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Sat. July 3, 1999
Beam me up
9:15am was the time that greeted me when I woke up this morning. I took a moment to do a sort of self-diagnostic on my body and its health. I checked out! I didn't feel a pain in my head nor a tickle in my throat. This'll make the drive far more bearable.
We all went to Einstein Brothers Bagels there in Plano, TX and met up with Jason's mom there. It's a great place to get an assortment of flavors of the doughnut-shaped delights. One thing I was truly impressed with (that Jason L. actually warned me about) was the volume of cream cheese they put on their bagels. Thank goodness it was light and creamy because my bagel had to have at least a centimeter of the stuff slathered on it. Good atmosphere was key to this place as well. Among others, a Diana Krall song played over Einstein Brothers Bagels' sound system. Next door was a Wolf's Camera shop that Jason and Jason visited. They were on the prowl for extra memory cards for their cameras. Both paid nearly $70 for cards that will transform them into 130-pictures-per-roll taking maniacs.
After this late start, we were all finally back on the road towards Kitt Peak. The first part of the drive found Jason L. and I talking about the mysteries of the universe we know and the ones we don't know. We talked about time and dimensions and how the evolution of the human race and technology could one day bring the two together into a common plane of existance. It was a great coversation in which Jason recommended a book by a Japanese author (Michokaukiu?) discussing topics of this nature and beyond titled Hyperspace. Nevertheless, we had a great brain food kinda' conversation.
Texas (a.k.a. The State With Seemingly No End Which One Should Not Mess With) was a lovely site from border to border. We only stopped a few times while high tailing it towards the New Mexico border. When finally on the home stretch for that state (a very straight and lonely stretch) Jason G. saw something he had a hard time believing: a sign saying "Welcome to Gaines County." His opinion "let's get the hell outta Texas" quickly changed to a more positive tone. We missed taking a picture of the sign entering the county so there was no option but to stop at the border and get a picture of the sign from the other side of the highway.
Oil derricks and refineries constantly filled the frame of view on the road in New Mexico. We drove through a very dry and oddly rolling landscape on either side of the road. The little dry, grassy bumps in the surrounding landscape (according to our Roadside Geology of New Mexico book) are sand dunes grown over. Nothing but dust and dirt followed until we crested a hill that allowed me to see into the far distance. I spied a blinking mass that looked like it was near the path of the highway we were on. When we finally approached the scene we discovered a massive road block due to what looked like a head-on collision just east of Artesia, NM. As investigators took photos and a covered body or two lay in the road ahead, a police officer told us there would be a 2 to 3 hour delay unless we tried to take a couple nearby dirt roads around the accident. We opted for the latter and took the Buick off-road, passing by a couple oil derricks (which were prime photo opps) soon returning to the highway. A brief stop at a gas station in Artesia followed (and a quick phone call to my special someone) then we were on the road bound for (where else?) Roswell, New Mexico.
Dr. Leake stopped the car to let out the crazed digital photographers wanting a snapshot of Roswell's city limit sign. We hadn't really any idea where we were going to stay that night so we just followed the highway north through town. A mere block or two held the trashiest/most alluring stores peddling alien-related goods. "Greys" hung from building ledges, towered above used car lots, and posed as a band (The Pleiadians) in a music store's front. A UFO/Star Trek convention was held in Roswell today (big surprise) as well as early 4th festivities making it difficult to arrange for accomidations for the night. We eventually found a Days Inn with two rooms available and quickly snatched them up. After unpacking, we all looked for the Roswell night life. Where, pray tell, did we find it? Applebee's. Ho, hum. Seemed like the whole town was there.
You know, staying the night in Roswell, NM makes me wonder about waking up in the morning. Maybe I should rope myself to the bed so "they" can't take me.
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