Change of Plans

Wednesday, June 27, 2012--Abilene to El Paso via Midland-Odessa

Originally, I had planned to spend the night in Midland or Odessa, but when I tried to make a reservation, many places were unavailable, and most of those that were available were priced at $120 or more per night.  Even the Motel 6 was $90 plus tax!  I guess the oil boom is the cause.  I also tried Pecos, and nothing was available there.  I now know that the cause of that is the West of the Pecos Rodeo started today.  Therefore, I decided, since I was bringing my tent, to go to Balmorhea State Park and camp out.  I could swim in the refreshingly large spring-fed pool.  But the day was another scorcher.  As I approached the turn-off for Balmorhea, the temperature outside was 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).  I knew it would be miserable trying to put the tent up and trying to sleep with temperatures like that.  With nowhere else along the route other than dusty small towns, I decided to make the LONG trip all the way to El Paso.

After having seen everything I wanted to in Midland-Odessa over only 2 a two-hour period and after having traveled only 3 hours on the road to get there, I was actually glad I had been unable to find an acceptable place at a reasonable price for the staying there.  I cannot imagine any reason why anyone would want to be there overnight.

I've read several gleaming articles about Midland with its tall office buildings downtown and its people with oil wealth.  Downtown does have lots of office buildings.  They cover an area about 4 blocks wide and about 6 blocks long.  Some are sleek and modern.  Many are from the 50s and 60s.  None have much character.  And I counted at least 6 that were completely abandoned.  On the Internet, I read about two that had been imploded recently.  There was really nothing else downtown.  It seemed strange with only office building after office building.  I didn't even get out to walk; I just drove up and down the streets several times.  The only older building I saw was the Yucca Theater, and even it looks strange--a low, wide theater that looked squatty.  It was locked tight with no chance of seeing inside.  With nothing else I could find on the Internet to try to see in Midland, I headed for Odessa.

Odessa is strange in its own way.  The two major sites to see in town are copies--one of the Stonehenge on the university campus and one of the Globe Theater on the community college campus.  It's like no one there has any imagination.  I wondered if maybe the people of Midland-Odessa have lived in such a god-forsaken place so long that they are out of touch with most of the world.  I know that most Americans make their first international trip beyond North America to Great Britain and love it.  It's like that might have been the only trip people from there had made, which became their only inspiration (in a copycat way).  Remember, when George W. Bush who grew up in Midland became President, he had not traveled outside the USA.

The University of Texas at Permian Basin campus in northwestern Odessa is mostly nice.  The original buildings there are heavy concrete structures that are very unattractive.  But there are also about 4 newer buildings with limestone or cream-colored brick facades that are rather light and attractive.  I did walk to the edge of the campus to see "Stonehenge."  Someone in town must have insisted to put it there; I can't understand why the art department would consider it a positive aspect of their site.  I had to be careful trying to take photos, because the ground was covered with plants with burrs.  I immediately got one on my big tow, a couple on the inside edges of my sandals, and several on the outsides of my sandals and had to limp to a stone seat to try to remove them.

Driving into town from there, I passed the Permian High School campus.  It is famous because of the success of its football program which became the basis for the book and TV series entitled Friday Night Lights.

"The Globe" is not a true model, because it has a roof over the center to enclose it for air conditioning.  It's setting is at the back side of the community college campus.  Across the street are old buildings, and the parking lot surrounding it is in bad condition.  I noticed that their program no longer shows a Shakespeare festival.  It consists of "community theater" type fare.  In other words, it is a bust.

Downtown Odessa is a big contrast from downtown Midland.  It has only 2 office buildings.  Neither is sleek.  It does, however, still have the old downtown shopping district which is mostly abandoned.

Leaving town, I pulled off at the Odessa Meteor Crater.  It's the second largest meteor crater in the US and the 6th largest in the world.  It's obviously a crater, although it has filled over the years with silt and the edges have worn away from weather and other factors.  It was HOT there, so I looked inside the small museum and quickly walked around and through the middle of the crater.  I noticed on the sign-in sheet that it is mostly men who stop there.  I guess that craters do not appeal that much to women.

From there, it was a LONG drive through the boring Permian Basin, the dessert, and the mountains to El Paso.  Because of the heat, there were many whirlwinds (small tornado-like air movements that are strong enough to stir up the dust but not strong enough to create any damage).  There were lots of ugly, dusty small towns.  Mostly, there was boredom for me and the other drivers.

Because I didn't have a reservation in El Paso for the night, I stopped on the edge of town at a McDonalds to use the free wifi to reserve a room at the Microhotel Airport where I already had a reservation for the next two nights.  Then I drove on into town.

Steps:  Uncertain.  At one time, it said 4000+, but then I must have bumped it to clear it.  Probably about 6000, since I was on the road most of the day.

Driving Distance:  407 Miles  (655 km)