The majority of the first day was driven on Interstate 10. We move forward from El Paso on our way to Atlanta.
Before we left, I think I got the free breakfast from the Red Roof Inn. It was probably good. I like free motel/hotel breakfast anytime I can get it.
My dad and I were in El Paso for seemingly a long time this Tuesday Morning. We stayed on Interstate 10 for a few hours. The next town from El Paso going Eastbound was Van Horn, Texas. Literally it's the next town listed on the map. After 2.5 hours of long and boring driving on the freeway, my dad and I stop at a local McDonald's and get a few chicken sandwiches. I remember the food being good and the restaurant being a little filthy.
Food was good and the driving would continue. My dad and I got onto Interstate 20 somewhere in West Texas. Interstate 20 would be the major freeway that would lead us to our ultimate destination.
The drive for the first two days of this journey was for the most part, smooth. We decided to fill up on gas at a Texaco station. After the stop, we continued to go on I-20. One minute I was riding along and listening to Filter's "Picture" on the radio, and the next minute I hear some really bad noises inside my car. At first I thought my dad was playing a funny joke on me. I even told my dad to stop messing around. Unfortunately, the joke was on my dad and I. Our car, the Chevy Cavalier, started to slow down on its own. After a couple of minutes, we were driving from 20mph all the way down to zero.
There were a few failed restarts on the car. Simply turning the ignition would not get us back on the road where we needed to be, and so we were standed out on the side of I-20. Several friendly Texas police officers were wondering if we were o.k., and we were. However, we really needed help and needed someone to get us back on the right track. I had the audacity to walk all the way from the freeway to a FINA gas station and get a tow truck out where we were on I-20 somewhere in West Texas.
Finally, mid-afternoon, help arrived in the form of a friendly tow truck driver and we got to a tow truck shop where my car would sit for at least a day. I brought out my trusted teddy bear "Neddy" and we got another ride to a local holiday inn.
I got scared after a while. I had 6 days to arrive at the CNN Center in Atlanta for my first day on the job. I realized something at that point: I was stuck in Midland, Texas.
I don't want to bag on Midland. I think it's a nice town and everything, but I needed to get past that point to get to my ultimate destination: Atlanta.
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