head west, young man

davy crockett statue in ozona

day one: monday june 28

depart houston: 6:16 a.m.

arrive marfa: 4:11 p.m.

total miles: 589

favorite moment: in san antonio. around 9:30 a.m. my mom, after i had missed the exit for I-10 west, told me it would be fine if we continued on highway 281 to johnson city. "courtney," she said, "surely I-10 will connect to 281 somewhere along the way and we'll get back on track."

yes mother, your logic makes sense to me. 281, which runs north from san antonio, is bound to connect to an interstate that runs due east and west from california to florida. i stubbornly but politely refused to do anything but find our way back onto I-10 and head west. (which only took us about 8 minutes and 4 extra miles.)

the llano river in junction, texas

My feet are propped in a patio chair as I sit here in West Texas, a town called Marfa, home to 2500 people and known mostly for two things: the movie "Giant" and and the Marfa Mystery Lights. My mom and I drove here today from Hosuton - just shy of six hundred miles and ten hours in the car. Many things amazed me today: the ability to pack a few bags, save some money over a few months, research a few things online, and hit the open road for three weeks. The terrain of Texas is another amazement. We began our journey in a sprawling swamp full of dozens of nationalities living in the same monstrous city, and we rest here in a dry, pleasant town of mainly Mexicans and white folk that boasts a handfull of street signs and buildings, so rural that if you sneezed while driving on the highway, you might miss it altogether.

The large fountain is gurgling loudly in the courtyard where we sit, the Hotel Paisano waving the six flags that have each flown over Texas at one time or another. Our room is the very one Elizabeth Taylor stayed in for two months while filming 1963's best motion picture "Giant." I knew about the classic in high school because Memorial High was built in 1964 during the movie's height of popularity. Whoever has the task of choosing high school mascots named us the Mustangs because they ran horses on the Reata, which happened to be the title of our yearbook.

Anyways, its a great movie full of stars like James Dean, Rock Hudson, and a young Dennis Hopper, all of whom based at our hotel for several weeks during the movie. The hotel is much unchanged and full of charm - charm that may have long worn out to most. However, if you appreciate the glory days of decades past and Texas history, as my mom and I do, you would enjoy both the hotel and the town of Marfa. And almost anyone could appreciate the desert air and cool temperatures.

I'll have to fill you in our "light viewing" another day. For now, I'm in Santa Fe and getting ready to explore this marvelous, artsy, cobblestone town tomorrow.

Peace. Love. Border Patrol. (they're everywhere. who knew?)
Courtney