Checking on the black cat in his truck, Robert Christopher of South Carolina made a brief stop in Fort Stockton for some fuel, snacks, and a cold Mountain Dew.

“Her name is Kitty,” Christopher said while petting his cat. “We’re moving from San Diego, but we started from Charleston, South Carolina. We’re headed to Austin. We went to Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana – made our way down the coast. I took the longest way possible to do a big circle around the United States. Once we get to Austin, I will hit the 8,000-mile mark of traveling with my cat.”

Christopher says he will soon be a Texan by settling down in Austin and will be adding a dog to their family. Holding Kitty close to his chest, Christopher referred to their travels as a spiritual journey.

“We’re just going with the flow,” he said. “I’ve been single since I was thirty. For the last three years, I’ve just been trying to find myself. It’s been a transformation. I’m not soul-searching anymore, but more so just going with whatever life presents me. Almost too spontaneous at times, but so far, I haven’t fallen off the tracks.”

Before departing, Christopher shared his first impression of Fort Stockton.

“Honestly, I’ve never even heard of this place. I’m just trucking and enjoying the scenery stop-by-stop. We’re on no time schedule, so this was a nice place for us to stretch. But I can tell you what is awesome about this area, not just the small-town feel, but the weather. You cannot beat that. This weather is awesome.”