Walkabout Day 1: Summary

The Drive


The change in elevation.

Somewhere around Archer City I called an audible and decided not to go to Palo Duro canyon tomorrow. I conceivably can go there anytime. This trip is a rare opportunity to see the great National Parks of California. So I increased my driving for today to get to Cali a bit earlier. So, instead of stopping in Amarillo, I've stopped in Vegas Baby!!!! Well, Las Vegas New Mexico.

Day 1 Quick Hits

• In Quanah, Corby's default small Texas town, I intersected with Highway 6. I guess they're right. It really does go both ways.
• Just west of Amarillo there is a giant windmill farm. So that's where my Green Mountain Energy dollars are going.
• The disappearance of the mighty DQ does not seem to have spread through the panhandle. I was tempted many times to get me a delicious Blizzard.
• Amarillo is the most disappointing city in Texas. Texas Burger Guy has declared the #1 burger in Texas is in Amarillo at a place called Boondock's. So I tried to go there only to find that it had been shut down like a common lower greenville Irish pub. A second burger joint also on the list was also closed. But it appears, at least, to still be in business.
• The XTerra has a "Distance To Empty" indicator. It was 120 from Tucumcari to Las Vegas. The DTE said 130 and I figured there would be at least 1 gas station on the way. There wasn't. Luckily I had enough gas.
• There were also no rest areas. And about 20 miles from Las Vegas the 32oz Aquafina I purchased in Amarillo demanded to be released from my bladder. So I found a relatively safe place to pull over and met it's demands. And then I looked skyward to a cloudless night sky and saw 1,000,000 times more stars than I have ever seen in my life.