Tim Oltersdorf
Active member
One thousand miles; it kind of didn't seem like such an impossibly long ways, the distance from Fort Worth, Texas to the Cactus. True, there was some danger. There were the ever vigilant representatives of the Highway patrol along with the occasional tornado, flash flood and blinding sandstorm. There was the fauna like buzzards striking a windshield. There were people out in the empty quarter that thought in a different way then most of us. This was the land of UFO's, Area 54 and Elvis sightings. Towns along the road have cult festivals yearly for example the rattlesnake roundup in Sweetwater, Texas and the duck races in Deming, New Mexico.
I 20 streaks like a 6PPC and joins I 10 just past Balmorhea. Other towns in the area are Toyahvale, Verhalen, Coyanosa, oh yes, and the aptly named Pyote. I don't know about these names. Could be American Indian. Could be Viking. Could be Mexican. Could be tropical disease specialist.
I 10 jogs NW through El Paso and just across the river is the lively border town of Juarez. Here a number of the population is addicted to violent, shoot-em-up computer games but without the computer. A fast corner of New Mexico traversed brings you to Arizona and windshield to billboard with THE THING! 1,000 years old; THE THING! 100 feet tall; THE THING! Each billboard is bright yellow with 20 foot tall black lettering. Coming up on the left is, oh my gosh there it is THE THING trading post! It has the most amazing collection of horrible souvenirs, sticky squares of fudge and, most importantly, bathrooms. It also houses THE THING which you can view for a modest fee. I have paid the fee and gazed upon THE THING. I also bought a THE THING commemorative beer mug. It was that awesome. After this introduction to Arizona you swing through Tucson and then you see them by the thousands: saguaro cactus. They are tall, massive, some sprouting a myriad of tentacle like arms all covered with 2" long thorns. The people in New Mexico told me they were actually extraterrestrials. Its possible. Some actually look people like in shape. You enter Phoenix and go North up I 17, dodge the speed cameras, construction equipment and all the yahoos, mossbacks, homicidal maniacs and other drivers of their ilk to arrive at the range only to be greeted by the sight of.... Gary Ocock. Those with enough intestinal fortitude to stay after this retinal jolt shoot the Cactus. Then we get back into our vehicle and head back to Texas. We will probably stop in a truck stop in Pyote about 2 AM and tell Elvis all about it. Tim
I 20 streaks like a 6PPC and joins I 10 just past Balmorhea. Other towns in the area are Toyahvale, Verhalen, Coyanosa, oh yes, and the aptly named Pyote. I don't know about these names. Could be American Indian. Could be Viking. Could be Mexican. Could be tropical disease specialist.
I 10 jogs NW through El Paso and just across the river is the lively border town of Juarez. Here a number of the population is addicted to violent, shoot-em-up computer games but without the computer. A fast corner of New Mexico traversed brings you to Arizona and windshield to billboard with THE THING! 1,000 years old; THE THING! 100 feet tall; THE THING! Each billboard is bright yellow with 20 foot tall black lettering. Coming up on the left is, oh my gosh there it is THE THING trading post! It has the most amazing collection of horrible souvenirs, sticky squares of fudge and, most importantly, bathrooms. It also houses THE THING which you can view for a modest fee. I have paid the fee and gazed upon THE THING. I also bought a THE THING commemorative beer mug. It was that awesome. After this introduction to Arizona you swing through Tucson and then you see them by the thousands: saguaro cactus. They are tall, massive, some sprouting a myriad of tentacle like arms all covered with 2" long thorns. The people in New Mexico told me they were actually extraterrestrials. Its possible. Some actually look people like in shape. You enter Phoenix and go North up I 17, dodge the speed cameras, construction equipment and all the yahoos, mossbacks, homicidal maniacs and other drivers of their ilk to arrive at the range only to be greeted by the sight of.... Gary Ocock. Those with enough intestinal fortitude to stay after this retinal jolt shoot the Cactus. Then we get back into our vehicle and head back to Texas. We will probably stop in a truck stop in Pyote about 2 AM and tell Elvis all about it. Tim
Last edited:
