unat '04--Day Five (An Intermission)

Austin, TX to Lubbock, TX
Today's Mileage: 390 mi. Total Mileage: 835 mi.
TT: 7.5 hours TTT: 17.5 hrs.
QOD: None.
NON: Apparently they're selling really good beef at the O'Reilly Auto Parts Store in Brownwood, TX.

There's really only one way to sum up the first leg of the trip:

To My Friends (you know who you are)—You're all very smart and very funny and I often find myself filled with regret at underestimating you. At all times you're challenging (which I mean in a good way) and giving. The trip to Austin was not really about seeing the Pixies or Elvis Costello or anybody else for that matter. In my little head, I harbor the notion that this trip was probably the last chance to do something like this with you—all at once, that is (I happen to be one of those people that likes to have his friends in a herd). This leg of the trip was about satisfying my need for you. The heat that all of you radiate is an exponential factor of that bare, ACL sun (I think we can all admit that we sometimes generate more heat than light). I had four days to bask in it and I thank you for it.

On to Anchorage tomorrow.