In between leaving Oklahoma and arriving in New Mexico, we drove through a small part of Texas.
We weren't going to be staying the night in Texas but there was one roadside attraction that I wanted to make sure that we wouldn't miss.
Cadillac Ranch.
Originally installed in 1974, these 10 vehicles are the inspiration for Ornament Valley in both the movie, "Cars," and in Carsland.
It's going to be a grow photo spot.
"The Kids" don't want to come with me to see it up close. My Mom's wheelchair wouldn't be able to handle the cow pasture where it is located anyway.
We overshoot the location of Cadillac Ranch and have to double back on a surface road that is running parallel to the 40. It is a little confusing but we get to where we need to be. Jack pulls off the road along with all of the other highway travelers that are stopping here.
I grab my iPad and iPhone and I hop out of the car. My Mom is not doing well today and I don't want to take anymore time than I need to.
The Cadillac's are about 500 yards away from me and the ground feels really...strange.
I realize it is because I am standing on the flatest land I've ever been on. It feels as though I can see so far that the curvature of the Earth is visiable.
I feel like I could fall off the Earth.
It's a weird feeling and I try to shake it off as I head off to my goal.
The cars look puny in the distance and the rise up from the ground the closer I get to them.
Up close, the cars are covered in a cacophony of color.
They are beautiful.
I watch other people climb on, take pictures with, jump in, and otherwise explore the cars for a moment before I go to work and get my pictures.
There's one other thing that most people are doing.
They are spray painting the cars.
It has been encouraged over the years to do so and the cars have been tagged more times than concrete banks of the Santa Ana riverbed.
I take a bunch of pictures and I'm just about ready to head back when I realize something.
I need to tag one of the cars with something from "The Bucket Trip."
But I didn't bring any spray paint with me.
I look around.
There are discard spray paint cans everywhere.
I start checking the cans to see if any one of them have paint in them.
First can, no paint.
Second can, no paint.
Third can, no paint.
Crap! This would have been so cool but I'm running out of time. I need to get back to my Mom and Jack.
I decide that I'm just going to try one more can.
It's a can of black paint. I shake it back and forth to try to get whatever last bit of paint in there ready to go.
I aim and depress the nozzle of the can.
I've got paint!
I put a giant black "T" on the side of a cadallic fin.
I drop down to paint my next letter.
I add a giant black "B" just below my "T" and I'm thrilled.
I'm really going to do it. The Bucket Trip will leave a mark here!
I go to add the final "T" with a horizontal line. Success!
I have just one horizontal line left to make and I'll have "TBT" on one of the cars.
But nothing comes out.
The can is out of paint.
I snap a final picture of my work. No runs. No drips. No errors.
It would have been perfect if I could have gotten all three letters on there. It feels like I have unfinished business.
It's not a good feeling as I head back to the Jeep.
I pick up the pace as I get closer to the car and I promise myself one thing.
This will be the only piece of unfinished business that I have on this trip.
Nothing else will be left unresolved.
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