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Tuesday, August 2, 2011

A ticket in Van Horn


 What the hell is that? There a ticket stuck to my front windshield this morning. Now this is the first time I hear of get'n a ticket for park'n in a truck stop....with big ol' trucks park all around me. And in a tiny little burg like Van Horn? I been park'n this same spot since 2002. What a way to start a day!!!! Surprised I didn't get a ticket for the expired safety inspection sticker. Dumb ass cop.

Anyhows.....boy howdy let me tell ya. That little breeze what was blow'n yesterday afternoon....it were gone by 6pm. And then the heat hit. At 8pm the outside temp was 94 degs and the inside temp was 89. I'm gonna tell ya right now, it were miserable. Took off what clothes I could without being obscene....or something like that. "Well hell Billy Bob", start the generator and turn on some ac". That helped for a little while, but I ain't gonna run a generator what burns a gallon of gas every hour. Just do'n some quick calculations, that would have been right at 10 gallon what will take me down the road bout 85 mile....and the cost, how bout right at $35 an' some change.

Damn old "pesky neighbor" Wayne call me last night, right when I were doz'n off into slumber. He says "why you leave me so much money"?? Well ya see, it's like this. Wayne needs to have his porch (10x20 foots) insulated before winter 'cause he gonna have to sleep out there when he gets home. He done lose all his SS until he gets out of the nursing/therapy place. That's all he got, so I help out what I can. 

Decided I would wait here till close to noon so's I would hit my next destination, Big Spring or Abilene bout supper time. Somewhere's around 225 to 275 mile. Six hour behind the wheel of "da house" is a plenty for one day...includ'n rest and pee stops for old Billy Bob and Sadie Mae.


I were wait'n for someone to ask how I knowed what the temps of the tires were. Ya see, I got one them electronic infra red lazor temperature thingys what ya just point the little red dot to where ya want to check temp. Is that clear enough?

Look for updates....right cheer.

1:45 on I-20:
Boy howdy them miles just keep pil'n up. Well 120 or them anyhows. Did you know the speed limit on I-20 is 80 mile a hour. My God, if'n I was do'n the speed limit, I would be there already.

Now I want someone to tell me why anyone would want to live out here. I went through Pecos, Texas like poooof, it weren't there. Ain't a mountain in sight for miles and miles. Just flat worthless land. Remind me to NEVER go this way again.

From the looks of things, I'm gonna be in Big Spring way ahead of when I wanted to arrive....something like 4:30 or so. I'm sit'n in a Texas rest area with the generator on and the ac crank'n. It's frickin 115 degs out there.....in the sun though. Tire temps were only 127 degs for the hottest one. Blacktop temp was 121 degs.
OK, on da road again............

3:30pm.....one last update before destination....."but, but, but Billy Bob what is the destination for today"???
Ok, so I screwed up. I'll be in Big Spring in less than an hour drive time. And it's still 106 degs out there. As much as I hate to use an rv park just for an overnighter, I may have to do just that. AHHH!!! Air conditioning all night long. Ok....fount a rv park for 26 dollar a night for 50 amp service. That may be destination.

Ok, this is the last update for the day. I'm parked in the Whip'in RV park in Big Spring. Got both ac crank'n out all they will do. It's 108 degs outside....in da shade.....with cloud cover. Let someone else in Texas try to beat that score.

Odometer: 31941.6
Total miles driven today 234.9 miles
Total trip miles 462.4 miles  (perfect Billy Bob)

9 comments:

  1. Getting a ticket sucks specially first thing in the morning. Glad you did not see the cop or we might have to be bailing you out of jail :D

    Thanks for answering my question about the tires as I had never heard such a thing.

    Bought a Hula Hoe but it had scalloped edges tried it on a small patch but it did not work well so took it back. Bought one that had straight edges and it worked a little better. Funny thing no one eihter at Sutherlands or Home Depot had ever heard of it much less knew how to use it.

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  2. After reading your post I think I will never drive through Pecos TX either. Glad you're taking care of yourself and planning to leave the A/C on all night. Us "oldies-but-goodies" can't take the heat like those kids can!

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  3. I bet it is cheaper to rent a site than run the genny all night.

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  4. MsB, good thing that cop didn't wake me up this morn'n. I'm a mean old critter when I gets up.....grrrrr and all that stuff.
    But I ain't done yet. Gonna be writ'n a nasty email to the City of Van Horn before I pay a damn cent. What brings me to thought, UPS them $85 in pennies. Think I would make the news like that other feller did???

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  5. Gypsy, it's not that I mind driving on I-20 in west Texas, it's just that I would like to "see" something along the way. If'n it hadn't been for count'n oil wells, I would have been asleep at the wheel. Damn there were a bunch of them. As far as heat is concerned, I can handle it just fine....until I start sweat'n and them I smell like an old he goat.

    Barney, how right your are. The rv park rent is also cheaper than an $85 fine for parking overnight in the truck stop.

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  6. Why are you on I-20? You should be heading down near where Barney is, it is a lot cooler down there than up north. Heck, it is even cooler here than in Dallas.

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  7. I'm interested in what has happened since the ticket. I'm hearing talk of a letter-writing and boycotting campaign. I got nothin' but time on my hands, and I don't mind writing a few emails with $$$ signs in them and amplifying a little bit on our blog.

    Give 'em hell.

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  8. I'm with Dizzy Dick... I-20 in West Texas in August? oh, man.

    That ticket is outrageous... what was the truck stop?

    Van Horn, Texas in August with a ticket... you must have had some bad karma built up ... ;)

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  9. Billy Bob,

    You do not say that you asked permission to park and were granted said permission.
    It seems to me IF you had done so and were told that it was OK you would be in a better position to fight the ticket although the Ordinance says you have to have the permission in writing.

    "12.12.040 - Regulations and restrictions on camping.

    A. Except in designated areas or in areas in which prior written permission has been granted by the owner or agent in charge of the real property, it shall be unlawful for any person to camp within the city limits of the town of Van Horn, Texas. "

    If you did NOT ask permission there is a good chance it was the Truck Stop that turned you in.

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