North it is! I struck out into the desolate oil fields under gray skies, with the strange chicken-like oil rigs pecking at the ground. Within half an hour, I was in tiny Wink, Texas, where Roy Orbison grew up. He said that life in Wink was “football, oil fields, oil, grease, and sand.” Doesn’t look like much has changed. I continued through Kermit and Andrews; the towns became more developed and modern, but the gloominess remained. It wasn’t just the weather. I rebuked the feeling with puzzle podcasts.
It’s been a while since I felt I was just driving to get somewhere. If I don’t count my time on the interstate, I might have to think all the way back to the carbon-copy Indianapolis suburbs. There’s not a lot to note here; while my listicle yesterday reminded me that every place I go is filled with detail, I failed to find many details worth detailing.
While the plains stayed the same, the temperature was falling, and I resigned myself to the first of what I presume will be many hotel rooms. I pulled into Amarillo around 4pm with a roaringly hungry stomach. The Food Bible recommended the brisket at Tyler’s Barbecue, which was an absolute winner. The meat was intensely flavorful, the green beans were crisp and full of umami, and the sauce had some kick to it. Without question. This was the highlight of the day.
I’m in my room now, luxuriating in a real bed. Tomorrow I set out for some legal vandalism.
Legal vandalism. I wonder what that means. Maybe I’ll find out in your next post. Temperatures are dropping here now also. Part of a front that went through the west when you were in Amarillo. I hope you don’t get the snow showers that are predicted for us. We stayed at Amarillo on our way to Illinois from NM several years ago. We had steak at a big steak house on the highway. Can’t remember its name but if you could eat their 72 ounce steak along with shrimp cocktail and potato and vegetable and dessert, you would get the meal for free. There were a couple of crazies trying to do that when we were there. Our steaks were very good. Oh — and there’s a time limit, too. They would have to finish the meal in an hour, I think it was. You were much better off with Tyler’s Barbecue I’m sure! Keep an eye on the weather. Seems winter is knocking on our doors. Love, Grandma
Jake — Is it true that after oil, Texas’ largest export is PEOPLE?