Incoming Washingtonians Having A Fine Time Getting Lost In Fort Worth Looking For Mexican Food

It was like a leg of The Amazing Race, trying to follow route directions, but getting hopelessly lost, for the pair of Washingtonians navigating to meet me for lunch at Mercado Juarez, in Fort Worth, today.

Relying on their phone-based GPS location locator, the address for Mercado Juarez was entered. The incoming Washingtonians were on I-287, heading north.

The GPS should have told them to continue on 287/35, exit at Northside Drive, and head west 1/4 mile to Mercado Juarez.

Instead, the GPS had the Washingtonians exiting from 287 on to Commerce, heading in to downtown Fort Worth, then taking a right on Main Street, heading north to take a right on Northside Drive.

Mercado Juarez is a bit hidden by trees when you come at it from the west. So, the pair of Washingtonians drove right past where they were to meet me, continued on, under the freeway, which should have been their exit zone and then proceeded to head east, into a Fort Worth neighborhood.

I was then called, just as I was exiting 35, on to Northside Drive. From what I was initially told, I thought they were to the west, so I said I'd head towards them. But, as I kept getting more information, I was totally confused as to where they could be.

I was told they'd driven under 287. Huh? In my mind, that had them far north, forgetting that at the Northside Drive location the freeway is 35/287, til 287 splits off and heads towards Amarillo.

When I realized what was meant by 287, I realized they were east of the freeway. I told them to head back to the freeway, that I was coming towards them. I was barely under the freeway when the Washingtonians came into view. I then followed them to the Mercado Juarez parking lot.

All in all, it was a great episode of mis-direction.

It was great seeing the Washingtonians. I'd not seen them in a long time. Both were looking very good. We had a great lunch and fun visit. And then it was time for them to program their GPS to try and guide them to Amarillo. I gave some verbal directions and hoped that that helped.

Like many Washingtonians, this pair takes their boat with them wherever they go. Texas was no exception to that rule.

Due to their traveling incognito, I did not want to take a picture of the Washingtonians. But I did snap a picture of them pulling back on to Northside Drive, on their way to 287/35.

When I was a Washingtonian I never pulled my boat behind me. My boat was an inflatable raft.