OUT IN THE WEST TEXAS TOWN OF EL PASO

(MARCH 28, 2018)  Today it was time to say good-bye Alpine, Texas, which was my home for the last two nights. Big Bend National Park was outstanding, but that is really all that is here, McDonalds, Pizza Hut and DQ are the only chain restaurants in this small town.

The was a chill in the air as I packed the car and my phone showed that it was 44 degrees in Alpine. I dug out the long pants and a light jacket.  This is the first time that I have worn long pants in about two weeks. I have a feeling that once I start heading east the need will become routine.

I am still about 250 miles south of El Paso, so I pull out and head up U. S. Route 90, which will intersect with Interstate 10 at Van Horn.

Just a short distance south of Marfa is a historical marker detailing the history of The Marfa Lights.  For years people have described seeing lights of some sorta of paranormal ghost lights, while other claim the light were some type of UFO. However, after conducting some scientific research most of the lights have been explained as car headlights, or campfires being reflected by the Atmosphere.

The scientific claims have done little to dispel the more popular ghost lights. In fact a viewing station with binoculars has been built here for those hoping to see The Marfa Lights.

About 30-miles up the road I come to the Town of Marfa, which is the seat of Presidio County.  Located on the Town Square is a beautiful old courthouse, which was built in 1886. The courthouse can be seen from just about anywhere in Marfa and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977

About 30-miles west of Marfa on the side of Route 90 is another unusual structure. Sitting all alone in the middle of nowhere is a tiny building with a glass front name PRADA.  Inside the locked door is an assortment of ladies handbags and shoes. PRADA Marfa was meant to be a "pop architectural art project which was first opened in 2005. Originally Miuccia Prada hand picked the merchandise that was displayed inside but shortly after opening the display was vandalized.

Today the building is alarmed and has very strong windows.  Additionally all of the Handbags on display have no bottoms and all of the shoes are for the right foot. This unique site in the middle of nowhere gets thousands of visitors every year despite Highway 90's small amount of traffic.

From Marfa to Van Horn it about 75-miles and for the entire route there are absolutely NO SERVICES.  No Gas, No Restaurants and No stores. NOTHING. So arriving at Van Horn I was ready for gas and a cup of Coffee from the Pilot Station.

Heading west on Interstate 10 from Van Horn, I think back to December 1988. This was the last and only time I was here. My dad and I traveled through here on the way to California to spend Christmas with my sister and my mom.  The thing that I remember is that we passed through here about 9 p.m. There was very little here except a small truck stop that we stopped at and just like today go some coffee before continuing on to El Paso. There was nothing else here back then. Today there is all kinds of stuff here. Good Memories of a wonderful trip with my dad.

Just west of Van Horn I crossed into the Mountain Time zone so It went from being 11 a.m. to being 10 a.m.

A couple of hours later I arrived in El Paso.  There were a couple of stops that I wanted to make here. Two cemeteries and a quick stop at the Sun Bowl Stadium.

John Wesley Hardin

My first stop was at Concordia Cemetery. This is the final rest of noted outlaw, John Wesley Hardin, who is believed to have killed his first man at the age of 15.  Through the years Hardin worked as a trail boss on cattle drives, a ranch hand, lawman, and lawyer but was most noted for being one of the old west most ruthless outlaws. It is believed that over the course of his life he killed 44-men.

John Selman

Hardin was caught and tried in Austin, Texas for the death of Deputy Sheriff Charles Webb. He was sentenced to 25-years in prison. He was pardoned by Governor Jim Hogg after serving 15 years of the sentence.  While in prison, Hardin read law and upon release he moved to El Paso, Texas where he practiced law.

During one of his trials, lawyer John Wesley Hardin made threats against John Selman who was the arresting officer.  Several days later, Selman saw Hardin playing cards in the Acme Saloon. Selman walk up behind Hardin and shot him in the back of the head.  Hardin was was 42-years old.

If you are wondering what happened to Selman, well his fate is unclear.  Most believe that he was killed several months later as a result of a drunken duel with U. S. Marshall George Scarborough. Both Hardin and Selman are resting in Concordia Cemetery just a few yard apart.

I had GPS Coordinates for both John Wesley Hardin and John Selman, so I was able to quickly locate both graves.  After taking a few photos it was time to move about 5-miles across town to the Fort Bliss National Cemetery.

Goose Tatum

Here are resting a well known actor and the early "Clown Prince" of the Harlem Globetrotters. I first visited the grave of Reece "Goose" Tatum, who was a multi-talented athlete excelling at both baseball and basketball. During his early years in baseball he was a teammate of Satchel Paige. But he is best known for his career with the Harlem Globetrotters.  The great Goose Tatum was inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.  He is resting in Section D of the Fort Bliss National Cemetery

Sherman Hemsley

A few sections over from Goose Tatum, is the final resting place of Sherman Alexander Hemsley, better know as George Jefferson from the All in the Family and The Jefferson's TV Series. While playing the flamboyant and egotistical George Jefferson on TV, Sherman Hemsley was a very private and according to some intensely shy.  He was a great actor and when on the set played his part to the hilt. But off camera he avoided the limelight of Hollywood.  He never married, and he had no
children.

Sherman Hemsley died from cancer on July 24, 2012 and because of his service in the Air Force, is resting in the Fort Bliss National Cemetery.

My final stop in El Paso was at the Sun Bowl Stadium on the Campus of the University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP).  After taking a few photos of the Stadium it was time to continue my westward trek on Interstate 10.

Just a few miles west of El Paso I cross into New Mexico. Yes, It was time to say goodbye to the Lone Star State.  I first enter the State of Texas in the evening of March 9, and no 19 days later I am leaving the state at El Paso. During those 19-day I hit all the major cities, Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and finally El Paso; traveling a total of 2,450 mile.  I guess you can say I gave a real meaning to the phrase "Miles and Miles of Texas."

Today I also logged over 4,000 total miles for this trip. I think it is safe to say that I am assured to top 5,000 total miles.

For the Next two night I will be here in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  Tomorrow I'm off to explore the White Sands National Monument and then in the afternoon, Visit with my old friend and former co-worker Dave Edmondson.

TODAY'S MILES:  355
TOTAL MILES:   4,109