West of the Pecos.

My ability to google while Eddy drives has been a source of entertainment and education as we travel across some rather monotonous terrain. When I saw Pecos, Texas coming up on the map I recalled the phrase "West of the Pecos", but couldn't remember if it was a movie title or another geographical/historical reference.

Apparently Pecos is the home of the first rodeo. It was also the county where colorful Judge Roy Bean, who called himself "the Law West of the Pecos", held court sessions in a saloon, kept a pet bear, and sentenced dozens to the gallows, saying "Hang 'em first, try 'em later."

The cropland in Central and West Texas is basically oilfields. Midland and Odessa are covered with tank farms, oil drilling equipment and power lines used to pump the black gold. As you get closer to New Mexico you begin to see some elevation changes and the views become a bit more interesting, but there is a lot of empty space out there.

Yesterday we arrived at a lovely KOA Kampground in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Perhaps its the elevation, but 94 degrees doesn't seem as oppressive as it has for the past couple of days.

Incidentally, I have been posting my photos and you can see them by clicking on the link in the right hand side of this page under Photo Albums.