Louisisana, Texas, New Mexico

February 24

After Lisa and Michael left for their cruise I decided I had been goofing off long enough at Bob's place in the Keys and it was time to hit the trail for points West. 

With my usual good luck it was storming all across the Southern states, but decided if I wait for good weather I don't see anything.  All part of the experience.

9 a.m.

 Headed north out of Florida behind the storms.

11 a.m.

From bad to beautiful in a few hours. That's Florida.

Ordinarily I wouldn't walk across the street for a donut, but these were right there in the RV park office this morning.  So I had two.

Louisianans love their donuts.

This bridge looking like the cars will drive right off into space is the most interesting thing I've seen in Louisiana so far.

Listening to the radio discussion of last night's GOP debate when the two good old boys on the air began comparing Trump to their favorite monster truck rally hero "Gravedigger".  It was getting too stupid so I put on a Jimmy Buffet CD, turned it up loud, set cruise control to 7 miles over the limit, got in the fast lane and headed for San Antonio.

Nearest Whole Foods is 41 miles away in Austin, so roller dog lunch at the gas station.

Gas for the Doodle and for me.

Some of these roller dogs have more miles on them than a 10 year old Peterbilt.

I really didn't want to go into Texas but saw no way of avoiding it because it's so huge and it's standing right in the way between me and Giants Spring Training in Phoenix.  It would be necessary to take a very long detour to get around it. And how long would it take to get out of Texas? Maybe forever.

Sagebrush and sand as far as the eye can see.
I'm not in Florida anymore.







I've heard that Texans are among the friendliest and most hospitable people ever. And I know it's true because of friends like Patt Houston and Mary Lowry.

Arriving in San Antonio I decide to finish off my day of bad nutrition with a Senior nightcap of DQ Blizzard and a slice of pizza for dinner.

Yeehaw!

Also of interest in San Antonio

the Alamo

the River Walk

Great Mexican food and Margaritas
at El Agave on the River Walk











                                                            

Texans don't waste time on the highway

In the north near the NM border I come across the midpoint of the 2300 mile Route 66

 near Adrian Texas.

The Midpoint Cafe was closed until April 1 or I would have had a piece of their ugly crust pie 

and a fried baloney sandwich.

The Doodle and I would like you to think we made it this far on Route 66 but that wouldn't be right. We'd actually only been on Route 66 a mile or so when we stumbled on this sign. We'll keep our eyes open for more sections of it on our way over to LA.

In Rio Rancho, near Albuquerque, made a stop to visit

 Bob's brother Duane and wife Judy for a few days.

A day trip to Taos was disappointing as it was not the little village of adobe homes, if it ever was as I imagined.  Now it seems to be one long strip mall of chain restaurants and shops so that you may as well be in Fremont, Calif. 

With some searching we did find some authentic parts of town.

Like Cueva Cantina, a former 1852 hacienda where we had lunch.

On the way back to Albquerque we stopped for a pic of the Desert Camel,

 a rock formation near Santa Fe.

In Santa Fe a stop at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
topped off a wonderful New Mexico visit.