Day 16 (6/11/21)-- miles traveled: ~ 685

Locations: Rest stop, gas station, random pull-off, then ending at Amarillo KOA

Science: air quality measurements at inland Texas spots

This was a driving-heavy day.  I did not get to do the sampling plan I had cooked up the night before with Rex and Dana and the nice RV'ers because I had thought I was headed more inland in Colorado than I actually was. It is funny how important actually LOOKING at a map aside from just letting Miss Google tell you where to go can be. With this realization, I bought a tiny US atlas in the first gas station I found on this driving day to try to cure my absolute geographical dislocation. 

So, sadly not heading into major oil refinery territory, I did try to grab some good inland Texas spots regardless....and it was this day that I watched in dismay as the temperature steadily started cranking up......100 deg F in late morning.....crikey (ok, so I was not listening to news at all during this trip, and did not yet understand the "Heat Dome" situation) -- it was clear that leaving the coast also meant leaving fresh air and cooler temperatures.

First science stop: random Texas rest stop near Comfort, TX (360deg view)

The signage there was NOT very "Comfort"-ing --

Second science stop: random gas station near Junction, TX  -- 

Third science stop: random pull-out by the side of a road near Tulia, TX -- amongst cow pastures and pretty flowers.....

Fourth and last science stop: Amarillo KOA (360 deg view) -- 

The Amarillo KOA was positioned like an oasis in otherwise very flat and ominously dry terrain. A quick word about RV parks -- aside from being the antithesis of my notion of what camping is, they always make me feel a bit sad inside. Not sure exactly why, but something about the separation from nature and people that is usually enforced by tall fences and bathrooms with security codes, coupled with the eery silence that governs these spots when it is hot outside and everyone is holed up in their air conditioned RV units.........well, I find it a bit unsettling. That said, they are true lifesavers when you need a spot to sleep and access to a shower and laundry...... 

So I *gulp* had to back the trailer into this site........but I discovered this time that if I decided I did not care about what other folks thought about me, and if I took my own time with my 37-point turning/backing/getting out to survey the scene/pulling up again/backing plan, well......it works.

When I went to pull out the air quality sensor to set up at the site, I noticed a sharp, buffalo chicken wing smell in the cabin. That made me a bit curious about what was happening in there, but it also made me realize I was starving. When I opened up the galley to make dinner I discovered an oozy, red, splattery explosion in progress in the top shelf area. My precious Texas Pete had succumbed to the Texas heat and popped its top -- and the hot sauce had found my wire inlet and traveled into the cabin. 

I cleaned what I could see, thankful that at least it was hot sauce and not honey or something more bear-attractive, and made dinner. Pretty uneventful after that.