Dallas to Fort Stockton to Pecos to Lubbock to Dallas trip slated for April 2009! (Houston: hotels, home)

[fallguy]

Hi-
My Dallas to Fort Stockton to Pecos to Lubbock to Dallas trip slated for April 2009 with my friend in his new silver Mustang GT!

I've never been to Fort Stockton. I've been to Pecos 3 X (once 2004 on the way home to the dorm at TX TECH from Big Bend...on that trip we skirted the edge of FS on I-10) (again to Pecos in 2006 for The West of the Pecos Museum but filled up only camera I had at The Roy Orbison Museum in Wink) & then again to Pecos in 2008 with my digital camera at The West of the Pecos Museum.

I am returning to Pecos for Alfredo's Mexican Restaurant (which I missed last time b/c I had to eat at Burger Builders Drive-In in Hobbs en route to free lodging at a friend's apt. in Lubbock then back to Dallas. Dallas/West of the Pecos Museum in Pecos Part 2/Hobbs/Lubbock & back to Dallas again was 'only' 1,100 miles in 2 days in my friend's Toyota Tacoma!) then after Alfredo's we're going to my friend's apt. in Lubbock for more free lodging then going back home to Dallas.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
fallguy

[shoe01]

Be sure to take pics and post them (esp. of Lubbock east of the Jones). Does the Red/Black game take place then?

Please accept my apology for my rant about multiple postings. That was wrong of me.

[catman]

If you're going all the way to Pecos, why not go a little farther and visit Alpine/Marfa/Ft Davis and McDonald Observatory?

[fallguy]

Apology accepted, shoe01. I just try to get all the divergent views I can about places I've never been to b/c it's good to do so & I like talking to you all on here.

I don't know, catman, I have been to those 4 once (2004-only drove by McDonald Obs.) with that different friend than is in charge of the April or May 2009 trip.

Derek who is in charge of the 2009 trip is a proud 1999 graduate of Quanah HS btw. Wichita Falls & Oklahoma & a proud 2004 graduate of Texas Tech B.S. & M.S. in Accounting. (I am a proud 2005 graduate of Texas Tech B.S. Human Dev. & Fam. Studies.)

I missed the Marfa Lights b/c my friend Jon (orig. from Albuqerque) & I hit Marfa at 5:00 PM & reached the dorm at Tech in Lubbock at 3:30 AM, having left LBK for Albuquerque & Santa Fe & Roswell (but skipped the UFO Museum b/c the guy in charge of the 2009 trip went in 2002 & said it was the lamest thing ever!) to Carlsbad Caverns to Van Horn to Valentine to Marfa to Alpine to Fort Davis to Pecos to Odessa to Midland to Lubbock. That was the best $107 we ever spent on gas...5 tanks in a '97 Subaru Outback-or, $53.50 a piece in 2004 prices.

Jon drove the entire 1,300 miles in 43 hours to be a true hero, it is his car after all and, most importantly, he is far more directional than am I. I was born with a large spatial deficit that prevents me from using major highways.

I'm only able to drive to worship at First Baptist Church on Sundays in my hometown of McKinney, TX and to the public library. My parents & friends take me outside of McKinney. My parents took me to & from Lubbock during my good ol' undergrad days at good ol' Tech. I went to driving school in Allen, TX & learned everything but freeway/highway. Back in the mid-1990s when McKinney was not as large as it is today, I drove to high school and only drove in McKinney and only on surface streets. I just don't want y'all to think I'm a bum not helping these guys with the driving but I literally cannot and they understand completely.

Today Jon & his lovely wife Kristen still drive the same Subaru Outback around their adopted hometown of Houston!

[fallguy]

Hey Y'all-
Now after McKinney to Fort Stockton to Pecos we want to tack on the (free) U.S. Border Patrol Museum in El Paso then to Lubbock then to McKinney, for a grand total of some 1,500 miles in 2 days!!

fallguy

[piyf]

FYI, a Rustang GT is nothing to be happy about unless you like riding in a car that is seen everywhere and torqueless. But have fun in your trip and hopefully it doesn't break down.

Let me know if you want to ride in something with power and torque that is comfortable. Also, your cities seem to be a bit ZZZZZzzzzzZZZZZ. Should do

Dallas -> Galveston -> San Antonio -> Fredericksburg -> El Paso -> Dallas

Fort Stockton? Um you can jump across this city or even drive through it and not know you did.

[nunusguy]

Head out west to the Rockies where you can see some real classic mountain country of the American West. Treat yourself !

[fallguy]

danieloneil01, thanks for the classic reply regarding Fort Stockton which is a shock-value journey b/c my friend from there who now lives in Denton told me never to go to Fort Stockton b/c it's lame...must call him from there & do some gloating!

BTW, I've been to Galveston once for a wedding...it's OK. I've also been to San Antonio once & like it better than Galveston. I've never been to Fredericksburg nor have my parents but they want to go sometime.

Thank you to all respondents,
fallguy

[talljg]

Alfredo's is the best restaurant in Pecos. I eat there at least every other week. I live in Pecos, aside from the a few buildings coming down and a little road construction, it has really improved there are 3 new hotels being constructed, we will soon be getting a mini waterpark. If you need any other info, PM me.

[jtur88]

1. Stay off the main roads. The FM roads are great fun.

2. Remember, every town in Texas is a suspected speed trap, and a silver Mustang is pretty noticeable.