5 Lessons Learned on a Texas Road Trip with my Spouse

For years, Darryl has been asking to drive from our home in Canada to Austin, Texas. For years, I have said no because it’s too far. However, after driving from Rome to Amsterdam last year, I decided a leisurely drive to Texas would be a breeze. Here are 5 lessons learned on a Texas road trip with my spouse.

*Note: Some of these links are affiliate links, meaning that if you book through my link, I will make a small commission (at no extra cost to you).

1. Be Bold – It’s scary to drive a long distance on a road trip with your spouse, especially when your car is a lemon. Do it anyway!

Before heading away from home on a long journey, we always go home to see our parents. They are getting along in age so any time we can spend with them is a treasure. We spent just over a week in Saskatchewan to get in touch with our roots before starting on our journey to Texas on May 1^st. The starting mileage on our odometer was 174,447 km. Good-bye, again Canada! See you in September.

Day 1

“You have got to be kidding me.” The car chimed an alarm as we pulled out of Burger King in Swift Current. “Reduced engine power” was the warning and the check engine light came on.

“There cannot possibly be anything wrong with this car. Just drive.” I told Darryl. We had put $4,000 worth of repairs into this money-sucking beast of a car we drive. So, we ignored the check engine light and continued on.

If you have ever been to southern Saskatchewan, you know how incredibly boring the drive can be. Sorry, home province, but the flatlands and plains of nothing but grass as far as the eye can see get a wee bit dull after an hour. We were headed to the Montana border crossing of Morgan.

Border Control

We drove into the vehicle holding bay at the US border and Darryl rolled down his window.

The border guard smiled, “Where are you headed today?”

“Austin, Texas,” Darryl responded cheerfully.

“Do you realize you are in for the most boring drive of your life? Have you heard of airplanes?”

We joked a bit with the guards as they were friendly enough.

“Why are you headed to Texas?”

“We are real estate investors and we are going to look for properties,” Darryl responded.

“Do you have a visa?” The guard asked.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“We don’t need one,” Darryl stated matter-of-factly.

The guard did not like Darryl’s answer.

After an hour of interrogation, the border guards let us proceed with a stern warning. They were pretty sure we needed a visa to enter the US for real estate investing purposes. We had visited Texas many times for the same reason and had always had the response of “have a nice day” or “enjoy the barbeque”. Just to be sure, we contacted our US lawyer and Canadian accountant. And yes, we were correct. No visa required for our purposes.

Booking.com

Montana

We felt alone in the universe while driving to our first destination in Montana. All we could see were mountains in the distance with ranch land at the feet of the giants, sagebrush, valleys, Black Angus cattle and small towns were all that ran past our windows for miles.

Billings

Our first night was spent in Billings, Montana at Extended Stay America. The host at the front desk was friendly and helpful. We had a kitchenette so made our way out to get some groceries. An essential part of any road trip is food. We had coolers and wanted to get some sandwich fixings and salads to enjoy lunches along the way.

2. Resiliency – Travel throws curve balls but you don’t need to strikeout. Play on!

Day 2

Wyoming

Red rock formations began to rise from the plains, as if daring the grassy ranchland to dare enter their territory. “Kyrie Eleison” by Mr Mister played on the radio as our car soared down the highway on our road trip.

Buffalo

We stopped for a picnic lunch in the charming small town of Buffalo. With a population of 4,585, this bustling little town has a welcoming feel. The downtown buildings are well preserved and unique early 1900 period houses line the streets. Nestled in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, the town is close to recreational activities galore.

The countryside around Buffalo is teeming with wildlife, there were herds of antelope and deer in the fields. Cities of groundhogs dotted the landscape with burrows and their residents popping up all over like minefields.

An Emergency Stop

Nature called at Casper, Wyoming. I needed a bathroom and I needed it now. Goosebumps had erupted on my skin, which meant something else was about to erupt, too. Darryl knows when this happens he needs to find a facility as soon as possible.

Small-Town Travel Tip: Always carry a roll of toilet paper when on a road trip. Always.

Darryl pulled into the first gas station we saw. I was out of the car before the wheels had a chance to cool off from the pavement. Into the station I went. Of course, there was a lineup. I folded my arms and took a deep breath. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

The lady in front of me looked at my face. She looked around the corner at the open door leading to the men’s bathroom. She turned back and looked at me again.

“I’ll use the men’s.” Have mercy on her soul! I must have looked desperate. No sooner had she entered the men’s latrine; the ladies room opened.

I looked at myself in the mirror while washing my hands and noticed an oddity. I had not rubbed my face moisturizer into my skin thoroughly enough, giving me an eerily yellowish-cheezie tinge. No wonder the lady took pity. I looked like I was on the verge of liver failure.

Cheyenne

Our next overnight stay was in Cheyenne, Wyoming. We booked an Airbnb this time but were less than impressed. We have stayed with Airbnb extensively through Europe and had some fabulous accommodations along the way. Our host in Wyoming was supposed to be a “Super Host” but I am not sure why.

Our Super Hosts in Europe usually had breakfasts and drinks waiting for us upon arrival. And there was always coffee supplied. The one in Cheyenne had nothing of the sort. Only a sign on the empty refrigerator saying, “Welcome Charlotte!”

The room was in the basement of an old house built in the early 1900s. The ad stated, “garden level”. We did not realize this meant below grade with windows. Upon entry, the carpet was stained leading to the basement. Most noteworthy, the living area was small, the bed was small, the shower and bathroom were also small. There were no directions on how to operate the Wi-fi, tv, passwords or personal suggestions of things to do in the area.

The tenants upstairs had an enthusiastically friendly, large dog who mauled us with muddy footprints of love when we arrived. I like dogs. I don’t like them jumping up on me, especially with muddy feet. Would this gentle giant be greeting us like this each time we came to the door?

Everything was automated so we never met the owner. She was pleasant and quick to answer questions but it just wasn’t the best place, despite the rave reviews by previous guests.

3. Yo, Relax! You don’t need to be in an all-fired rush all the time.

Day 3

Colorado

Picnics are highlights on a road trip with a spouse. Finding a cute little park or rest area adds to the adventure and can provide a break from busy highways or noisy restaurants. Larkspur was the perfect place for respite from the busy I25 highway.

Larkspur is a pretty little town with markets, pizzeria and a liquor store when you first drive into the area. Seems like a great place! The sun was shining and the clouds were pristine white cotton balls floating through the sea of blue sky. Up until now, it had been unseasonably cold for our trip.

We ate our simple lunch of sandwiches and salads surrounded by tree-covered mountains of red shale with snow-covered peaks. Children laughed and played in the playground, enjoying the beautiful day as much as we were. The park had clean bathrooms, too. A huge importance in any travel situation.

New Mexico

The mountains quickly turned into plateaus dotted with hills and prairie grasslands. The hills were flat like tabletops and peeked out like anthills in a desolate garden. There was not a tree in sight. The craziness of the interstate gave way to a quieter highway and a relaxing driving experience for Darryl.

Texas

The drive through New Mexico was brief. The panhandle of Texas bares a remarkable resemblance to the Saskatchewan prairies. Nothing but flatlands with green grass stretching to the horizon. Did we go through a time warp back to Saskatchewan?

Dalhart

“Smells like Texas!” I said while I opened the car door. The air was warm, humid with a slightly musty but fresh smell.

Tri-State Motel looked like a place we would drive right on by without a second glance. There were no windows and it looked like a movie set from a B-rated horror movie. Here we were, reservations made, once again trusting reviews.

A Warm Welcome

The lady at the front desk was the happiest hotel front desk attendant I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with. She was not of Texas descent as her accent gave her away; likewise, so does ours!

“Welcome! Welcome! Come in, come in! Ah, smiles! Your smiles bring me smiles and those smiles bring money!” “Money, money, money!” As her fingers rubbed together like she was playing a miniature violin. Her enthusiastic welcome was soon gone when swiped my credit card.

“Oh! Declined. It says declined. No money. You have no money.” It was if she had opened Christmas present only to find it was an empty box, wrapped in pretty paper. “Come see.” She motioned me behind the desk. “No money. Declined!”

She was right. It said declined on the terminal; however, the card was good so it must have been something she did when swiping it or entering the chip. I smiled, took my card, and inserted the chip into the machine.

“Try it again.”

Much to her excitement, the next Christmas present she opened had money inside! All smiles again, she gave us our key and told us she turned the heat up in the room due to it being a cold day. It was +20 degrees Celsius. We are Canadian. That’s a perfect summer’s day for us.

The reviews on the website were correct. This room was great! We had a king-size bed. The best feature was the bathroom. It was huge and completely renovated. The shower head was large with the perfect amount of water pressure. The carpet was worn out so we kept our socks on (I usually do in hotels anyway).

4. Travel = Self Improvement. Where else can you experience rejuvenation, relaxation, culture and a little bit of crazy all at once?

Day 4

The grassy plains turned into rolling hills with sage and small cedar trees. Texas was the first place we saw leaves and it was the beginning of May.

The Panhandle Plains

The monotonous plains were getting to me. I was getting antsy. Not to mention bloating and swollen ankles, fingers and stiff legs from sitting too long. Darryl was getting callouses on his left hand from holding the steering wheel on this road trip.

Abilene

Abilene was a welcome relief from the car. The Whitten Inn University was comfy, the staff were friendly and breakfast was good. Who doesn’t like a Texas-shaped waffle in the morning! Furthermore, there were restaurants nearby for convenience.

5. Teamwork Wins! You are going to be in the car together for a long time on a road trip with your spouse. Get along!

Day 5

Darryl and I make a great team, which made this road trip with my spouse easier. We don’t yell at each other; we never have. Our quarrels are usually about the GPS and maps. Darryl follows a paper map better than a GPS yet he insists on relying on the GPS, even when he knows he should go another way. I bite my tongue and refrain from saying, “I told you so.” Somehow, we always do get to where we need to be.

The last day in the car led us to our final destination: Round Rock, a suburb of Austin. You could tell we were nearing Texas Hill Country as the landscape was changing yet again. Green grass and trees of cedar and oak were becoming denser. Texas Longhorn cattle grazed in the pastures under the trees, their orange and white spotted coats a contrast to the green grass and trees above.

Texas had a wet spring so the wildflowers were out in full force. Flowers in red, white and yellow covered the ditches like a patchwork quilt.

Round Rock and the Final Destination of the Road Trip with my Spouse

Back at our second home 3,204 kilometres later! We love Texas. We love the people, the food, the cost of living, even the scorching hot weather. This time, the road has brought us to Texas and more adventures to come. Stay tuned for more stops and lessons learned on road trip with my spouse.

“The wind blows hard against this mountainside

Across the sea into my soul

It reaches into where I cannot hide

Setting my feet upon the road” – Kyrie Eleison, Mr Mister

All pictures in this post are taken by Charlotte, yours truly, as always, unless otherwise stated.