Monday, October 13, 2008

The Pas-o….at least it’s not San Angelo



(if you my friend are from the West Texas town known as El Paso, I am sorry in advance for any insults this article may give you. I am also sorry for that you are from there.)
hELl Paso. I’ve only been to El Paso once before and it lived up to my memory. We unfortunately had to spend 1.5 hours today walking around the El Paso mall. I know, I know- I couldn’t have planned this excitement even if it was double highlighted in the AAA travel book and held open with a bright pink binder clip. We hit the Wal-Greens and had a “gringo-tastic” fun time at the McD’s as we waited 5 minutes for two drinks and 2 apple pies whilelocals got their super double cheeseburger with pickles and onions in seconds. Who knew it could take that long to reach over and grab two of the pre-made apple pies.
Why were we so lucky to grace the halls of the El Paso mall, you ask? My little Mazda, after paying close to $400 to get pre-trip work, was pulling awfully during the drive. We stopped between the Franklin Mountains to hit the Sears for a quick alignment to the car. The Mazda is having a time getting up to 80 with the bikes and luggage. The hills are killing its getup and we had hoped fixing the alignment would help with the rest of the drive. It has helped a little but the suggested replacing of the struts hasn’t helped my attitude. We opted to save the time and just go with what the car has now, replacing them later on. Oh El Paso, you have made me understand the armpit of Texas and made me appreciate being in the heart of this great state.
Joy came as we left El Paso and now we are on the road in New Mexico, a previous home of mine. We are about to go through the boarder patrol. It is nice knowing we are totally legal in every way, something that may or may not have been questioned in my previous life as a college student. From boarder patrol central, we’ll continue on to a scenic route of 190. We are going to drive through the petrified forest and end up at Hovenwheep sometime late tonight. We’ll be able to play in the morning at Hevenwheep and make our way to Moab in only a few hours. El Paso has passed my mind. Maybe we’ll take that other route on the way home.

6 comments:

Tightwads of PDX! said...

well, if you *do* go back through El Paso - drop me a line. I have teammates there who could perhaps show you a rosier side of the town... and take you out for some damned good Mexican food, rather than crappy Mickey D's! Plus, they have all the good intel i you need to just get out and ride your bikes!!!

I have lotsa good info on NM too, my home state until very recently (Taos followed by ABQ... where were you?)

Josh

woohoo said...

You were in El Paso and had no better sense than to eat at McDonalds when you could have been eating great mexican food??? And you feel sorry for us? You form an opinion of a place based on a very short experience due to your broken down car and then you sling insults at hundereds of thousands of people? I feel sorry for you.

CQ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
CQ said...

I will expand on my experience to clarify things Ben and Josh. I never eat at McD's. I have much more sense to eat at one of the many wonderful local food places. We would have done that if we had not been stuck in the mall waiting for my car to be worked on. It was a fusteration rant on my part mainly. We walked by the McD's in the mall and stopped to get a drink only (pies were for greg), after five minutes of waiting for a drink cup and seeing 4 people get their burgers, we were pretty steamed.

Sorry you cant get my humor but the experience in the mall was less than a good time. I'd love to see El Paso in a better light. My two experiences there have not been good at all (the last unfortunately did include a local mexican restaurant). I'd really love to stay and play on the bike for a day or two as well as enjoy the boarder.

Josh- I'd love to get back to NM and play some more. We stayed in Cloudcroft on our last night. Amazing area- the moon was full and bright as we drove up the mountains. Kind of surreal. I lived a very happy 6 months at the base of Sandia Peak when I was 10. Awesome area and it was fun to drive back through, though 20 years later.

Frogg said...

Isn't that crazy to be able to say "20 years" ago and remember what that was like? Amazing. I can't wait to hear about your trip. And ditto on McD's I can't hang with the food. I wish they would make wheat english muffins. I would rock the egg mcmuffin!

Dueces,
E.

woohoo said...

Well i apologise for overreacting. I was born and grew up in El Paso. Lots of times people just pass through - literally just drive through it on the freeway and then talk about what a horrible city it is. Gets old after awhile.

But I know a fair number of people from the northeast and midwest who came down to El Paso, loved it, and stayed. Sunny weather, mellow and friendly people, great mexican cultural influence, and some really nice natural areas within a couple of hours drive.

So anyway, enough about el paso, that's not the subject of your blog.