It's Early Mornin' On I-19

This is my first driving break, as I have the trust and faith in Toshi to take command of the VW, hoping to not run us into the cactus.

The Texas Hill Country is beautiful, and so far is surprisingly it's not very hot yet. As the temperature reads a mere 90 degrees. The tunes in the vehicle range from Ben Folds to The Mars Volta and everything in between. Fitting considering The Mars Volta is from El Paso. Right now I'm co-pilot with Microsoft Maps 2004, a bitchin' program I would recommend to anyone.

Our stop tonight will be in Las Cruces New Mexico, about 50 miles outside of El Paso. That will put us about 400 miles from Tuscon, where we meet up with Toshi's friend for tea and crumpets, or Japanese food. We are cruising at rates in excess of 100 mph in the heat and vastness of the desert.

Stopped and ate at a steakhouse in Seonra, and everyone in the place looked at Toshi. It was like the locals have never seen a Japanese or asian guy before. To quote Toshi he said 'I felt all the eyes in the restaurant on me.' The buffet consisted of fried chicken, fried steak, potatoes, a nice healty meal for growing boys. I drank so much tea, I had to pi$$ every rest area. The V-dub is kickin' ass and takin' names on the highway, would make the germans who designed the thing proud

As Tenacious D would say, the road is F*ckin' Hard, but the tunes and thoughts of the promise land keep us pressing on. Toshi was very excited to see numerous wind farms along the way, taking about 1,000 pictures. FINALLY we rolled into El Paso only to be met by a killer dust storm, which was a fascinating experience. I've never drove thru one before, and I hope to never have to again.

Well we put down about 650 miles today of hard driving. My lips are chapped, I'm dehydrated, and extremely exhasted as we are in Las Cruces, soaking up free wireless and AC. off to dreamland for another long day of driving tomorrow, in hopes to reach Hoover Dam.

That's it, I-19, the Interstate in which Neil Hannon makes 'famous' in the ever 'popular' Freedom Road Tune, which I will be referencing the rest of the trip, and will also get to see it as it runs from Tuscon on down into Mexico.

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'It's early morning on I-19,
I ain't got much for company:
A pick-up truck, a brown Volvo
And a couple of jokers on the radio.

I wish that it could stay like this
But soon I'll have to put up with
The whole world and his Uncle Joe
Cluttering up my freedom road.'