Wedding in Houston, Texas

Back in the good ol’ US of A. I decided to drive back to Las Vegas with a stopover in Houston to attend my cousin’s wedding. Maybe (just maybe) I had it in the back of my mind I might hook up with a bride’s maid or something. Wasn’t meant to be though. This was a Baptist wedding — no drinking, dancing or any of that nonsense.

Rethinking Texas

Well, I’ve said some impolite things about Texas in the past. Mostly about the desert around the border with Mexico. Now that I’m in Houston, I’ve got to admit I need to reevaluate the state.

Leaving America

Customs, twice in one day! On the way out of Big Bend National Park, you get the park guys with customs agents who want to know if you bought anything or visited Mexico. It wouldn’t be hard, actually, the Rio Grand borders the park and there is very little in the way of barricades to stop you from wading on over. Because we have the plastic cover over the bed of the Silverado, they wanted to check inside. Interesting case — customs and border enforcement agents don’t need probable cause to search your vehicle; or a warrant. Of course, we had nothing, so we let them.

Big Bend National Park

“It’s not the destination that is important, it’s the trip.”

I believe that. Now Alex and I, after only a couple of days, have changed our itinerary to take advantage of it. As Alex said, “When am I ever going to be in this part of the world again?”

Htiching in Texas

I have been told hitchhiking in Texas is the pits. Not because the laws aren’t hitchhiker friendly, but because of the heat and the lack of rides. It might be the illegals that have ruined it, or something about Texans in general, but there are itinerants who avoid getting stuck in Texas at all costs.