January 18, 2007
Riding with Anya was a blast and made the miles go by faster. She’s such a minimalist… her backpack is 1/3 the size of my stuff, but then again she’s not camping either or going west of Austin into the cold cold desert.
We ate breakfast at some trucker type restaurant in Starks, LA called the Silver Dollar. It was dark inside (tinted windows) and had mirrors on all of the walls. Pink neon signs hung over the bathrooms and the main seating area. I couldn’t decide if I was in a strip club or 1982 again. Or both. The breakfast was good (mmm… grits, bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuit) and we were both totally recharged for the final haul into Texas.
Crossing over the state line, we couldn’t resist the temptation to take a few pictures.
Anya and I arrived at Jamie’s around mid afternoon. Jamie showed us around and told us to make ourselves at home, then she went back to work for a couple hours. She’s a reporter for the local Beaumont paper.
I brought my gear upstairs to the 2nd floor apartment. It’s really cute and old (early 20th century), with most of the original sinks, fixtures, hardwood floors, etc. Jamie’s co-worker, Jennifer, lives in the adjacent apartment and that’s where Anya is sleeping.
After unpacking my things, I checked my email, took a shower, and relaxed. Anya went next door and took a nap. Jamie soon came home from work with food and a plan. The three of us cooked dinner: a roasted vegetable salad with homemade dressing, and sauteed veggies over pasta. Jamie’s other co-workers, Ryan and Becky, also joined us for dinner.
Not long after we finished eating, I was fast asleep on the couch.
