Phoenix to El Paso, January 18

First a credit: the pictures I am including in today's entry were taken by my father-in-law, Art Black.

Because we didn't have a huge distance to go, and because we were ending in the same time zone as we were beginning the day, we didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn on Sunday the 18th. We got up fairly early, packed up the cars and got back on the road--definitely early enough to miss what was probably destined to be a big traffic jam before game-time in Phoenix. After leaving town I was struck by how open and desolate Arizona really is in some places. And New Mexico, too. I know both states have their beautiful areas, but the scenery was really just like the first picture all day.

The second picture was taken at a little travel stop in the middle of no-where. Actually, it is somewhere: the Continental Divide! They had restrooms, lots of trinkets and trash for tourists, and a huge room of fireworks. We didn't buy any fireworks, but I needed a pick-me-up for the afternoon drive so that's when I posed for the "endorsement shot" with 5-Hour Energy. Does it work? For about 3 hours.

We rolled into El Paso just after sundown and were able to get a great view of Juarez, just across the international border. After checking in to our lodging for the night, we went next door to eat. I don't know about you, but when I'm in El Paso, Texas, right down there within walking distance of the Mexican border, I can't help but think of Chinese food. Seriously, though, we saw 2 large, lit-in-the-style-of-Vegas Chinese restaurants on the way to our motel and there was another next door where we ate. It wasn't great Chinese food and there wasn't an Asian in the house, but it filled us up.

We all got to bed early that night as the following day, Monday, January 19, promised to be our longest and hardest travel day. We would wake in El Paso, drive for 11 hours or so, and go to bed in the Dallas area. The most driving in any one day and we wouldn't leave the state of Texas!