Adios Texas

I woke up this morning and yesterday with CRAZY sore calves.  My legs have never been so tight.  It must have been from the up and down in Carlsbad and they hit their worse this morning.  I could barely get to the bathroom and was highly considering going to get a pedicure just for the leg massage they do, but I didn't have time.  I did some research for today and tomorrow and headed to my first stop.  The Houston LDS Temple.

Out of all the ones I have seen I think this is the prettiest one.  I love the green spire top and even though it has the smaller Angel, I think it goes perfectly with this temple.  I spent an hour here just taking photo after photo. It was a little windy and cool, still humid but nice weather. I was outside the gates taking these photos when I saw yard guys and asked if I could come on the grounds.

He said yes and told me how to come around and get in and then I got a few more pictures including the one below.

It was just beautiful and made me so happy.  I don't ever want to live in Texas but I do really love this temple.  Also on my way to the temple I was surrounded by mammoth millionaire homes, like this one.

This one was smaller and not as ornated in comparison with most of the homes in the neighborhood.  They were really gorgeous homes, I drove through the neighborhood and took a few more pics of the homes I liked. I forgot that I am also traveling with another great companion, Mia, my Honda Civic.  She's covering the miles with style.

Then I drove closer into Houston to Williams Water Wall.

There are 11,000 gallons coming over the 64 feet walls every minute!  They designed it as part of the Transco Tower and the Tower and waterwall face each other with a park area between. 

It was awesome to see and these pictures don't do it justice. The water didn't soak you but it was definitely more than a mist.  Which felt good in the sun.  I really loved this water statue.   I loved seeing the temple and this waterwall and it was totally worth the stop.  I did drive downtown to the heart of Houston, which was completely deserted and didn't have anything that different or exciting, so I got on the road. Next stop Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  I will put the rest of my day up tomorrow.  Its late and this internet is going to slow in uploading my pictures.  By the way, I am learning things everyday on this trip, random facts, historical facts, practical knowledge.  Here's a tip: 72 hour kits are a REALLY good item to have and they should be changed out every six months.  This is not a suggestion, this is a rule.  I brought my kit along because its been over a year and I figured I'd replace it when I got home. The beef jerkey, granola bars, and fruit snacks hard as rocks! I will never wait more then six months again. I almost broke my teeth! So there is your tip of the day.  Can't wait to share Louisiana and my encounters with you.

Day Two!

Woke up in Las Cruces, car still there and my food still in it, whew!  I was a bit nervous, not the best part of town, looked better in the morning though.  Got up early, got ready and got on the road.  Drove through El Paso, Texas.  That was my very first, wrong turn, got off an exit too soon.  Texas has SOOOO short of notice before an exit or the fact that it is only  an exit lane, HELLO we're not all from here.  Then I drove back into New Mexico and up to Carlsbad Caverns.  Really awesome.

I was at the top look closely, those ants are people and this went even deeper down.  It was CRAZY deep!  It was really cool and damp down there.  It was kind of creepy at parts, it wasn't very busy so I'd turn a corner and feel really alone.  At one part I wondered if I had gotten on the wrong path (they have paths they use for special group tours).  The first person to enter this place was a 16 yr old boy back in like the 1920s or something.  Without a pathway and many sources of light, I can't even imagine being down there by myself, FREAKY!  So then I came out into the heat and humidity and got on the road again. Back to Texas.

This route took me through Pecos and in case you didn't know

Home of the first rodeo, exciting! Then I had to stop for gas, the light came on 5 miles before I hit the station, so now I know how long I can go on a tank, perfect!  I stopped in Ozona, TX, which is the county seat for Crocket County. The county was named for

yep, Davy Crocket and this monument was in the city park right down the street from my gas station.  He was born in Tennessee and died at the Alamo in San Antonio but this county about three hours from San Antonio is named for him.  He was the President of Texas and worked to get it accepted into the U.S. and then became its govenor, he also was govenor of Tennessee when he was 31.  Only man in U.S. history to be president and govenor twice. Pretty impressive guy. Then I was back on the road to San Antonio.  I was pretty much exhausted by the time I got there but Becky is NONSTOP!  So we went to dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe.  First and last time I will ever go, food was great, atmosphere was too loud for me.  We also walked down the RiverWalk while waiting for a table. I got this shot of my outfit, I think it was cute.

We got back to the room, I showered which really helped my tight shoulders and by the time we got done talking, it was 3am and I was practically dead.  Today should be even awesomer! You know what they say, "everything is bigger in Texas."