October 16, 1998.  Friday.  No time.

    Day 17.  77,598 miles.  9:45 am.  It's been 2 1/2 weeks since I left
Alaska.  Wow, it wasn't too long ago I was driving through snow and
mountains, and now it's heat and plains.  This would be the last day of
the trip with a haul of 700 miles to Houston.  700 miles is probably the
longest I will drive in a day without taking a nap.
    The sign which says leaving New Mexico also said "Hasta La Vista."
    Once entering Texas, the scenery changed dramatically.  Instead of
the dry desert like scenery of New Mexico, the Texas land was filled
with farmable red dirt.  Huge portable sprinklers and (oil or water)
pumps decorated the landscape.  It actually looked like life here.
    We headed southeast towards San Angelo and skipped right by Lubbock.
About 10 years ago Lubbock, El Paso, and Brownsville were considered the
poorest metropolitain areas in Texas, and 3 of the top 10 poorest in
the nation.   Lubbock does have Texas Tech University going for it.
    Everytime I pass through San Angelo, this being the 4th time, I
always think it will be my last time visiting the city since it's so
far away from Houston.  San Angelo has a decent size town and has San
Angelo State University.  Back in the late 1989 I actually thought about
trying to come here.
    We followed highway 87 and eventually made a wrong turn sometime
after San Angelo.  I was going to go into Fredericksburg, and then head
east to Austin.  But luckily instead, we wound up on Texas 71 which is
a faster route to Austin.  Six months ago when I was leaving Texas, I
had taken Texas 71.  Wow.
    There was a tiny town west of Austin where we stopped at a Citgo
convenient store and purchased a postcard.  This would be the final
postcard I send on this trip.  Next to the store was some kind of body
shop which had many old Volkswagon Bugs in the front.
    We arrived in Austin late in the evening.  Around 10:00 pm.  We
stopped at my cousin's home, but everyone was out on this late Friday
evening.  So we waited about 10 minutes while my dad had a smoke, left
a message, and headed home to Houston.
    Houston is approximately 150 miles from Austin.  We took Highway 290
east.  After a boring 2 1/2 ride, we made it home around 1:00 am.  A
grueling 700 mile drive and I wasn't all that sleepy.  Last night when
I slept lightly I was afraid I may not be able to last the whole drive.
But here it is.  
   The end of the road.  Almost 3 weeks later, I have arrived in Houston
from Anchorage, Alaska.  If not for my dad, this trip would have lasted
a few more days.  Again, one day, they'll be another rainbow...
somewhere...waiting to be taken.