From Desert to Swampland

The two days following our visit in Carlsbad were going to take us to Lafayette, Louisiana. Two years before, we had made the same trip with a stopover in San Antonio. This time we were going by a more northerly route, and our overnight stay was to be south of Dallas, Texas. We hadn't planned to see anything, except for what we happen to pass along the way. No detours what so ever.

This decision didn't last long though, because as soon as we left the hotel, we drove north to the northenr outskirts of Carlsbad to see the Pecos Flume, a large aqueduct leading water for irrigation across Pecos River. When it was built in 1902 it was the largest concrete aqueduct in the world. When it was built it was outside town, but not anymore. We took a short walk along the river to get some pictures of The Flume.

We left town via U.S. Route 62, which for the first 65 miles or so are heading northeast, not exactly the direction we needed, but it would still be faster than going directly south. Along the way we passed some of the sites of the Intrepid Potash, Inc., a company that owns mines near Carlsbad as well as the mines near Moab, Utah, that we passed in 2013. We also passed through oilproducing country, and saw a lot of oil pumps, but active and idle. Around the town of Hobb's the road changes to an easterly direction and so did we. We continued to Lamesa, where we changed to U.S. 87, heading southeast, and in Big Spring we reached Interstate 20, on which we stayed for the rest of the day. After around 250 miles we reached the outskirts of Fort Worth and Dallas, and decided to stay on I-20 for a bit. Around 10 miles south of town, in the suburb of Hutchins, we left the interstate and found a hotel. Once again a Day's Inn and much cheaper and better than the one in Carlsbad. As we had been driving for most of the day and reached more than 500 miles, and it was getting late, we decided to have dinner. Denny's were out, so we had dinner at an Applebee's in stead. Normally we have their 2 for 20 offer, and so we did this time. After dinner we returned to the hotel, and on the way we met an amazingly large number of Werner Enterprises trucks on the rather small road (an explanation for out interest in trucking companies can be found in the article Heat, Sand and Planes) Later we discovered that they had a transport center and storage facility almost next to the hotel.

And now to something completely different.

Leaving New Mexico we went from desert to prarie, and this continued from Dallas to the Louisiana border. At Shreveport we left the I-20 and changed to I-49 south to Lafayette. When we approached Alexandria, we felt a bit hungry, and for once we decided to eat somewhere instead of just buying a sandwich at a gas station. When we saw the sign of a Cracker Barrel Country Store and Restaurant, we decided to go there. And we probably can never come back. After lunch, when we had paid, we both had to use the restroom, and I thought that Tim had left a tip on the table, while he thought that I had. So we left withoput leaving a tip, feeling rather embarrassed when we discovered it. But we got some nice pictures of flowers and trees outside the restaurant.

We continued to Lafayette where we had booked a room from home at another Day's Inn; the same motel we used in 2012. 425 miles was the stint of this day, and even with a one hour lunch break we arrived already at 3 pm on this fine 4th of July. We relaxed in the room for a couple of hours, then headed out to buy some new clothes, which we commonly do, when we are in the U.S. I normally but shirts, which are much cheaper than back in Denmark. I bought six shirts for around $ 100, which I easily can pay for a single shirt in Denmark, if they are not on sale. Tim often buy trousers, underwear and socks as well, and so he did this time. After our shopping spree, we had dinner at the local Hooters. On our way back to the hotel we drove around looking at town, and accidentally passed by Cajun Dome and Cajun Fields, the latter the home of Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns football team - and we also passed some a surburban area that could have been taken out of a movie.

Back at the hotel it had gotten dark, so I stayed outside for a while to watch the 4th of July fireworks, but from the hotel there was not much to see. So instead we went to bed early, after having set the alarm clock to six am.

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