Day 12 - Don Quixote Rides Again

Austin, TX to Lubbock, TX

Pushing out of Austin this morning, both Conor and I were excited for the prospect of seeing the West Texas ranches and vast plains this region offers. A colleague recently described West Texas as, "a place where you can see your dog running away for three days." Excellent visual! Especially when you see it. Colloquial expressions like that one are only funny if there's some truth in them, and this one would be no exception. 

I was excited for something new given all these days on the road. I've driven all over Virginia, into Washington DC countless times, West Virginia a bunch, Kentucky a time or two, clear across Tennessee on several occasions, down into Arkansas twice, and all over East and South Texas too, but the journey into West Texas was brand new and I couldn't wait to experience this new and unfamiliar countryside.

The most surprising thing for me was that there were no major interstates along our route. Given so much open area one would think there would be a large North / South Interstate to move freight between South Texas and West Texas as well as other points West into New Mexico and beyond. Nope. A 75 MPH speed-limit on a two lane highway with the occasional passing lane was all we got, and pretty much the whole ride, too. That 75 MPH speed-limit would suddenly go to 55 MPH, then 45 MPH, then 35 MPH, and then back up to 75 MPH through one small town after another. But this was the surprising part... I didn't mind it at all. It felt like what road trips maybe once were; a series of roads connecting small town after small town, versus today's interstates that are cut straight through the land, their only purpose being efficiency. Privately owned businesses facing the roadway, happy for anyone to stop through. Diners, antique stores, churches, old timey service stations, and small general stores would suddenly appear on the heat slicked roadway. We'd slow our speed and look around while passing through, and then set the cruise control for another 30 or so miles until the next town would appear. The only thing in between the towns were the ranches.

It's a wild and untamed landscape. Sage brush, cedar, and cactus in every direction. Trees don't grow up, they grow out. The ground is coarse and dry and surface water is almost nonexistent. But it was this landscape that made me think of the Old West. It seems every Western movie I've ever loved was shot in this exact environment. It kinda felt like we were driving through a time warp and it set me at ease.

This part of the journey would also explain why there's no North / South Interstate in this part of Texas, because there was nary another soul on the road! While Conor and I are blasting through time and space, surrounded by nothing but the arid beauty and dense, brushy foliage West Texas provides, I noted several times that I couldn't see another vehicle in any direction. In fact, more often we'd see a dust devil spin up behind a combine a mile away in a planted field. Despite the rumbling big black truck blasting down the highway, there was a peacefulness to it. Conor slept the majority of the ride (I have no idea how he does that) and I played familiar songs and softly sang along, marveling at all I could see. It was a good drive.

That is of course, until the wind turbines came into view. Now, I'm a big fan of sustainable energy and renewable energy. I would love for this country to be the first on the planet to achieve total energy independence and not need to rely on another sovereign nation's resources to sustain the lasting dream that is America. But these God-awful trifling behemoths dotted the landscape for more than a hundred miles, many of them not even turning. And don't get me wrong! Were there a way to harness the wind and create sustainable energy that required no other supplemental energy - which these things absolutely do - I'd be all for it! But as best as I can tell, the solution implemented at the expense of the beauty of the land and those who behold it for a product that sometimes doesn't work at all and otherwise requires additional resources just to operate is a mistake that could take centuries to undo. 

Rant over, but the point remains. Today's drive was fantastic! That is until I had to fight the dragons - just as Don Quixote did...

When we finally reached Lubbock, I was pleased to learn of so many things to do and see in this town. I read aloud the list of things to explore and Conor listened patiently to each option, carefully weighing his interests against my own when finally it came to him. "The National Ranching Heritage Center, Dad! I think we'll both like that one!" he said excitedly. And damn if he wasn't right!

The National Ranching Heritage Center was as big a surprise as any we've had thus far. I expected an indoor museum... Artifacts and pictures and stories, etc. What we got was a walk through time. Acres of land with a winding path taking its visitors from one structure to the next, all donated to the RH Center by private donors and all meticulously maintained by Texas Tech University. If you've been watching Yellowstone, or are otherwise just a big fan of Quarter Horses and Cutting Horses, by now you've heard of Texas' famed "Four 6s Ranch". The Four 6s original shotgun style auction house sits on the grounds and you can walk through it, taking in all the steel brands and learning about the process of selling livestock. It goes on to detail how cattle and horses would be herded into corals and loaded and unloaded from train cars. It takes into account the settlers who became ranchers and the homes they lived in, the round pens built for gentling horses, and so much more. But when we finally got back into the Heritage Center to walk among the artifacts and the artwork, we came across an exhibit entirely dedicated to the making of Yellowstone's origin story, "1883". It seems one of the curators of the RH Center was heavily involved in both set and costume design, and the exhibit goes to great lengths to explain the authenticity of this world and the hardships involved. Absolutely fascinating day and again, completely unexpected.

Something Conor and I discussed prior to setting out from South Carolina was the realization that he's outgrown all of his jeans as well as his old cowboy boots that were given to him by his Grandfather, K9. (Yes, my Bubba is now in a men's size 9 shoe, and he's only 10 years old!) So I took him to a Western-Wear store and let him pick out a pair of boots, some good ole fashioned Wranglers blue jeans, and a new leather belt, carved out in ornate leather etchings like the traditional leather cowboy belts of the past. For tomorrow we press on to Taos, New Mexico where the daytime temps are in the low 80's and the nighttime temps are in the low 50's, and all with very low humidity. A welcome change indeed, but one that would still require we dress for the weather.

God help me if the healing road takes this boy into wanting to be a Rancher. He's already asked me about the price of land in West Texas, to which I responded, "I'm a flip-flops guy, Bubba. And damn sure too old to be herding cattle." Here's to hoping the healing road shows this young man a new vocation in the coming days, 'cuz I damn sure can't take living around these windmills, either.

See y'all in Taos!