The Endless Highway

The Endless Highway

By Marcella S. Meeks

11/16/23

I love the open road, the feel of the West Texas wind blowing my hair through the open window when we are heading to Colorado. When we reach Decatur, Texas, my excitement mounts. I can’t wait to get to the other side of Amarillo where we turn and head toward Dumas and Dalhart on our way to Colorado. Oh, yeah! We’ve been there numerous times through the years and it never gets old to me. The grand kids get bored riding through what they call the ‘Flatlands’ but my mind is always searching for an idea spark for a story that I might be working on or planning to start. Not only do I love the ‘boring’ scenery that goes on for miles and miles, but deep down there are thousands of people who live there who might be a good prop for a story – what do they do? Farming, I presume but why in such a desolate place? Acres and acres roll by as we pass through with no movement for miles except an occasional train that you can see coming for miles and miles down the track from our spot on the open highway.

I wander sometimes where all these people come from? All the people on the highways – do they live close by or are they traveling somewhere? What do they think of the landscape that goes on for miles and miles? The endless questions may never be answered unless some day I stop in one of these little towns a hundred miles from no where and ask them myself. I really want to know about why they chose to live in such a remote area. Some of the old timers who have lived there for years must have some background history and stories never told that they’d be willing to share. I want to learn the history and the culture of some of these people that I have thought so much about every time we pass through all the way from Wichita Falls to Dalhart. It might sound boring but there is a fascination about this entire place that draws me every year.

I’m not a flying person and even if I was, I’d still want to drive through here regardless. The only thing about flying is that you miss so much and to me, that is trip wasted. I know that flat land that stretches hundreds of miles to no where isn’t the most interesting subject and probably not travel worthy, but it’s the unanswered questions that I have that keep me interested and keep me coming through here year after year.

You know, this would be a wonderful idea for a video series for the Family Travel Host blog. Road trip 2024, get ready to make some movies!!!

At the end of this drive through and endless flat land that goes on and on for hundreds of miles finally comes to an end as we reach Raton, New Mexico on our way to our final destination in Colorado, my

favorite place in all the world, and I have written countless stories about the towns we visit in Colorado every year. You’ll find most of them here on my blog.

For Christmas (hint! hint!) I would like to get a video camera that I can use on these trips every year. My phone does a great job but I want to look professional especially since I will be interviewing people along the way. Any ideas for a video camera, feel free to share in the reply box below. Not too expensive – just one that will do the job right and be affordable at the same time.

That’s it for now…Stay tuned for more…