MotoGP Redux: June 30th

Today is a series of tests. I'm trying to sneak out of town before rush hour to make time driving rather than sitting in traffic. Of course, the Gods of Work see things differently, and they insist I tithe a full day before leaving around 5:30. Surprisingly, traffic is far less brutal than the heat, so away I go. First test, passed.

Somewhere around Johnson City, the second test is issued. The "check engine" light, which has stayed dim since my pre-trip service a couple weeks back, returns to form. Rationally, I know it's most likely an O-2 sensor feeling a little sluggish or something equally benign, but the weight of a continental crossing sits in the back of my mind. Annoyance ensues.

First stop is Mason, TX to visit with friends. It's a nice respite from the blazing sun and the idiot light. We munch on burgers and chat until 10pm, and a sleep over grows tempting. I then remember that the 120 miles I've just covered is a rather pathetic dollop of water in the bucket of travel I'm trying to accomplish, and push on.

I'm taking a Northwest passage on 87 through San Angelo. It's a part of the state I've never visited and, once past Brady, won't try to again. The Hill Country gives way to flat lands of the Permian Basin, and the accustomed rolling terrain turns into a droning straightaway. I'd like to make it out of the state, but Big Spring seems like my last opportunity to get wireless access (part of my work-release program). Beyond there, it's a long and lonely road through small towns ... the risk of a secondary route.

The final test comes at the Holiday Inn Express where I pay too much only to find that their Internet is broken. This hotel annoyance on top of my auto aggro and limited 250 mile clip brings my cumulative grade down to a C- for Haulin' Ass 101. But it's still early in the semester; tomorrow the trip begins in earnest, and I know I can make it up on the mid-term.