Day 15:Shalom and Howdy!

Our third week on the road started out with another great IHOP breakfast in Beaumont, TX and ended with us spending the evening watching the Olympics and getting some projects done on our laptops in San Antonio, home of the Alamo. The countryside changed from gator farms and bayous to cattle ranches and rolling hills. We also passed 3,000 miles on the trip.

On the way we stopped in Houston and a visit with Marilyn Dolley's brother Ron Aaronson. We met him at Congregation Beth Messiah, a messianic synagogue (Jews who believe Jesus is their Messiah and who accept the New Testament as God's Word as well as the Old) where he is a rabbi. He's a great guy, and was so excited to show us around their 3 year old facility. It's very nice! NHC could work really well there! Then he took us out for lunch!! BTW, Ron and Marilyn could be twins.

One interesting thing I saw while traveling in I-10 I had never seen before - a bouncing tire going the opposite way off our right shoulder. We were on a stretch that was a bridge about 15' above the ground level. I saw something black come up higher than the side rail of the bridge a couple of times and at first thought it was a bird. Then as I got closer I realized it was a tire bouncing - and a big tire, like off a truck. So I began to look for a truck missing a tire.

A couple of miles down the road we had to exit off the interstate on to the service road. As we got closer we saw a yellow school bus facing the wrong way. Actually it was a "retired" bus (maybe headed to Mexico?) being towed. And it was missing not only a tire, but it's entire front axle was in pieces on the road! I think that solved the mystery of the bouncing tire.

We're in San Antonio for two nights. I found a great deal on a motel room - a suite with a kitchenette (not that we need it) for $34/night in a Quality Inn. Triple A membership has its advantages. Tomorrow we'll see some sites, including the Alamo and the River Walk. While in TX I also want to find some good TX barbecue.