Place to place

TERLINGUA, TX - - We're in Terlingua Ghost Town, home of the world famous chili cook off, at a coffee house with wi-fi and a panoramic view of wide open west Texas'. Now, the above picture is of Judge Roy Bean's "Famous" bar and court house in Langtry, TX - - about 300 miles west.. Judge Roy was known as the Law West of the Pecos. We've been in Big Bend NP for two days. A great place - - see Lydia's blog for more info - - and now we're on the road again to somewhere.

Good coffee

WEST COLUMBIA, TX - - Monday's trip started with a drive from our campground Lake Fausse State Park to Saint Martinsville. Good move! We spotted this cafe: catchy name and a sign in the window advertising 'Hot Beignets'. The coffee was good and the beignets - - deep fried dough (squarish pieces) covered with powered sugar were tasty. A good breakfast usually starts off a good day.

What fun

WEST COLUMBIA, TX - - This post is coming to you courtesy of McDonald's free wi-fi. According to a sign on the counter, West Columbia was the first capital of the Texas Republic...thus the signs "Where Texas Began" that we've seen. Our day two trip on Sunday, which we looked forward to didn't come out the way we hoped. Louisiana, where we were anyway, is closed on Sunday. Better to read Lydia's blog so you get only one rant: lydiahinshaw.blogspot.com.

On the road again

OCEAN SPRINGS, MS - - It's 8 am and we're sitting in Coffee Fusion Cafe soaking up good coffee and free internet service. This is the beginning of Day Two of our trip to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for summer jobs. Today, it's everything Cajun a we wander south of New Orleans and then west in the land of crawfish and tobasco sauce.

The Queen goes ballistic

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - I took the Queen to the vet today. This is never fun. Lydia had to work so an hour before the trip we put The Queen into the pet carrier. This gave her an hour to let the rage build. In this pic from last year she is yawning but it's the same 'I want to rip you to pieces' pose she presented to the lady vet and her assistants to show her displeasure at being dragged to a checkup. And she yowled loud enough for everyone in the building to know she wasn't happy. The pupils in her eyes get big as saucers. Exactly like the eyes of the two (young) vet assistants as they tried to get her on the scale. They backed off and The Queen zipped into the pet carrier. She also had a bladder problem...but that worked out as they had to do tests on the urine. The standoff was on: The Queen screeching and huddling inside the carrier and the humans giving her plenty of breathing room. Ten minutes later the vet came back with the lab results and an assistant with a large towel and a pair of gloves which looked suspiciously like those the knights wore into battle in the middle ages.

The test(s) showed that the infection was gone. But, said the vet, "she should really have her rabies shot." She didn't say this with much conviction and the assistant was visibly not looking forward to trying to wrestle a 13.4-lb., de-clawed and highly pissed off cat out of the carrier and holding her for a rump shot. I declined the offer since we have to live with The Queen. Two hours at home and a few kitty treats later she had calmed down. I'm not so sure about the vet assistants.

Anniversary

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - April 17th marked the fourth anniversary of this blog. The year five action should kick off pretty soon when we head toward our summer job at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and wander around a bit before getting there.

A good deed?

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY - - I rescued this nasty looking snapping turtle from the middle of a two lane highway while visiting my mother in upstate New York. This was my good deed for the day. I quickly realized that Mr. (or Mrs.) turtle didn't want to be rescued. I made a hasty attempt at physical movement as traffic approached. A lunge by this individual quickly showed me the error of my ways. It only took one close swipe of the long claws and lots of snapping by the steel clamp jaws. Luckily, traffic stopped so I could push and prod this aggressive individual with the fierce disposition using two long sticks. Was the turtle happy after we were safely out of the traffic lane? No way.

The ultimate Rails to Trails

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY - - Here's the ultimate Rails to Trails trail. The Walkway over the Hudson (River) is a 1.2-mle long trail/walkway constructed on an elevated railroad bridge. A portion of the bridge burned in 1974. Since repairs would prove too costly the bridge was taken out of service. The WOTH opened late last year and joins Poughkeepsie and Highland with the Walkway Loop Trail extension lengthening the distance to 3.6-miles including a trip across the Mid-Hudson Bridge...as seen in the photo below along with the Highland-side railroad tracks.
The walkway, pilings and shadows on the river.

River reflection of the space shuttle Discovery

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Up, up and away. The space shuttle Discovery casts a reflection on the Halifax River. Perfect weather to see an early (6:21am) launch.