Mhm.

Back on the road again.

Um I'm still going to be in texas today, the next stop, leaving Houston, and today I'm going to Fort Stockton.

Uh didn't even know Fort Stockton existed until I started mapping out this itinerary.

Originally, I wanted my next stop to be El Paso, but I felt like that distance was too long for puma.

I wasn't really sure how she was going to handle this road trip.

So I'm trying to keep it, you know, 8-9 hours a day of driving.

She's been doing really great though, and I think she's really enjoying this trip.

She loves the hotel stays, well, we've done one hotel stay so far, but she loved that hotel.

She really, really loved home two suites.

And you could just tell that she was super excited.

She was rolling around on the carpet, she was running down the hallways, and then this morning when we're about to go, she's like pumped up to go like, let's get going on a road trip, This is gonna be my third stop, and it's in texas.

Uh it's 492 miles from Houston, so 6.5 hours.

Um It's 7:50 a.m. And it says I'll be there at 2 25 PM, but again, I always add like an hour to that, so more like 3 30.

I'll be there.

I feel more energized today than I did yesterday.

Yeah.

Yesterday I was just feeling like crap on the drive in the beginning because I think it's a little hungover.

I'm just drinking a little bit of wine.

Just don't do well with alcohol anymore.

And the next day last night I got lots of sleep like a baby and I am ready for this road trip.

I almost feel like I could do way more than 6.5 hours.

But I guess, you know, I didn't know how here we go with myself now.

I know that she can handle long periods of time in the car.

Mm hmm.

I've been on the road for a couple hours now and we're gonna be making a stop soon.

It just so happens to be bucky's.

So it's an exit 6 32 and then it just get gas and use the restroom.

So I'll see how clean the restrooms are that They, you know, they claim that it's the world's cleanest restrooms.

So if it's as clean as busy bees on florida, then I'll be super happy.

Mm hmm.

This one.

So it's 1 69 per gallon here.

Hello.

You want to go for a walk?

Okay.

Oh my gosh, the sign is so funny.

Try to train your dog to do this.

That's awesome.

Nice dog walking area, plenty of space.

And lots of dog baggy stations.

Okay, ready to get going.

So this bucky's was actually a lot smaller than the one I went to in Katy.

Uh it's still big.

But it's just, it's way too crowded first of all.

Um, so many people in there and just like tighter quarters for that amount of people and then there's like two uh there's like two sets of gas pumps and the one in front of bucky's was all packed so I saw that there were more gas pumps to the side and there was plenty of room there.

I need to go to school.

You pay attention.

But yeah I was just amazed at how in fact it is.

I guess it is popular so I did use the restrooms in there and it's very clean but I still like busy bees restrooms in florida a lot better because their decoration is so much better and it's more spacious.

Um And yeah there's not enough sinks at this one this one in particular only had nine sinks.

I mean compared to all those stalls they had and their nine thinks it's not enough everybody so there was a line to use the sinks not the bathroom but the sinks so they should have definitely put in more sinks there.

But yeah it's very clean and you do get your own stall just like busy bees and they actually have hand sanitizer in front of the stalls.

But right now they took that out with the pandemic going on.

So they do have a sanitizer station before you enter the restroom.

So now I'm on my way to my next stop exit 587 where what a burger is kind of an early lunch but Okay coming up on my exit 587.

I hope it is here.

I haven't seen any sign.

Oh my gosh, I cut an exit.

The road is closed.

Well this really sucks.

I was really looking forward to that.

Whatever meal dang it.

I should have stopped at 607 like I kind of knew it.

Oh you should always go with your gut feeling this entire areas like under construction.

So they like completely closed off that exit.

Which it's B.

S.

They should have told you to exit earlier then.

Oh well we'll see what else I find it's not gonna be as good as water burger.

Of course.

It's so nerve wracking.

Okay.

I don't like big city driving in san Antonio right now.

Oh my gosh.

Like so many like merges and like crossovers take exit 1 56 on the right onto I 10 west toward el paso For 311 miles continue straight.

Uh I think that was the wrong way.

Did I don't know, there's like so many signs I can't keep up.

I feel like I'm on a regular highway now.

Okay.

Where am I?

Okay, okay, jesus what upper level And I don't understand why is there an upper level and lower level.

Mm hmm.

I guess I'm going the upper level.

I've never seen that.

So there's an upper level.

I 10 west and a lower level.

I 10 west.

That's confusing.

I don't understand why there's two separate ones.

Okay, so yeah, I am in san Antonio now and this is the furthest I've been on, on a road trip on I 10.

I didn't really drive any of that.

My ex did.

So, um, if you split up the drive like I'm doing, it's actually not that bad.

Um, you know, 89 hours a day totally handle.

So like if you stretch it, you know, gosh, I think it's like 12 hours from Pensacola.

I can't remember.

10-12 hours.

Um that's a long time.

So yeah, I can see how that could be super tiring because there is a lot of flat lands with nothing for a long time.

But I actually enjoy nothing like seeing nothing as well.

So I'm actually really enjoying this road trip and I know kuma is to really likes road trips I've discovered, which has always been good on the road like I said, but this road tripping in particular, she's been really great.

Oh, there's one of our guys, Why is it here?

And maybe it's B0 my gosh, it was right there.

Everybody's still make it that way.

We need to look up how to get to 22 minutes away at the stop sign, turn right there.

It is, whatever.

Super duper excited for my, whatever but that I missed it.

So happy camper.

Mm hmm.

I just finished my wonderful meal from water burger and now I'm actually in this area, it's around mile marker 5 31 And I just passed little Joshua Creek and uh, there's actually a mountainous areas around here so not all of texas is flat.

There's actually some pills.

I thought it was all going to be flat but apparently not beautiful.

Yeah, my ears are actually popping wow.

Yeah.

So I'm in the carry ville area around exit 508.

Yeah, really gorgeous views.

I was not expecting my ears to pop in texas.

Yeah, the views are getting more interesting for sure.

It's not flat anymore.

I just noticed that the speed limit around here around exit 4 80 is 80 MPH.

I don't think I've ever seen that before.

So that's 100 30 km.

Also just found out that um, the largest state in America is not texas.

It's actually Alaska.

Um, I don't know why I thought for sure texas would be number one because everybody talks about how big it is and driving through it takes forever.

Alaska's number one texas is the second largest state and the third largest day is California.

Yeah, Okay, I'm going to stop here at exit 4 56 junction and men are alright, Rock springs mason.

They have several gas stations and fast food joints.

I'm not hungry.

I just need to get some gas and use the restaurants like mr dot her legs for 56 has dairy queen sonic Subway pilot gas station to laugh at around two.

Mm hmm.

Well that was an interesting stuff.

Very, it's a pilot gas station.

They're usually like huge.

But this one was pretty small.

2 1/2 more hours.

Mm hmm.

I actually just got a call from the Fort Stockton Hotel.

I'm staying at the Best western plus just to confirm that I was still coming and I was bringing a pet.

I've never had that before.

A hotel calling me to confirm that I'm coming.

So I don't know if they called to make sure that I was to verify that I was bringing a pet and to make sure I knew that there was like a $20 pet fee and like, oh yeah, $20.

That's nothing compared to the $75.

I just pay $20 is super cheap for pet fees.

Like all hotels should charge $20.50 dollars tax.

But it is hot here.

This dry heat.

Oh man, it's like a different kind of heat.

I'm from Florida and it's hot there.

But I feel like the dry heat gets to me more.

It just feels so much hotter.

Yeah, I think it's 100 degrees right now.

My dashboard says 99°. It definitely feels like it.

Alright, just had to stop at a rest stop.

There's like three bathrooms in their three toilets.

Really, it's not rest stop, but it's needed because for a long stretch there there was no rest areas or rest areas.

Okay.

Got it.

Okay, so that was to stop that exit 308 or a little bit 4308 rest area.

I had to go really bad for a long stretch there there was no rest stops, No gas exits so God I'm gonna say at least 50 miles there was none unless I just completely missed them when I wasn't looking.

But um Yeah finally that rest area came up and I stopped by because I was like Oh man because I only have about 45 more minutes left on this drive to reach Fort Stockton's but I wasn't sure if I could wait that long, I mean if I had to I had to but I'm so glad there was a rest area before So I would say anywhere from exit 400 and 300 just look out for our restrooms if you need to go because like I said I was dying for a little bit, they're not the type that always has to go and it's like if I can't go and if I can't find anything it's like you have to go even more, you know?

Anyway it all worked out about 4.5 miles.

I'll be approaching exit to 59 B.

Where my hotel is in Fort Stockton's best western plus I had a really great reviews so that's what maybe decided to stay here in this area.

Use the right lane to take exit 59 B toward state Highway 18 and Monahan's keep left onto North West Interstate Frontage Road, then turn left In 800 ft.

Turn left onto North Front Street.

That's superstition.

How do you like the best?

Yeah, I think it's gonna be nice and comfy.

Yeah, mm hmm, mm hmm.