Highway 285
Between Carlsbad, NM and Pecos, TX. The landscape has been totally raped by energy production. It’s one thing to sit in a city and say we need more energy. To drive through the countryside, viewing the cost of producing that energy is another thing entirely; the previously wild landscape transformed into a hundred mile sprawling city of oil and gas patches, drilling rigs and dusty roads, pumps, pipelines, gas flares, outbuildings, and sterile man-camps; roads clogged with, and ruined by, oil and gas trucks that outnumber passenger cars two to one, as if this West Texas high desert had no other purpose. You can see from the sky on Google Maps:
It is awful. The occasional desert resident has an impact on this land. They put down roots, however shallow, in the dry desert soil. They join the land in a battle with the elements; a struggle to survive. Man camps sit on cement blocks above the bulldozed lifeless ground, with no commitment to staying, and no investment in the landscape or the damage done. My inner Edward Abbey is outraged. We’re at the Fort Stockton RV Park tonight, an oasis. 2017 Summer Trip Map 
It’s 90 degrees and clear. We’re back in Texas and out of the smoke.
It is awful. The occasional desert resident has an impact on this land. They put down roots, however shallow, in the dry desert soil. They join the land in a battle with the elements; a struggle to survive. Man camps sit on cement blocks above the bulldozed lifeless ground, with no commitment to staying, and no investment in the landscape or the damage done. My inner Edward Abbey is outraged. We’re at the Fort Stockton RV Park tonight, an oasis. 2017 Summer Trip Map It’s 90 degrees and clear. We’re back in Texas and out of the smoke. Port Aransas
Has a special place in our hearts. It was home base for years. We wore out on Gulf Waters, the RV Park on Mustang Island, but not the little town on the north end. Port A is suffering hard times right now. We’ve seen photos. A lot of it blew down in the hurricane. It got hit with 130 mph winds. There still are no city services, water, sewer, and electric, restored yet. Residents, with proper I.D. are being allowed in during daylight hours to sort through the rubble. Pit barbecue teams, that’s a real thing in the South, have set up stands to feed everyone for free. Judy just read a notice that there will be free gasoline distributed at Roberts Point Park tomorrow. The outpouring of support is heartening. People from all over the state, and beyond, are showing up to help. In times of crisis we don’t live in the divided world we hear so much about recently. The outpouring of support is heartening, but still…. The damage looks like so much deal with. We’ve been giving a lot of thought and conversation to our trip home to the Valley. Judy’s doctor’s appointment is a week from Monday. We could slow down the pace and arrive in Corpus the night before. We could keep up our current pace, go straight home by the end of this week, then drive back up to Corpus for her Monday appointment. Calling ahead to RV Parks and State Parks close to Corpus though, most of the places we might stay are busy hosting storm evacuees from the coast, so we’ll probably try to stay out of the way and go straight home. Tonight we’re in Carlsbad, NM RV Park for the night. 2017 Summer Trip Map 
It’s still smoky out, but there are a lot of hotspots just in New Mexico, so we’ll have to wait a little longer for clear air.
It’s still smoky out, but there are a lot of hotspots just in New Mexico, so we’ll have to wait a little longer for clear air. Good news for us
Judy’s doctor’s office in Corpus Christi is back open, and her appointment to get her hand looked at a week from Monday is still on. Good news for Corpus Christi. Other towns along the coast got knocked down or are still under water, but Corpus Christi is still standing and going back to work. We’re at the KOA outside Las Vegas, New Mexico.
2017 Summer Trip Map It’s good to be back in New Mexico.
It’s good to be here.
It’s such a familiar place. When we first started the Mobile Practice from our CPA Firm fifteen years ago, then expanded to New Mexico, this was a regular stop. Denny and Debbie owned and operated this KOA then and still do today. Pinon pine and juniper. Northern New Mexico. We’ve enjoyed many a stop here.
2017 Summer Trip Map It’s good to be back in New Mexico. It’s good to be here. It’s such a familiar place. When we first started the Mobile Practice from our CPA Firm fifteen years ago, then expanded to New Mexico, this was a regular stop. Denny and Debbie owned and operated this KOA then and still do today. Pinon pine and juniper. Northern New Mexico. We’ve enjoyed many a stop here. We’re headed home to Texas
But carefully. We’re watching our route and keeping an eye on the weather to make sure we don’t drive right into something we should be avoiding. We’re at Lathrop State Park. 2017 Summer Trip Map 
We might have gotten the best spot.
Henry likes it too.
We might have gotten the best spot. Henry likes it too.