What a welcome

So here I am driving up the Pacific coast and it is mired in fog.  Not a nice welcome to sunny California!
Better to come.................................................

Ahhhhh, this makes it all worthwhile!

Time for the Highway

Finally somewhere in Arizona I decided to hit the highway.
I had managed to travel over 4000 miles without taking the major highways except from Dallas to Houston.
Each day has been a wonderful drive.
 Now is time to head for California and see that 10 day old Penelope Rose.

I spent the afternoon in Taos. It is a very nice town. Many galleries, shops and restaurants. I wandered among many. There were some truly beautiful shops and artwork and then some very sholocky stuff. I coveted for a few hours then found a great Mexican restaurant that was in the oldest building in Taos. I sat outside in the courtyard and had enchiladas and beer, yum...

After lunch I didn't want to take in any more shops. The beer and the heat lead me on a nice walk back to my car. I ventured out of town to the old Taos Pueblo. It is an original Indian village from about 1000 AD and is still inhabited. Too hot to walk around too much so I continued on to see the Mountain. It's about 15 miles out to Taos ski area. Beautifully tucked in the rugged mountains. It is clearly a favored destination for skiers. Most was closed in that area so I didn't linger much. (Also photos didn't turn out)

I decided to push on for a few hours. It was about 4 PM and I could drive for a few more hours. Shortly I crossed the Rio Grande

As I continued on the terrain started to change again,  except for the brief mountains around Taos (I was driving at 10,000 feet)  the drive had been flat since since somewhere back in the Midwest.

Spent the night in               Arizona.

On to New Mexico

I ventured to Taos where I had never been before.  The stark contrast from Texas was wonderful.  Mountains, cool temperatures...

This water is COLD!!!!

Of course the temperature is only 68 rather than the
98 of yesterday in Houston

Just how BIG is Texas!!!!

Does anyone else see the little doggie sitting in the cloud???

I had a very interesting day traversing Texas, now Monday August 30.  Of course I didn't want to do anything so mundane as to just hop on I10 and ride it to Los Angeles.  No my route went diagonally across Texas and it would be the first 750 mile day I would drive.

I saw every kind of energy you could imagine...  Oil, gas, wind, rail...  This could be why I was so struck by the industry going on there.  I haven't seen this much building, commercial and otherwise.  You wouldn't know that the country was so close to recession if you just view Texas.  Things are rocking there.

I was treated to a Texas sized thunder storm, thankfully for only 10 minutes.  Big and wild.  The day was filled with lots of open road.

No end in sight...

Oil...

Wind and Rail

If you look closely you will see the skyline filled with wind turbines.  It wasn't a wind farm but a Wind Ranch, as far as the eye could see on both sides of the road and I drove through it for at least 10 miles !!!  Awesome

Anadarko Elk

Penny Gibson works for Anadarko Petroleum and when she saw some of my photos of the Dallas "herd" she suggested that I go see the wonderful Elks in front of her building as I left town.

I went to do just that.  Drove up in front of the building.  Popped out with my camera, AND
all I got was this one photo before a security guard came and made me stop.  Said I couldn't take any photos that included the building, Whattttttttttttttttttttttttttt.  He invited me to park across the motorway and walk back to take new photos.

They were beautiful but not worth the extra half hour it would take to do this so I have this one photo, and please don't tell anyone that's the Anadarko building in the background, shhhhh.

Dateline - Houston (Conroe, TX)

I arrived in Houston on Friday August 28.  It was a good 15 degrees cooler than Dallas but much more humid.  I had wonderful hosts for the weekend in the Gibbys...

Phil and Penny have a beautiful home and are currently sans children, but have these two great beagles!!!

Dorrie

  

Abby

We had a great day Saturday with an early morning walk before the heat was totally oppressive!!!
Then I power washed my car - Very Fun - No more bugs or bird doo, hooray!!!

Then it's off for a short tour of Conroe, Texas and a nice long tour of a local Pub.

On Sunday we ventured to Houston to see the skyline and the Houston Museum of Natural Science.  I learned alot about OIL and drilling and we also saw a wonderful exhibit about the Silk Road of China.  It was all very fun and informative.  Then we are off to a Houston watering hole...

This fountain was outside 

Pretty Penny in front of fountain  

So Monday morning I am pushing off for a 12 hour drive across Texas!!!!

Bye, Bye you guys are just too much fun...

So long Dallas

It was a great trip to Dallas.
Thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Malmsjo...
I'm on to Houston now...