TALES...LONE STAR ROAD REPORT
[Special Note: Due to unforeseen delays in our interview with the folks from Austin City Limits, we will regrettably be forced to delay our special interview until another time. This week INSTEAD, we will give you a special LONE STAR ROAD REPORT from Odessa! We apologize for any inconvienence that is caused by this change. We hope, however, to deliver our promised feature as soon as we are able. Thanks! (CRH)]
ODESSA (Special)--Due to time constraints and the need to fill in article space for this week, this essay will probably be a bit shorter than is usually done here. But we hope that a quick diversion here in exchange will be worth it.
This part of West Texas is known for open spaces, massive drilling rigs, the image of roughnecks, and--for most people--nothing else. But those who hang around the Midland/Odessa area for at least a day or two can easily see just how much life seems to revolve around Business Loop 20/U.S. 80--even right down to where there is basically nothing around here anywhere north or south of this road. In fact, in Odessa alone, with the exception of the facilities of various petroleum-based companies, you might as well say that the FORMAL city limits END at I-20 and that there's hardly nothing south of Business 20 these days.
Midland's probably no different there. Front Street (which is what Business 20's called over there) is virtually where all downtown streets start and end at their respective intersections with Front. Downtown's virtually out your car/bus/truck window--and you won't have far to look when you go there.
But what is even more interesting about ol' U.S. 80 is the immense amount of businesses, people, etc. that lie BETWEEN the twin cities of Midland and Odessa. For instance, if you looked along the highway itself, it would seem like both towns seem to run together and that there's a lot of stuff that goes on. But what's even more remarkable is that at times here, if you ever dare get too far off the road, there's virtually nothing. Welcome, folks, to the middle of nowhere. If you want a big batch of desert, well, neighbor--you're in the right place.
But despite the compactness of it all, these two towns make like there's nothing unusual about it. Take the layout of the airport. Guess what? It's an actual boulevard--and there's one of the Permian Basin's TV stations right before you get to the airport. Go one way or the other--and there might be a hotel or two that might be to your liking. Waterworld's not too far from the airport we just passed--and a major Christian TV station's just right off the road from here. The Confederate Air Force Museum...a lot of other stuff awaits you here. And the only thing you have to do is simply decide which way you wish to go--east or west. (Just don't go north or south--you'll probably run into either a drilling rig or the middle of a cow pasture...)
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