On the road part four: The meat

This part stands to be a test of our endurance, cunning, mental stability and tolerance for foul smells.

Once we get into Texas we have about 900 miles of driving to do going west on I-44. We'll brake this down into increments of about 300 miles a piece. Here's an imagined narrative.

Increment one, happening from about 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Assuming Oklahoma has not destroyed any and all traces of moral in the car. We may be playing Scattergories or opening up about the childhood experiences that made us who we are today. More likely, we'll be singing along to raucous renditions classic rock that fits the open road so well. Hate will be minimum, everyone should be awake. The sun set will charge us as we watch it from amongst the desert.

Increment two, this will hurt. Someone will have to drive from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m., with one passanger awake to make sure we don't die in a fiery blaze of sleep. One driver seems less than fair her. We will in all likelihood break this down into two hour graveyard driving shifts. Just finish it, its worth it considering the things that await upon completion. Also, whoever sticks it out to the end will be rewarded with a beautiful sunrise in the New Mexico morning.

Increment three, we will desperately need a second wind here. A will to continue, something to make us fight as we drive the last 300 miles of this helacious leg from about 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. I recomend heavy doses of Rage Against the Machine to fire up the adreneline, followed by some Tenacious D to keep the mind sharp and on point. Mellow music stay back here. We need power to get us to Flagstaff.

Once we make it that far, the rest will seem like a breeze. Adreneline will kick in, Tijuana will be but a few hours away and we'll be far too excited to feel tired, bored or dead-to-the-world. Knock this down and we have completed the first step.

Photo: Check the arrow, that's our goal, but that long red line must be driven first.