Dallas TX to Amarillo TX

Seriously? This trip is AAAAAAAAAAWE - SOME!!!!!!

Man, there is just about nothing between the two points! 348 miles today. Only about 30 miles on Interstates; the rest was on US287. The nice thing about not being on interstates is that there's really a lot more to see - even when there's nothing. Today was filled with cows, oil rigs (I'm sure they have a proper name), and skunks.

After I got out of Dallas/Fort Worth, the rolly-ness stopped. I think I was in a flat spot for awhile. Lots and lots of beef cattle and hay fields. Just HUGE ranches! I'd drive for a few miles then see the (ranch) house. Drive another few miles, another ranch house. Most were not South Fork- type homes. NICE homes, yes, but not South Fork. I loved seeing all the cattle just roaming the fields. I did pass one ranch that had all the cattle penned into (relatively) small pens; that made me sad. I'm sure the roaming cows were happier, leaner, and probably will taste better (ewwww that's kinda yucky to think about!)

Along one stretch of road there were loads and loads of (small) rigs drilling for (I assume) oil (could be natural gas, maybe). At any rate, the rigs remind me praying mantises (manti???) with that big ol' head. Some of the rigs were bright blue! You sure couldn't miss them out in the fields! I guess different companies have different colors; I'll have to look that up.

Also today I saw more skunks (both living and dead) than I think I've seen in my whole life! I guess they like it here.

US287 runs alongside railroad tracks most of the time (I love trains!), so I saw lots of train cars today, too. Man those suckers are L-O-N-G! I'm just amazed that the locomotives can pull that much weight. And where does all the fuel get stored? (I bet Nelda can tell me). The drive today was really interesting because there were a bunch of small (and I DO mean 'small') towns along the way. Traffic would have to slow down to 35 or 40, but it was great because I could look all around & see what was there. One town in particular needs a return visit - Quanuh . There were so many cool looking stores there! But I had miles to log so did not give in to the temptation to stop.

The color of the ground is very interesting. Something between light green and yellow. It's very pretty! I'm sure it'll all be nice and green in a few more weeks so I'm glad I saw it now. The hay fields were like Neapolitan ice cream: a big patch of brown, a big patch of green, a big patch of that cool green-yellow color (hey maybe it was alfafa, not hay??) It's great to see what Texas (and the other states) really look like.

About 80 miles outside of Amarillo I started seeing some hills. Then I felt the car going up up up. Amarillo's elevation is 3672 feet - a far cry from our flat Florida! The rest of the trip was something like this:

I took that pic at a rest stop (of which there are not very many - I don't recommend staying well-hydrated on this trip, should you ever make it!!) Here's another pic from the same place:

DUDE! You don't have to tell me twice!

OK. Apparently you DO have to tell me twice! This sign was on the path to the picnic table. I'll eat in the car, thanks!

All too soon I was in Amarillo (I could've driven another 100 miles today I think), and ready to follow Lawrence's guidance to the hotel.

HA!

Lawrence was clueless and had no idea where he was. Fortunately I had also gotten Google Maps directions (because Lawrence had already shaken my trust), so I did not give in to his continued insistence that I "turn around", regardless of how many times his exasperated voice decried yet another "route recalculation". Lawrence has let me down! I'm going to keep him on while I'm doing Route 66 (on the way home) just to piss him off! I bet that "route recalculation" spot will be totally worn out & skipping by the time I get to Oklahoma!!

You know what's on my mind?

That's a Winnebago Aspect. I saw one on the road today & thought "I could handle that!" It's not too big. And I'm definitely diggin' this traveling! I could deck it out for sewing.

All in all it has been a very good day. Thanks for stopping by!