Weather: low 25 degrees in Pecos, high 58 degrees in Midland, Texas, clear skies
We left Pecos late this morning, taking as much time as possible to get ready to leave so the weather could warm up a little. There's not much to see or do in Pecos, and we may have stayed there a day too long. Anyway, we're now in Midland.
We traveled on I-20 today, passing through some of the most productive oil producing property in the US. The Permian Basin of North America encompasses an area 250 miles wide and 300 miles long. More than 15 billion barrels of oil have been pumped out of the area. Apparently, it's still pumping a lot of oil, because we saw more oil pump jacks along our route than anywhere we've been. At one time, Carolyn tried to count the pumps she saw at one time, and lost count around 50.
As might be expected for an area that produces this much oil and gas, the area is heavily industrialized, with most of the industry devoted to supporting the petroleum industry. If the oil was to run out, this area would probably become similar to a ghost town. There's not much here that we can see that would cause people to be here for anything except jobs in the industry. I'm not trying to offend anyone from the area that reads this, but that's the way we see it.
We didn't do anything after arriving at the RV park. I seem to have caught a bug of some sort that makes me feel tired and washed out. If I feel better tomorrow, there are a couple of places I'd like to see - the Confederate Air Force Museum, and the Petroleum Museum. In the meantime, that gives me a chance to catch up on posting some pictures I took recently that I haven't had the chance to post. Check these out.
This is a picture of a typical sotol plant. It was used by the Indians that lived in the area of the Big Bend for food and fiber.
Here's a picture of the train depot in Pecos. It doesn't appear to be used for anything at this time. Perhaps it could be used for some type of tourist draw. The area needs all the help it can get.
More later, be safe.
Today's Town - Marathon, Texas: Gateway To Big Bend
Not all who wander are lost.
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