Journey for Peace
© Gloria Alkozer
It had been raining quite heavily earlier but God must have been riding along with me because I kept just missing the worst storms that mother nature could offer.
The roads were muddy and slippery it was a feat in itself to keep myself from sliding and falling.
Del Rio had changed from the last time I had visited, twenty something years ago. Then I had visited engaged to marry. My fiance was from Del Rio and he brought me to meet his parents. His mother didn't like me but his father adored me.
After meeting his parents he set out to show me around his town. I thought it quaint and interesting. There were roosters sitting on townspeople's front porches -- others had goats and then others had both - Some rode through the town on horseback. I really liked it, too bad I didn't like his mother. We split up after our visit.
Now I stood on my bike observing a new Del Rio - it was completely different. It was modern and congested. There were Pizza huts, McDonalds, hotels that lined Veterans Road. I also found, to my amazement they had named a road after my ex-fiance's father. I smiled inwardly while a rush of memories of my last visit flooded back again.
I was exhausted, hungry and thirsty. But, before looking for anything to eat I wanted to find the tourist or cultural centre for information on how to cross the desert. I rode aimlessly at first and finally spotted a green awning that read cultural centre.
I parked my bike and walked in. The entrance was pained green as well and in the centre of the lobby was a sculpture of a deer. There was no one insight but next door was a cafe that was run by the same people. I sat down and ordered a soda and proceeded to ask questions. The woman who served me was quite polite but when she realised what I was about to embark she firmly insisted that I not try to cross the desert alone.
"Where's your gear? Do you have a tent? Does your first aid have a snake bite antidote? Do you have footwear for crossing the desert? Those sneakers will not do! When is your group going to join you to help you? Do you have a bladder to keep you hydrated - You'll need at least two gallons of water to get you through to the first town, which is over fifty miles. THERE ARE NO GAS STATIONS OR STORES IN BETWEEN ANY OF THE TOWNS-- WHICH ARE LESS THAN FIVE AND YOU WILL BE GOING OVER FOUR HUNDRED MILES!" she said all in one breath. I responded with "no" to all her questions.
