July 27, 2008
Sunday morning. Jake and his family go to church at 11, and so we figured we’d get going before then. I woke up earlier than everyone else as usual, took a shower, fed the dog. Jake’s mom had to go early for choir so she was up bright and early as well. We stood in the kitchen drinking coffee and talking about our dogs for a good 20 minutes. I like her- she’s nice company and sounds like a compassionate human being.
Soon the rest of the house began waking up and doing their morning things. We said goodbye to Jake, I left a Thank You note on their fridge, and we drove away from good ‘ol Plano. It’s a long drive across Texas. No way would we have wanted to drive all the way to Phoenix in one day. Carlsbad Caverns were about 12 hours away, so we set out with that as our destination. (Carlsbad Caverns is in southern New Mexico.) Texas is so big. It’s big, hot and flat.
I saw some giant dinosaurs on the side of the road and couldn't resist. Turns out it was a Ripley's Believe it or Not shindig:
We stopped for food at this gas station and Winnaburger place. (They’re real popular in the South.) I went to the gas station and got mandarin oranges since there was NOTHING else. Bea got a burger. Oh, we also got gas. I saw a gnarly- looking trucker who was taking his dog out for a walk, and so I brought Mango over to say hello. His dog’s name was Harley and he was part Pomeranian, part sheepdog. I asked him if Harley went everywhere he went and he said, “Yeah. I’d be lost without him.” I awww’d inside. He was eating an ice cream sandwich, our dogs humped for a couple minutes. As I walked away he told me that he liked my tattoos. He also had full sleeve tattoos, but he was so old that they had turned all gray and faded. I liked them, and I told him.
I talked to Rob on the phone and met Bea in the burger place. Mango pooped outside and we continued the drive to Carlsbad. Carlsbad Caverns aren’t exactly in the town of Carlsbad; they’re a little south west. We mistakenly drove into town, realized we weren’t at the caverns, and stopped at a gas station to ask for directions. The two women at the food mart were Mexican, and at first looked wary. Who wouldn’t look strangely at two girls wearing bikinis and shorts carrying an oversized Chihuahua? Bea goes pee while Mango and I chase cockroaches. This place was full of them. Gross, but entertaining. So the women give us directions, but their directions are a shortcut- I guess? She drew it on receipt paper, too small at first. “Oh- this is too small!” Then redraws it the same size, but this time labeled all the stop signs and streets in chicken scratch. She then retold us how to get there about 7 times in a really broken/confusing manner. We went back to the car and Bea says, “She could easily name given us directions in a minute.” I think we were there at least seven.
So we get back on the road. We have an atlas, so we just went off that and completely disregarded the nonsense those helpful ladies were trying to tell us. I figured I’d just retrace my steps until we found the route we were looking for.
We find it successfully and drive down through what seems to contain no houses or human life. There’s a bunch of cattle guarding jack rabbits. I almost ran over a couple and slowed down to 35 mph while Bea made fun of me: “Don’t worry, they’re just little rabbits, not deer. They won’t hurt the car.” Me: “Bea, it’s not the car I’m worried about, it’s the bunnies!” And then we went into ta whole discussion about rabbit families, rabbit fathers and how they have/don’t have feelings. I see a skunk point its butt at me on the side of the road.
I turn my high beams on WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN we see a human figure walking towards us in the darkness. (Keep in mind we haven’t seen signs of a home in the last 10 minutes.) He was dressed in a white button-up, white jeans and cowboy boots, and wearing a white cowboy hat. He was carrying a white cup and was walking towards us on the opposite side of the road. So freaky. I immediately double checked to see if the doors were locked and both Bea and I started screaming about how we saw an apparition. That’s not it. I drove a couple more miles before coming to a complete stop in front of a petrified looking raccoon lying in the middle of the road. Oh yes, we were both screaming for no reason at this point. It was great.
There isn’t any camping allowed in Carlsbad Caverns, so we parked in front of a nice looking motel and slept there. It was a little struggle getting both of us happy and comfortable, but we managed.
-S and M
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