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Day 3, Thursday, 08/11
Continenmtal breakfast in Paul's Valley is pretty grim compared to Council Bluffs. On this continent, it seems folks survive on pre-packaged toaster pastry, artificial food additives, and excessive packaging.

Hotter than Hell's kitchen floor today. Made our way into Dallas easily, by taking Harry Hines Blvd, past every strip club in town. Found our way to the Stoneleigh easily. Great spot...thanks for the recommendation, Mikey. A terrific hotel and very affordable. I've paid more money to stay in hotel rooms smaller than the closets in the Stoneleigh. Over to the Hard Rock Cafe, a few blocks away, for a bit of pin shopping. The guy in retail already knew me by name. It appears our fame preceeded us, thanks to a visit from Andrea and Rita earlier. Lunch at a terrific spot called Trulucks.

Off to the Rita-organized Peep Meet at El Fenix, where we were installed in a back room, so as not to offend the other patrons. I hope it worked? About 20+ peeps there, and I won't even try to recall all the names. A good group, though. Lotsa hugs and renewal of friendships. Andrea delivered an impressive array of Hard Rock pins she had picked up for me in Cologne, Berlin, Paris and London. Thanks huge, Andrea. On the way out of the place, I looked around for Mrs. B, and there she was...on hands and knees in the street. Not just drunk, I'm afraid, but she had had a dandy fall when stepping off the curb onto an uneven piece of pavement. Quick thinking Rita hot-footed it back into El Fenix for a bag of ice, but Jackie's ankle swelled up big time and she was in real pain. Turned several interesting colours too. But she's trooper and several of us headed off to Gilley's. Thanks to Adam for the ride. There must have been a big sale of chewing tobacco on somewhere, because the place was pretty much deserted. Heroic Karen did an admirable job of riding the famous mechanical bull, as Rita's video proves. I decided I was too old and fragile for that foolishness, so the bull and I came to an understanding. I wouldn't inflict my significant bulk on him, and he agreed not to render me a quadrapalegic. Seemed fair. Tried my first Shiner Bock. Too malty for my taste, but a decent brew.

Freeway Observation: Now, I admit to being a conservative driver - only one speeding ticket in 40 years - but freeway driving is an interesting experience for a guy from a town with no freeways. On ramps, off ramps, yields, merge from the right, merge from the left, parachute merge from planes overhead, merge from secret subterranean caverns, and all with a speed limit of 70 MPH, which is merely a suggestion, of course. We doing 75 and being passed like we're parked. My hands are permanently clenched into talons.