There's no getting around San Antonio by bicycle! Everything is so spread out and everywhere you go there's "Go Spurs Go" displayed with a cult-like status. Coffee was free at Valero since they won last night so that was the first stop. Brian and I drove a long ways into downtown San Antonio after we stayed at his brother's house last night, and after a maze of strip malls and fast food restaurants we were before the Alamo. The Texas humidity slaps you in the face badly once you exit an air-conditioned vehicle. Since I have no Spurs jersey I wrote "Spurs" on a piece of paper and taped it to the front of my Lakers jersey and wrote "Parker" on the back (for Tony Parker). The Spurs hammered the Miami Heat last night, and I can't stand the Heat (or the heat). Get it? I felt like I was reborn as Leonardo DiCaprio with celebrity status; these gorgeous ladies wanted a photo with me in front of the Alamo. After all I already have thousands of photos with thousands of pretty girls. No photos are allowed inside the Alamo, but I didn't know until after I snapped what the original Alamo looked like and how big it was. Just as interesting as the Alamo is the Riverwalk. The San Antonio River runs right through downtown and the area is very historic and lively.
Of Texas' large cities I've always imagined San Antonio to be the most interesting. Dallas and Houston both seem to be very hot and boring (although I've never been to Houston). We only stayed at the Alamo for about a half hour because the humidity was really getting to us; an air-conditioned car felt so much better. The heat and humidity alone would keep me from ever moving here; sure, homes may be cheaper but air conditioning must be run constantly in summer and everything is far away. Over the next few days we're driving from San Antonio to LA, and it will mark my longest-ever American road trip. It may not be the most spectacular drive but it's still an adventure. Brian has no road atlas; only a GPS. It's important to have something failsafe and I go nuts not knowing where I am. A Texas BBQ is as obligatory here as is escargot in Paris, so we called in at Bill Miller's BBQ for lunch. The ribs are mouth-waterin' and finger-lickin' tasty, the fries are thick and the green beans are excellent.
From there on it was a drive through open country. Texans are extremely patriotic and many feel they're a de facto independent country. A highway sign greeted us with "El Paso: 520 miles." Texas is huge! In fact, El Paso is closer to LA than it is to Beaumont, TX. They must be aware though that Alaska is still larger, and if Alaska divided itself in half, Texas would be the 3rd largest state. The drive wasn't as boring as I anticipated and with a speed limit of 80 mph we cruised along, and I should add that the highways are remarkably clean. Keep an eye out for "Don't Mess with Texas. $2,000 fine for littering" sign along these vast stretches of open Lone Star country. When we reached San Angelo a couple of hours later we stayed with some of Brian's old college mates. Whataburger is Texas' answer to In-N-Out, and that's where we went for dinner. Damn, I've had my share of fast food for a guy who rarely eats fast food. San Angelo is just another "American Dream" city in the Sunbelt with two-car garages and people who are unseen after their garage door closes. The majority of Texans are like that, and they love their guns, trucks, and wide open spaces. Anthony was nice enough to give me my first cowboy hat and then blow up a super-comfortable inflatable mattress so I could really rest my head. For the rest of the night it was good fun: chatting, sharing stories, and the like before we hit Whataburger again for a milkshake. I've had my fill of burgers, fries, and milkshakes for one night. As long as you have them in moderation, they're good. When it comes to food, or just about anything Texans are serious when they say "Don't Mess with Texas."
