The End of the Earth

Did you ever have that moment as a child when it seemed as if you were at the edge of the earth and you were sure the car was about to launch into nothingness? Did you close your eyes just as the car careened toward the edge and was air born for just a second of eternity?

I wasn't sure I could find the road. It had been at least 50 years or so since my father had taken that road to my grandparents house in San Angelo Texas that I both looked forward to and dreaded as the end of possible life. He would speed up just as we approached the tracks and laugh as we went up and over the road safely to the other side. It was thrilling every time. I searched for an afternoon in Howard County for "The" road. It was not where I thought it would be on the road from Denver City to San Angelo. It was off the beaten path. There is Interstate 20 that crosses the path that wasn't there in the 50s and 60s. My father must have veered off of Hwy 87 to view the beautiful llano estacado escarpment a little to the east of Big Spring, Texas. Funny the things you remember as a child. I recognized the East Snyder road as soon as I turned off I20 after searching for over an hour or so. My heart begin to beat a little faster and I could see my father smiling and looking back at me to watch my facination and fear of the oncoming feeling of being air born and temporarily terrified and thrilled. I pushed on the accelerator as I neared the tracks. I literally had no idea what was on the other side in 2017. I help my breath and landed safe and sound. I smiled, stopped, and took the shot.