Day 8. Mile 1720. Amarillo, tx

I am again sitting in a dive bar. This is supposedly a gentleman's club,
but the only women I see is the bartender, and the dried up bar floozy.
I'm not too fazed. There's a bar band here which is actually really
good. The tunes are simple and standard country fare, but their voices
are surreal. I'd ask them if they cut a cd, but I doubt it. These are a
bunch of good ol boys who croon together for the hell of it and maybe
some free beer.

A few minutes ago, a couple got up and danced. I recognized it as the
texas three step. I tried to learn while at a country club in wichita,
but failed for lack of a partner. I think I could handle the two step,
but the three step looks a bit more complicated what with the crossovers
and all.

While walking to this place, I was thinking about the sunsets I've seen
while riding. Although I've been on the road for eight days, I've only
seen three riding sunsets. The first was across a bridge and down under
the missouri river. There was a church on the riverbanks and it was tall
in the colours. The second one was across the kansas plains. Sunsets in
kansas don't spark colours. Rather, the horizon seems to grab the sun
and smother it in the green of the kansas paraire. The third was
recently, when I was heading across amarillo. It look as if there was a
fire in the sky. I know that sounds cliche, but that's how it was.

Another couple is dancing. A bit ago, the guy came up to me and shook my
hand. People are really genteel here in texas. Everyone seems genuinely
happy to see me and ask of me as if we were friends or family. I think
that is because of all the guns here. No one can afford to be crotchety
or nasty. I think I will almost be sorry to leave texas. I will need to
come back, just to see austin.

I'm going to stop writing and just listen to the band. Maybe ill write
more before bed.

~ I write with your life and my own ~