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At the Edge of Texas
As I write this, I am at exit zero on Interstate 10 at a KOA campground located directly behind Camping World. I am so close to the border, I am not sure if I am in Texas or if I have actually left the state.
Ok, just google mapped my location, I am less than a mile from New Mexico.
If we drew a straight line north with the miles that we have traveled so far without leaving the state of Texas, we would be somewhere near Minneapolis MN. Route Map
Fond Wheeling Memories
There is so much to see just in Texas – we skipped the Dallas area and panhandle to run from the crappy weather that has plagued most of the country lately. We decided to head west but stay as south as we can until this cold snap passes. Punxsutawney Phil needs to be replaced.
As we passed the signs for Big Bend, I had regrets that I had not done more research of our path.
Our Jeep Nations wheeling group make a yearly trip to big bend and we had not been able to make it. The wheeling is supposed to be awesome – I still feel like back-tracking to experience it. But no, I have my sites targeted on Sedona, AZ for our next wheeling venture.
VRBO Colorado
I began to realize this month that we are really Rollin’ With It. Our oldest son JP informed us that he is ready to leave Austin and wants to head to Colorado to work for one of my childhood friends Mike McGowan.
We last ran into Mike the winter of 2016. We did an VRBO vacation in Colorado renting a Multi-Million Dollar Log Cabin with our good friends the McGhee family and my Brother Dave and his wife Sonia.
The Cabin was located near Beaver Creek Co – Yes, we hit Beaver Creek while there.
Mike McGowan treated us to an off-trail ski trip with his snowcat. We got to experience back country skiing. For me it was cool go downhill without ever seeing your skis, but I was out of breath the entire time.
Anyway, after the back country adventure while back at the cabin – Mike, ever the story teller, was talking about the success of one of his companies Condit.
JP to my surprise was paying attention to everything Mike was saying and now wants to work at Condit.
Talking Wine Bottle
Plans Change
So… our original plans to Florida and head up the East cost have been changed. We are now headed West and plan to go to Denver sometime this summer to give JP a place to stay as he settles into his new location and job.
New route – We decided to head north to visit our relatives in Carthage Texas – Near Shreveport which was an easy commute to work for me.
We were able to spend a week reconnecting with family and visiting with Julie’s Aunt Joy – her father’s sister.
Julie and I got to experience Franklin’s – a bar/mancave in the middle of nowhere where people met nightly to dance to live bands.
Sonny, the beau of cousin Becky, was the drummer in the band the night we went. Man, it would be awesome to recreate a place like this in the future for myself.
Family Time
Originally, we planned to shoot straight across Texas to visit the Cadillac Ranch, but decided to head to homebase to fix an issue with the Jeep (engine light, and squeaky fan belt) and visit mom June one more time before heading West.
That turned out to be pretty cool as we were able to have a game night and play Family Feud with Cousin Hope her husband Ben (who also fixed our Jeep) and host Sherman and Liz.
It was a blast and we really got a kick out of “someone” thinking California was on the East coast.
Head West Young Man
Here is the cool part. I bid for, and was awarded a week vacation in the middle of March. Last month I also bid for flights at the first of the month and at the end of the month. My bids were accepted, and I was able to get 14 days in a row off. Two weeks to make my way to warmer weather and venture through the state of Arizona.
My plan as it stands today is to go straight from El Paso to Tombstone, spend some time in Tucson, then Phoenix, Sedona, Flagstaff then off towards Vegas and the Grand Canyon.
I’m not sure where I will actually be when my vacation runs out, but as long as I can get close to an airport, we will continue between my work schedule.
Check back with us as we make our way through El Paso…
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