2 Backpacks, 2 Bikes, a Van and a plan..: Heading East and Back into the Desert

Greetings! Just a quick post as we finally turn direction and head east toward AZ/TX. Spent our last night in the San Diego area last night (La Mesa/ El Cajon) and are heading east on Route 8 in Southern California to finish up the state. I am typing this from El Centro, CA and we expect to hit the Arizona border this afternoon. It is strange to be back along the Mexican border - although a part of it we have never traveled before. Our surroundings have turned arid, rocky, and brown - with a notable absence of the color green except for on the sides of the Border Patrol vehicles!

We were shocked at how quickly we felt like we were in the desert again and how little time it took for the thermometer to register 90, then 95, then approaching 100. I did note with pleasure that our destination for the weekend in Marfa, TX is only supposed to be in the mid 70's or around 80 degrees, with cooler nights. That's good, as we will be camping out in the desert during the Trans Pecos Music Festival from Thursday through Sunday morning. Then we have a camping spot reserved for two nights in the Panther Junction residential housing area near our old friend Ranger Rob's home in Big Bend National Park. We will be celebrating Andre's 51st birthday with them on Monday night at our old haunt, The Starlight Theatre in Terlingua, TX. It was a no-brainer. After all, everybody who read our blog last summer knows that Monday night is burger night at the Starlight....

For now I'll say goodbye...