sometimes I really hate reading online mapping directions...

[Ann Onymous]

For an upcoming trip that I am actually driving instead of flying...this was the line that basically follows for when I clear San Antonio...

Take exit #156/EL PASO onto I-10 W - go 1328.9 mi

all I can say is thank whatever deity for cruise control...because that is going to be one incredibly boring stretch of driving.  It is also a very significant majority of the drive since the trip itself is only a little more than 1500 miles. 

[tekla]

I got the ramblin' fever said goodby to ma and pa
crossed that ol red river and this is what I saw
I saw miles and miles of texas all the stars up in the sky
I saw miles and miles of texas gonna live here till I die

I'm particularly fond of the signs in the Cali rest stops outside of Blythe that warn you of all the snakes around. 

[Ann Onymous]

I'm particularly fond of the signs in the Cali rest stops outside of Blythe that warn you of all the snakes around.

LOL...I guess I will have to keep an eye open for those (well, both the signs and the snakes) since I get to go through there enroute to my destination. 

[Katelyn]

For an upcoming trip that I am actually driving instead of flying...this was the line that basically follows for when I clear San Antonio...

all I can say is thank whatever deity for cruise control...because that is going to be one incredibly boring stretch of driving.  It is also a very significant majority of the drive since the trip itself is only a little more than 1500 miles.

They couldn't have told it to you more bluntly 

I've done that stretch of driving (your probably coming to California) and though not alone, the west Texas end can be quite boring, till you get near El Paso, and then its the desert southwest with some interesting landscapes in New Mexico and Arizona.  I think driving through the great plains is much more boring.  Try to be as positive as you can about the landscape, enjoy it, and I found it fascinating enough to drive through places to both enjoy it and not get bored much.

I've done a lot of trips between L.A. and Tucson, AZ alone, and I myself like to hear political radio (the liberal / progressive kind) using my Iphone and that along with drinks gets me through without much of a problem.  I don't know if you have an Iphone or similar, you could use OoTunes to access many different radio stations around the country.

I myself, since I have a tendency to get sleepy at times (and I don't drink coffee), I'm aware of the "lonely stretches" that don't have a rest stop or gas station for many miles, and I make sure that I feel ok enough to go through them, and I make sure to get about 10 minutes of rest (walking outside and around) at many points in the trip.

[Ann Onymous]

I've done that stretch of driving (your probably coming to California) and though not alone, the west Texas end can be quite boring, till you get near El Paso, and then its the desert southwest with some interesting landscapes in New Mexico and Arizona.  I think driving through the great plains is much more boring.  Try to be as positive as you can about the landscape, enjoy it, and I found it fascinating enough to drive through places to both enjoy it and not get bored much.

yeah, its a Cali trip...and yeah, I have done more than my share of driving in my lifetime.  I tend to do most of my driving at night since it greatly reduces the number of Kettles on the road that just slow me up (unfortunately, the elimination of the nightime drop in the speed limit won't have taken place yet- it is 80MPH during daylight hours out there but 65MPH at night).  And I have done that West Texas drive on more than a few occasions...living out there creates new perspective when you consider places like Fort Stockton to be a big city    I actually contemplated buying a few hundred acres out near Terlingua many years ago...I liked the land I looked at but decided it was too long of a drive to where we would use it with any regularity. 

And I have seen more than one of the inspection stations where they funnel everyone off the interstate for the rolling pass-through as they claim to look for illegals...funniest one was when I was in a big rental truck with a kid in the front seat- Border Patrol never even had us come to a complete stop or give an indication that they might want to look in the back.  And this was during prime smuggling hours...   

I've done a lot of trips between L.A. and Tucson, AZ alone, and I myself like to hear political radio (the liberal / progressive kind) using my Iphone and that along with drinks gets me through without much of a problem.  I don't know if you have an Iphone or similar, you could use OoTunes to access many different radio stations around the country.

I don't do the iPhone but I do have enough CD's to get me through most any drive (yeah, I am still old school and actually listen to CD's in the vehicles when there is no decent radio).  If push came to shove, I can also stream XM through the phone I do use...

[JungianZoe]

I'm aware of the "lonely stretches" that don't have a rest stop or gas station for many miles, and I make sure that I feel ok enough to go through them, and I make sure to get about 10 minutes of rest (walking outside and around) at many points in the trip.

Those are the very stretches that invigorate me!   I seek them out specifically for their solitude and mind-clearing ability.  I usually turn off any music that isn't meditative when I'm on a stretch of road like that, because I want to feel the unique energy of the land without distraction from other places or my mind.

One of the best drives I ever took was a little stretch of road between Santa Rosa and Roswell, NM.  In the 40 minutes it took to drive, I saw two cars going the other direction and none going my way.  In fact, it was so desolate that I stopped to take some pictures... one of them lying down on the road.



There were signs of old life there, but not much in the way of anything recent.



So my thoughts?  Don't assume it'll be a boring drive, but enjoy the land for what it is!   As Willie Nelson sang,

On the road again
Going places that I've never been
Seeing things that I may never see again
I can't wait to get on the road again

[tekla]

Yeah, but Willie ain't driving it.  He's in the back of his bus puffing.

[Ann Onymous]

Yeah, but Willie ain't driving it.  He's in the back of his bus puffing.

and waiting for a new plea agreement since the judge just refused to sign the one that was tentatively arranged on charges related to last year's arrest...the plea was going to be to a lesser offense of possession of paraphernalia and include a $500 fine.  Judge had actually signed the plea and then scratched her name out...