So fast, it's like we're on wheels.

We aborted our Big Bend plans like honey badgers.  I was resting in a rest area one night, thinking Big Bend sounds like a sensible thing to do next ... SCREEEE? Sensible? So, I looked over at Annie and I said Annie? Would you rather just head for Arizona instead? and she said WOULD I?!? so I talked for a while until she was convinced.

Steve, please forgive us for the speed (62 m.p.h.) at which we blew around San Antonio on the 1604. Annie's gas foot got itchy and leaden, and there was no slowing her down.

Once we got north of the city, the scenery got KABLOWIE! pretty, but hard to drive through even on the interstate. We gained some altitude without realizing it, and my side of the Sleep Number got very, very firm. Chris warned us about exploding mattresses in higher elevations, but we thought she meant Pike's Peak. We deflated before something bad (like another hill) happened. This must be why biological implants are not filled with air.

We're west of Sonora, and the scenery just got WOWIE KABLOWIE! awesome. Someone look this up for me - is this considered high chaparral? I'd Google, but I'm already using my one bar of 1G to send this post instead of calling 911 or something. Bring me my horse and six-shooter! Throw over my poncho and cheroot!

I have got to pee like a beer-drinking man.

We're heading out to see the girls at Where the wind goes, if they don't kill us remotely with laughter first.   Annie said We're their biggest fans. I asked how she knew that.  OH I KNOW.   I sense danger for anyone else who claims to be, but that does NOT make us stalkers.

Texas rest stops are very friendly to overnighters. Some of them have dump stations and potable water. Often, they have free wifi. So far, it hasn't been strong enough to stream TV or watch an endless loop of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. We stayed in a picnic area last night. There were trucks coming in and leaving throughout the night, but somehow that anchors my sleeping mind and helps me remember where I am.

Nicole and Darlene challenged us to do 200 miles yesterday, and we did 252. Plus, see, that's more proof that we're not stalkers, because they're encouraging us. Two hundred is probably our comfortable limit, though; otherwise, we're missing out on primo hours of rest area wifi, and the Nutty Bars are all gone from the machines.

Our preference is boondocking someplace pretty, but it takes some work to find and settle into some of those places. While we're traveling, it's easier to use the quick-in/quick-out method of overnighting.  Now we're nearing some free wifi, courtesy of the Lone Star State, so here goes nothing ...

Texas rest stops need love, too.

Easy-out through Corpus Christi, and the seashore gravitational pull has been broken.  We had to wash most of the gravity off at a car wash with a series of delicate, yet demanding, maneuvers involving removing the Prius, the tow dolly, reattaching the two in reverse, pulling around, taking two bays, 122 quarters, two naughty words, becoming completely drenched, reattaching tow dolly, reconnecting the Prius, smudging my almost-clean-enough shirt, and Annie pulling her shoulder.  Later, we found sand in every crevice, and then there's the rig. [RIM SHOT]

These cormorants are just praying the salt comes off.  Why did we vacation here? I wanted to visit my mom in St. Augustine!

We were pleased to spend multiple units of time with Chris, another full-timer who will eventually be cajoled and shamed into blogging again.  

Photo by Teri

No, c'mon!  Not my backside!

Seriously, what is wrong with you?  Not my backside!

Honest, Chris, all the frontward pictures I took came out blurry!  It's like your frontside is a vampire.  Oh!  My mistake - here's a good one.




Teri is a full-timer who was cajoled and shamed into meeting us.  She caught the trolley, which was quickly controlled with ginger ale and bed rest.  It was good to spend time with her and learn more of her story.  She's in the pre-retirement set like Annie and me, and she has some interesting ideas for suitable employment that I'll try when times become desperate.

"Whatever you do, just don't post my picture to your blog."  Always happy to comply.*

We're in for the night at a Texas rest area, where they have free wifi. It's not strong enough to stream videos or TV - the gold standard - but plenty for surfing and blogging. Not good blogging, but it's fast enough for obnoxious posts.

We watched an honest-to-Pete murmuration at sundown. Please watch this and pretend these young women are us:



They are so graceful and lovely, those starlings, and they really only want a place to sit for the night. We're like them, we Road Starlings. Beautiful and flowing, restless yet weary, and ready to settle in for the night with wifi and Nutty Bars.

*In real-life, I always comply with photo requests.  If you don't want your picture here, it will never see the light of day.  Unless you're Chris' backside.