51415 miles on the odometer as I left Tim's apartment complex at 9:49 am on the second day of the roadtrip.
I stopped at my cousin's house to get his address to send postcards to his family as I made my way to...well, anywhere. Today was a holiday, so the kids didn't have school: Chau, the youngest daugher, and Hiep, the son, were the only ones home, and I got the address from them. My stay at their home was very brief since I was anxious to head on out, and I stayed at their place about 2 weeks earlier when I went to Austin for an Ultimate Fribee tournment.
As I left Austin, I felt a little bit sad because I've always liked Austin and considered moving here, especially when I lived in San Antonio. At this piont, I expect about another 9 hours of daylight. I thought I would head northwest towards Wisconsin, then into Canada, and then drive east and go south back to the United States around the New York area.
Most of this day was spent driving north. I didn't really have a clue to where I was headed, but I did make a promise to myself that I wouldn't regret where I was going. The pace was casual since there was no rush to be anywhere at anytime.
As I drove northward, I decided that I was going to remain in Texas for one more day. I've always felt like Texas has chained me down because it was so large of a state, and it would take hours of driving from Houston just to leave the state, and here I considered staying one more night.
I went into Killeen, Texas, and tried to find the historic Luby's where a guy drove his truck into the restaurant and got out and murdered all those people before taking his own life. I remembered being in school at Texas A&M when it happend. The news said that only one person in the House of Reprentative (state I believe, not federal) changed his viewed about gun control. He was a reprentative from this district. I've wondered why suicidal, homocidal maniacs never go on a shooting spree where people are selling drugs or doing illegal things....
There was a Luby's off 190, but I'm not sure that was the one. I figured it would be obvious if I saw it, but no luck. Killeen is approximately 80,000 people.
I went into Wichita Falls and got something to eat at a Subway. I've decided that I would do my best to try to remain a vegetarian...it's something I believe, and it's one of those "stick to your guns" kind of feeling, and it's not too terribly difficult to be a vegetarian.
I arrived at Lake Arrowhead State Park just south of Wichita Falls, Texas, to make camp for the evening. The park charged $7.00 per non-electric campsite, plus $1 per person. It was a very liberating experience to camp out with nothing much. I felt another jigsaw puzzle of my life has just been placed because living the true outdoorsman lifestyle is what I've always wanted to do. And this is just the beginning of the rest of my life.
I had purchased 4 postcards and the Park Ranger's office at the entrance and filled them out. The cards were made out to my family, Andy, Thuy, and Gilly. Before I left Houston, I had purchased a roll of 100 postcard rate stamps, and I planned to use them all.
The tent was set up with a beautiful view of the full moon. I'll never forget this moment.
As I layed down and tried to sleep, I could hear the laughter of the kids at the campsite next to me. It didn't bother me at all; in fact, it brought a smile within me. I sometimes wished life could be so simple and full of laughter...nothing much to worry about. It's a shame as we mature, society has to poison us, and our lives can't get any simpler.
I have learned from this trip that life can be simple. It's a very liberating experience. My life, even before this trip, has always been simple and relaxed. I don't think there were many times when someone asked me what I was doing that I'd reply I was busy. Even at work, I tried to help my co-workers out even though I had deadlines to meet.
Later in the evening, a Hispanic family settled in the other adjacent tent site. I was thinking that this was a primitive site and don't know if there were any restrooms. Just hoped I don't have to take a dump in the morning because there doesn't seem to be much covering. Plus, the lake didn't seem like it was clean enough to swim in.
For the day, I travelled 400 miles. Four hundred lonely miles, but once I reached my destination, wherever that is, it'll all be worth it. Just being on the road gives me a sense of freedom.
I can't say that my day was anything more than that.