieve 
when we leave
dog fo sheezy
can't leave rap alone the game needs me
till we grow beards
get weird
and disappear
into the mountains
nothin but clowns down here
but we
ain't fuckin' around round here
yo Dre
 (what up)
can I get a hell 
  (hell yeah)

5:20pm

I just read the historical marker summary of Orla, Texas, which I summarize as railroad town abandonded when freeway was built nearby.

Another historical marker I summarize as some cat named Pope dug a water well and struck water at 244 feet, but tried to go deeper to find an Artesian flow, but the well collapsed before its value could be determined. I think that means it collapsed before it made money or something.

5:33pm

738 miles traveled and now i'm in New Mexico. Super smooth asphalt two lane highway. 30+ miles to Carlsbad.

6:31pm

I just drove on a road that I thought was the right road according to the map and its directions, but it was numbereed differently than what the map said. i tried it anyway, and it as the right road. Close to Carlsbad Caverns now.

7:10pm

Despite signs saying "no overnight camping" in various places, I'm going to park here at a scenic outlook on the way up to Carlsbad Caverns. I made it all the way up to the caverns and coasted back down and perfectly remembered where this outlook was located, *and* I just turned over 800.2 miles on my trek, so it's a good place to stop for the night.

I need to remember and subtract one hour from each time since I got to NM.

6:13pm

It's fixed now.