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Published: August 21st 2013
Roadside memorial
I think children would be more careful if they only knew how much their parents loved them.Pagosa Springs to home – August 1
st and 2
nd August 1
st - This morning I left from Ute Campground west of Pagosa Springs, Colorado, and I actually was blessed with cool weather all day. I went from Pagosa Springs to Santa Fe which is a really scenic drive and was cool all the way. I had considered stopping in Santa Fe for 2 to 3 days and if it was earlier in my trip I probably would have done so but by now was just thinking of getting home.
It was such a shame really as the weather in Santa Fe was perfectly cool and clear and it was easy to imagine how I could spend a pleasantly cool few evenings at the square. I have been to Santa Fe a couple of times before and each time the weather was good.
I went straight through Santa Fe and then south on US Route 285 to I-40 and east across to Amarillo, Texas. From Amarillo I went south on I-27 towards Lubbock. On the way between Amarillo and Lubbock I went through Plainview and noticed that the SuperWalmart next to the interstate had RVs and 18 wheelers parked
View across the valley
I stopped here a bit and watched a lightening storm go across the valley below in their lot. There also were several fast food places and restaurants next to the parking lot. So I put this location in my pocket for future reference (if it is cooler) as a good place to overnight free.
A bit before reaching Lubbock I came to a rest area (and BTW most rest areas in Texas have free WIFI), and checked it out as an overnight location but there was a cattle feedlot East of the rest area and the wind was blowing from the east. So the smell was a bit too “earthy” for me to stay there for the night.
By now because of the heat I was giving up on finding a place to overnight free and so just drove on through Lubbock and then east on 84 to Post, Texas which is where I stayed on my last time coming home, at the Budget Inn of Post. So I stayed there again for $55. Once I had gotten back to Texas it was too hot to camp for sure. I should get to Harmony sometime tomorrow afternoon.
August 2 - When I did the 10 hour drive from Post Texas to home
in a non-air-conditioned truck and had to stop every few miles to just get out of the heat and go in a truck stop or grocery store or somewhere to keep from getting a heat stroke, I kept thinking the same thing over and over. I must really love my family to drive back to Texas in August in a non-air conditioned truck or be out of my mind, one or the other. They say if you love someone you will cross mountains, deserts, and swim rivers to get back to them. Well......I didn't swim any rivers but I crossed plenty of mountains and deserts !
The airconditioner in my truck works perfectly except that it leaks the coolant out quickly. I have found and fixed leaks several times but another one always pops up. With the cost of coolant each time I charge it, it cost a lot and then it just leaks out again. It just cost too much to keep charging it and it just leaks out again. Another consideration is that most of the time I find somewhere to go in Summer (for example I spent most of last summer in Europe) so I can
Texas in the distance
This is Texas as seen from the last overpass in New Mexico. I've got to get across all this desert before I get home. deal without AC in a truck that is just sitting around back home.
So I have opted to just “tuff it out” when I had to and tried to avoid driving in hot states in summer. That is part of the reason I chose to go to Colorado for May thru now. Also mile for mile I think Colorado has more beautiful places than anywhere else I have been. And there are several nice hot springs there. Also the people are friendly…..and they speak English! Though I must say although I don’t think I have a Texas accent they say that I do and seem to have a hard time understanding me sometime.
I’m home now with both AC’s running and outside in the shade where I have the sensor for the outside temperature it shows to be 108 degrees!!!!!! Now that is in the shade !!!! I have another sensor on a post in the sun and it shows 117 !!
What was I thinking!!??
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Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
You certainly covered the state...
but I thought you were going to head north to Wyoming and Montana at some point. You returned home too soon if the temperature is 108 in the shade. Anyway, it was great to meet you...and I could understand your Texas accent.