Lonewacko drives from Fort Stockton Texas to Carlsbad New Mexico

A couple weeks ago I drove to Carlsbad, NM starting from Fort Stockton, TX. Fort Stockton is a dumpy, disheveled hole which isn't that bad a place to spend a night, except it doesn't have a Wendy's nor a Hardee's/Carl's Jr. I had a bit of a problem at the Wal*Mart there, and, if not for the fact that it's the only Wal*Mart for untold miles, I'd suggest you avoid shopping there.

On my way to Alpine, I had stocked up in the FS Wal*Mart, spending in excess of $28. At the time I was wearing my backpack, and no one said a word about it as I was spending my hard-earned blogging dinero.

A couple days later I went back, and I was told by the "greeter" and her supervisor that I couldn't wear my backpack in the store. They seemed to like my money good enough before. In protest of this ever-changing policy, I immediately went out to my car and returned as much of the stuff as I could. I even went back with a second load later.

On the way to Carlsbad, I drove through Pecos, which is about 20% larger than Fort Stockton and about 30% more run-down. I saw a few places with smashed windows, and I hadn't seen anything like that in Fort Stockton. The girl who was trying to sell Avon products was cute, but her and her high-heeled tennis shoes were a bit too young and it looked like she was driving a family van, so I didn't even make an attempt when I met her outside Pecos' museum. I didn't have a second thought about it when I accidently met her again at a gas stations blocks from there. I had gone to the gas station by chance. While getting into my car outside the closed museum, I had seen a cop car go by. Then, a half a minute later, what looked like an unmarked cop car went the same way. Thinking something was up, I followed the unmarked car, but I lost it somewhere near the freeway. So, turn to someone else for the Pecos crime blotter.

Overall, Pecos looks like a good place to just drive through. On my way to doing that, I decided to stop at the local McDonalds. The girl at the drive through had a cold and, after thinking about it for a bit, I decided to go inside and return it. The men's room was out of soap, so I was forced to use some of my precious hand sanitizer.

There was no "McDonald's" under the large double-arches outside, just a big empty space. Perhaps it had been stolen or had fallen off.

Standing beside the counter was my old friend Ronald McDonald. However, he looked a bit different from his usual trademarked self. Specifically, the styrofoam figurine had strange white lines and pockmarks on his orange suit. Upon closer inspection, it turned out not to be a new design. It looked like Ronald had been run over or otherwise abraded.

Comments

Guy with a car who goes to Wal Mart wearung a backpack wants a hassle. Esp if they let him in with it before. Hates Wal Mart...wants to start a stink! Return the merchandise GRRR GRRR. Etc. If hitching I can understand taking a backpack in. You want to keep it on, not leave it outside or in the hands of strangers who might find your just-in-case steak knife. Lots of town have defunct shops so roam while you are free, write of that you see. Might get rounded up by volunteers working for the government. Don't criticize the government whatever you do. Right now...roam where you will, while you can. I roamed when I was young...watch yourself dude. Not safe anymore to hitch or even travel alone.