Day 3; Seguin, Texas

By the time I finish the Big Drive, I will have crossed Texas in a large V from northeast to southwest and up to northwest.  Considering Texas is larger than France, the Netherlands, and Belgium combined, this is no mean feat.  On my way out of Arkansas, I finally spotted a Starbucks sign on the interstate, and exited to get a latte fix.

The Big Drive entered Texas at Texarkana, at the border with Arkansas.  Unlike the song "Cotton Fields" might claim, there is nowhere in Louisiana that is "just about a mile from Texarkana."  The nearest that Louisiana comes to Texarkana is about 40 miles.

Texas is a state of mind

Over the course of the next many hours, I travelled 425 miles diagonally down US Routes 59 and 79, past green fields and through little towns like Henderson, Buffalo, and Hearne.   I avoided Dallas since I would have hit it at rush hour.

I was welcomed to Linden, Texas ("Gateway to the Lakes") by a welcome officer, who invited me to "enjoy my visit in Texas" after giving me a $178 speeding ticket for exceeding the posted limit by 10 miles per hour.  He sounded just like Gomer Pyle.  When I expressed some surprise at the cost, he reminded me that this was actually the lowest price speeding ticket they had.  Had I not been wearing a seatbelt, the price would have soared another $200! I wanted to take his photograph, but decided that might not be appropriate.  It is interesting that the Linden, Texas website sports a photo of their courthouse, they must give out a lot of these "welcome" tickets.  http://www.lindentexas.org/

It was just getting dark when I reached my hotel, the Seguin Comfort Suites.  I am finished with cabins for awhile; this place has a sitting area, fridge & microwave, pool, fitness center, and a 24-hour IHOP next door.  The manager even allowed Sam and Sheba to spend one night since I had missed the closing time for kennel where they will spend the weekend.  After our cabins, this felt like the Ritz.  (Well, maybe not the Ritz, but it does seem quite nice.)

John Steinbeck said that "Texas is a state of mind, a mystique approximating a religion."  I'll be here for four days, so let's see how religious I feel on my way out.