Day 7 - Marfa, TX to Ojinaga, Mexico through Big Bend and then finally to Uvalde, TX
Mile 2771 - 8:51 a.m. Dean informs Travis that the BUS IS LEAVING at 9:00 am sharp.
9:20 a.m. Finally left our hotel in Marfa, TX ("finally" says Dean). Dean was replying to e-mail while Travis was getting ready and wasn't able to put the rush on him. Dean reminded Travis that this vacation isn't about sleeping in and watching TV. Travis packed up the car and even put the top down and was waiting on Dean the whole time. The top down? Dean can't believe his eyes!
Stopped on the way out of town for gas, $1.759 / gal. We get directions for Presidio, TX (see…once again, guys can ask for directions). Dean gets behind the wheel.
Travis has to remind Dean to put sunsreen on. Travis, being on the ball, applied sunscreen prior to leaving the motel. Dean realizes that he left his watch on the back of the car and has to pull over to get it. Is he always losing stuff or what? (Can you tell Travis wrote today's update or what?)
Mile 2776 - Dean claims that there were about 20 antelope by the side of the road as he zoomed by. Dean yells "ANTELOPE," but Travis thinks he says "cantaloupe," and can't understand what the big deal is. Dean is really starting to wonder about Travis. Dean harasses Travis about being in one of his zones again. Travis notes that it is going to be a long day.
Mile 2780 - We pass by another border patrol station.
Mile 2832 - We enter Presidio, TX and discuss going over to Mexico. Dean asks a local about going over to Ojinaga, Mexico and the deal with insurance. He advises us that most insurance policies will allow you a 20 mile distance from the border. We're somewhat skeptical, but still want to go. Can you say, "Loco en la cabeza?"
We find a local insurance place that sells travel insurance for Mexico. We decide to be on the safe side and get some once we learn that if you have a wreck over there, they impound your car until payment is made. Exactly how would we get home? Definitely insurance! We buy a 24 hour policy. We feel better.
Mile 2833 - We drive across the border an enter Ojinaga, Chihuahua, Mexico. While entering, we get the red light, which means that we are supposed to be searched. The Mexican official looks us over and waves us through. What kind of crazy guys would be driving a '67 Firebird across the border anyway?
Once through the inspection station, we stop for a wonderful photo opportunity. We have started drawing quite some attention, so Dean goes to the closest local and asks him for some help. Harvey, is quite the photographer, don't you think?
Dean, of course, also wants a shot of Harvey. What do you think of his American shirt?
Harvey is quite curious as to what we are doing, so we tell him all about our trip. Dean also inquires about Harvey. Harvey lives in Chihuahua (the capital city of the state of Chihuahua) and had been to Lubbock (we decided not to ask why). He was going to visit his mom and dad in Ojinaga. Dean thinks he was going to invite him to lunch with all of them, but we didn't quite get that far.
As we drive around in the city, we notice that the car is getting a LOT of attention. We aren't sure if that is good or bad.
We start driving into town and Dean, being the observant one, notices that all of the signs are written in a different language. Which language would that be? Spanish, of course. This is Dean's first trip into Mexico. Can you tell? Dean is having fun, and Travis is a little nervous.
Mile 2836 - We both notice that the car is making a LOT of rattles now. The Mexican roads are not real smooth. We even pull over and take a look under the car just to make sure. Everything is okay! Dean shoots a U-turn, hope that is legal over here!
Mile 2838 - We come into contact with a traveling funeral procession. They have the road blocked off, and we turn around and find another way to go. We pass by an auto parts store and make note of the location, just in case.
Mile 2840 - Travis won't let Dean stop and eat local food in fear of a visit from Mr. Montezuma. We find a small grocery and get cokes. Dean even chose one in a glass bottle, and the store proprietor, who didn't speak any English, was nervous about letting Dean out of the store with the returnable glass bottle. We play charades until we get the point across that we're drinking it there and will return the bottle. We purchased the two cokes and when we gave the proprietor a dollar, he started to figure out how to make change for us. Change out of a dollar for two cokes (half liter ones at that)? We tell him not to worry about the change. We make sandwiches in the parking lot and drink our cokes. Dean's Coke has the old traditional bottle cap, and when one of the locals sees him trying to pry it off with a pocket knife, he takes pity on Dean and offers him the bottle opener on his key chain. Gracias, Senor. There he goes, mingling with the locals again.
Playing charades again, Dean gets souvenir Mexican Peso change from the store proprietor. I'm not sure what kind of exchange rate we received, but I don't think it was anything close to a commercial rate, but Dean was happy. We start heading back to the good ol' USA.
Mile 2842 - We pay $1.65 to the Mexican authorities to re-enter our country. We arrive at the U.S. immigrations and customs station. We wait in line.
Mile 2843 - We arrive at the U.S. immigration official. We get asked where we're going and where we came from. Exactly how do we explain this in some kind of coherent fashion where he'll believe us? From Houston…Route 66…Mexico…going to Big Bend and then back to Houston. Yea…right. We chat with him for a while and twice we ask him if we can take his picture. He replies, "I would rather you NOT." We decide not to push the matter, and we politely leave. No sense of humor! One item of note: we made it back into the States with Dean's banana. Smugglers!!!!
We both breathe a heavy sign of relief. Travis was afraid that before too long he would be calling Lori asking for immigration legal assistance.
We're back in America, and in TEXAS!
Dean got in about 6 slug bugs while in Ojinaga. Better not let Dean's cousin Paul come to Mexico, he's the Slug Bug King!
Mile 2850 - We enter Big Bend State Park
Mile 2851 - Dean yells at coyote. Coyote actually stops and turns around (country boy). Dean takes his pic. Look for it in our upcoming album being as the picture didn't really come out.
Mile 2860 - Travis notes that the cellular telephone does not work around these parts, and wonders if Dean should still be driving.
Mile 2875 - Dean notes as he works his way through the hills and curves (we even got to feel our stomachs in our mouths a few times), that he finally gets to drive a fun portion of the road. Travis says he may actually like this better than the Grand Canyon, especially since you can see it like an American was meant to see nature- speeding through it by automobile!
Mile 2887 - Dean pulls the car over on a particular hilly part of the road to take some pics.
Upon starting back out on the road on this hill in the gravel, Dean starts really spinning the tires to try and get traction. Can anyone say Driving Privileges?
Mile 2910 - After great drive through Big Bend State Park, we stop at the Chevron station in Study Butte and fill up. It may be a long drive before another gas station. $1.739 / gal. Travis takes left hand seat.
A sort-of local (he spends part of his time in Hawaii too), Robert, comes over and admires the dirty car. Robert himself drives a 1969 LeMans convertible. Travis actually talks to him (Dean was inside, can you believe it?), and we take some pictures.
Mile 2913 - We stop at the entrance at Big Bend National Park and take some pictures. For the casual reader who is unaware, half of Big Bend is owned by the Great State of Texas, where the other half is owned by the U.S.
Mile 2937 - Travis, while driving, actually sees a roadrunner. Isn't Travis supposed to be in his zone?
Mile 2963 - We leave Big Bend National Park. We really didn't spend much time there, and since we went in the back way, their fee office was closed (too few visitors to have it open today). We get through the park without having to pay the $10 entrance fee. Since we paid the $20 Grand Canyon fee just a couple of days ago, and were just there for 1 day, we feel okay about this.
Mile 2972 - We pass three very unusual cars heading into Big Bend. We can't really describe them in words. Something close to a cheap carnival on wheels makes the most sense. They definitely win the unusual car of the day prize.
Mile 2998 - Pass through another border patrol station. We've lost count on how many we've gone through. When asked where we've been, we decide to give him the short answer: "From Marfa, through Big Bend. "Wow, that's a long way, you guys must be tired" he exclaims. We smile and tell him he only knows the half of it. The officer finally tells us to go on and we ask to take his picture (we never learn, do we?). This time, he laughs and says that we can do it, but from far away. Oh well, I'm sure we'll have other chances.
Mile 3000 - We hit the 3000 mile mark of our journey. Are we there yet?
Mile 3002 - We enter Highway 90 heading East. We should be on this road for the rest of the day. Here's some shots in case you didn't see the "open road" yesterday, Wednesday, Tuesday, Monday, Sunday, or Saturday. Enjoy, I'm sure there will be plenty in our album!
Mile 3041 - Turkey on the side of the road. (No, it was neither Dean nor Travis!). This turkey was walking, not flying, and it would have made more grill damage, less windshield damage this time. Slaughter is avoided however.
Mile 3053 - More senseless slaughter avoided. This time a bird. Dean claims that he could have touched it as we whizzed underneath him. Travis thinks Dean is delusional.
Mile 3055 - We stop at Sanderson, TX for more gasoline. $1.599 / gal. We talk to some of the others in the service station. Imagine that! A motorcycle guy has a '68 Riveria. Other local joins in, and we start talking about the Mystery Marfa Lights. They're impressed that we saw them, and they too want to take a trip to Marfa to have a look. Travis takes the navigation seat.
Mile 3063 - Dean narrowly misses a dead skunk in the road (it was that way when we got there!). At least we think we missed him. Something smells funny in the car, but it is probably us.
Mile 3116 - We enter Langtry, TX, the home of Judge Roy Bean, the Hanging Judge. The park is closed (operating hours 8-5), but we took some pictures anyway, however, we were to far away for anything to come out.
Mile 3118 - Dean and Travis bet on the correct distance to Del Rio. Dean says 40 miles, and Travis says it's farther. $1.00 is wagered. Sign comes up--60 miles. Travis wins!
Mile 3134 - Stopped at Pecos River Bridge on Highway 90 and took pictures. What can we say…it's a disease. Is there self-help program for this, or do we have to get professional counseling? If you want more facts on the bridge, be sure to E-mail us and we can fill you in completely.
Mile 3174 - Stopped at Ole's Mexican Restaurant in Del Rio for dinner. Dean had a combination plate. Travis had beef enchiladas. We had mediocre service, but we were both glad to get something to eat.
Dean forces Travis to drive into dark yet another night!
Mile 3207 - Stop in Brackettville for gasoline at Chevron. $1.579 / gal. Dean assumes navigating.
Mile 3228 - Can you say Border Patrol checkpoint?
Mile 3245 - We enter Uvalde, TX. After seeing a LOT of deer on the road (actually it was Dean seeing all of the deer, and Travis reacting to Dean's yelling "DEER"), we decide that we've driven enough for the night and decide to sleep here.
Mile 3248 - Dean spots a cheesy motel. We stop. This time we are smarter and ask to see the room first. $48 for a not so good room. "Skip it," says Travis. We stop at another motel, but they're full.
Mile 3250 - We pull up at the Worst Western, and Travis asks for a room. $51.50 plus tax. We'll take it!
Dean gets frustrated because he can't get an outside line. Has to use Travis' cellular telephone to call Lori.
Tomorrow Dean has a flight to catch at Houston Hobby Airport at 3:30. Will he make it. We actually have a 6 a.m. wake-up call tomorrow, we hope they don't let us hit snooze too many times. Better check back tomorrow and see how mad Lori gets at Dean if he misses his flight.
We've been getting some more E-mail questions we'd like to answer here:
- We've only said "Whaaaaaaazzz Up!" about 8 times, the catch phrase for us this week has been "One time, at band camp…"
- Yes we still talk to each other……when we aren't yelling at one another.
- Yes we are still having a GREAT time!