Little Sister Adventures

Part 3. Texas!

After leaving Alamogordo, NM, I headed to Big Spring, Texas and stayed at another Walmart parking lot. I'm not proud!

I was about the only RV there.

Dusty skies!

I woke up to wind and dust, but it wasn't awful, so I headed out. The wind was westerly, so it helped boost my fuel economy! I zipped over to Austin with a couple long stretch breaks.

The drive was the schist! Real gneiss!!

And then, Austin!

Austin was a great visit! My compassionate, passionate, genuine, warm, smart friend Anne and her husband John took good care of me.

Anne and I had a tour of New Braunfels, where we had a mystery picnic. We solved puzzles to find the places to pick up our food.

It was hold-on-to-your-hat windy!

We had a picnic at the river.

We explored an antiques store and bought a mystery bag! I love mystery bags! Here's the loot:

Itty-bitties

I wonder what goodies this pot-holder took out of an old-days Texas oven

Resplendent autumn lady

A drive through Gruene consisted of dodging cars and pedestrians. There was a festival and it was cray-zee.

The oldest dance hall in Texas! Just a drive-by today. Next time, maybe a visit inside.

Of course we stopped for burro love!

Back at Anne's, I got kitty love.

The next day, we took a walk through the park to visit one of Thomas Dambo's trolls, named Malin. She recently celebrated a birthday, still resplendent in her crown and hand-crocheted sash.

Note to self: visit Solvang's troll! I had no idea there was one there. Gotta take the young-uns!

And! I was there for South by Southwest time. I got to experience some live music at a local bar. Here's a sampler.

Indoors:

Barbarella was on the TV screen. I need to see this movie!

After another fab dinner prepared by superb cook John, it was time to crawl inside Poppy and rest up for the next leg eastbound.

Next: Louisiana and through the Gulf of Mexico states.

Part 2. White Sands National Park

A First! I'm not sure I ever visited White Sands before. If I did, it was when I was very small and pre-memory.

I had planned to go to Carlsbad Caverns, but wind and dust conditions, plus a longer drive than I really wanted, made me pivot to White Sands.

It was cool! Literally – the gypsum sand stays cool to the touch no matter the weather.

Now, a National Park as of 2019

I accidentally walked a cat!

Moonrise was awesome!

And so was sunset.

Poppy and I stayed the night at the WalMart in Alamogordo, NM.

Nextas: Texas!

My Old Kentucky Adventure: Part One. Tucson

Poppy and I set out Saturday for a new adventure! Destination: Kentucky, via Florida!

Our first leg brought us to Tucson, Arizona to visit my dear friend since Kindergarten. We kept busy!

I spent the night in Yuma after my first day's drive, at a Boondockers Welcome spot, a friendly host and their driveway.

Arizona is red, after all...

After an excellent night's sleep, I headed back west a few miles to Felicity, California and the Official Center of the World^®.

The Center of the World was recommended to me by a friend. I would have never found it otherwise (unless Trish had been with me, pouring over the Roadside Attraction apps).

So, this guy Jacques-Andre Istel bought a bunch of land, built a town, and made this attraction. It purports to enshrine the history of mankind, all etched on huge granite slabs. Read about it on Roadside America, or their official website, and enjoy my photos.

There were a bunch of these long slabs of granite, with several more blank ones, ready for more history!

Me n Lisa!

There was the "Maze of Honor"

It was a loopy "maze" with a few of these photo-type panels. Looks like they were local people and some businesses who bought squares. There were just a few feet of these, and the rest of the walls were blank, except for the below.

After reading more about the site, I think this is the owner's bride, Felicia, for whom the town was named.

Love the cake contest one.

It was hard to get good images due to the glare.

The opposite side from this held President Abraham Lincoln.

The pyramid!

I was told to stand in the middle of the pyramid and note my time for the Official Certificate.

Poppy and the "church" on the hill.

This staircase was once in the Eiffel Tower

The Arm of God as a sundial. Yanno, because reasons.

I left Official Center of the World^®a little richer for the experience and made my way east to Tucson, where I was greeted by the wonderful Sonya and her husband Dale. They took me out for a fabulous Italian meal, perfect to top off two long days' drive.

Monday, Sonya and I headed out for a good 6-mile hike up the Pima Canyon Trail. It was a lovely day, not quite reaching 80º. Beautiful!