Alpine, TX--brother Paul visits

Hello everyone,

Today there were NO flats, NO motorhome repairs and 70+ miles advanced toward the east.  It was a beautiful day of travel across the desert of western Texas through all but deserted towns and finally a mountain pass into Alpine.  Dave and Mike did well although they were never sure they were going to ride the whole way until it was downhill into town.  Paula and I stopped every 20 miles to wait for them to catch up, refuel, and ride on.  

When we rode into Alpine Paul Runyan was waiting at the RV park.  He has pitched a tent on our site and will fly back to CO tomorrow.  It is so good to see a familiar face.

We rode through Valentine, NM and stopped to take a picture of the sign.  It is almost deserted.  So sad to see the cafe, gas station, and homes just rotting away.  Reminds me a lot of driving into Mazatlan, Mexico from the airport.

An interesting sight between Marfa and Valentine.  Paula and I drove by a small, stucco building all by itself on the side of the road.  The sign said Prada Marfa.  It sat was in the middle of nowhere.  We had to go back by it to find the guys and wondered again what it was.  The third time by we stopped.  A small plaque off to the side said that 2 female artists in the town of Marfa had put up this building as an art piece.  Up close it looks like a small store with glass windows and a door and inside are handbags and shoes on display.  The door in inoperable.  It is like a piece of sculpture.  Quite unique.

The town of Marfa is best known for the Marfa Lights.  We stopped off at what is called an observatory where at night they sponsor programs about the lights that can be seen on the distant desert floor and mountains that are unexplained phenomena.  The explanation sounds somewhat like Northern Lights although the display is on the ground.  Our map says that there are luminous, pulsating lights dancing over the mountains and roads.  We are going to look into this.  It would be worth the 18 miles back to see tomorrow night.

During one of our stops along the road today a tow truck stopped to see if we needed help.  That was reassuring.  Thank goodness we could say no.

We have to turn our clocks ahead tonight but we will not have to rise early tomorrow, thank goodness.  There is a Methodist Church in town, so we may try that tomorrow.  Dave needs hearing aid batteries so that is next on our list.!  

Goodnight from west Texas.

Lana