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Patman and I hooked up the trailer, and we
were off. In the weeks before the trip, Patman had been particularly
worried that my truck wasn't stout enough to pull the trailer and load
adequately. I'd assured him it would be fine, but shortly after takeoff I
began to look like a dunce. The truck was scuffling to make it past each
overpass; it was beginning to look like it would be a loooooonnnngg trip.
At our second stop, we decided some definitive action must be taken. We dumped the trailer's water tank, and did some re-arranging of the considerable load we were carrying. This helped greatly as the truck began to cruise along without much problem after this. Whew, reason #1 for Patman to kill me had been eliminated.
| “ | Fine with me, though he did manage to snag the "good" room with the simulated wood paneling while I was saddled with a smoking room that reeked to high holy Hades. ” |
Onward we pushed, and after supping in Las Cruces, NM we reached our evening's destination of Lordsburg, NM. Patman insisted upon getting separate motel rooms for the night; guess he was worried I'd try and get fresh or something. Fine with me, though he did manage to snag the "good" room with the simulated wood paneling while I was saddled with a smoking room that reeked to high holy Hades.
Friday, January 5, 2001. At the end of this day we'd be in Lucerne Valley, CA. I was so anxious I about peed my pants. After breakfast, we set out along Interstate 10 past some of the most stunning scenery of the trip. The desert of western New Mexico and Texas Canyon in southeast Arizona is truly breathtaking countryside, especially when you live in the armpit that is North Texas.
We slogged across Arizona while Patman regaled me with tales from his youth and of his previous travels around the great state of Arizona. Through Tucson we traveled, and eventually reached Phoenix. "We're making pretty good time, we should reach Lucerne Valley just before dark." Here's where the real fun began, and thus was born The Phoenix Debacle.
Around downtown Phoenix we encountered a sign saying that Interstate 10 was closed at 43rd St. "Shouldn't be a problem, I'm sure they'll just route us around whatever problem is causing the closure", I thought to myself. Besides, not being from Phoenix I had no idea of a way around the delay. We neared 43rd St. and encountered a problem: a large backup of vehicles. "We'll just have to wait it out, exit the freeway, and follow the detour." Ah, no.
Only one problem. When we reached the exit at 43rd St. there was no detour of any kind. OK, we'll just go south a block or two, hang a right, go west a block or two and get right back on the freeway. So we did. Only one problem. When we got back up to the freeway, not only were we not allowed back onto the freeway, but we weren't even allowed across the overpass in order to go farther west on the north side of the freeway. Yes, we were forced back onto the freeway heading east, the direction we just came from, directly past the backup we'd just been mired in!!
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