Day 34 - Thursday, July 3, 2008

Day 34

Carlsbad, New Mexico to Abilene, Texas

Well, we are officially on our way home. Ever since leaving the Grand Canyon we've had the leisure and pleasure to meander where the road takes us. That's the best way to travel, I think. We stop when we were tired, we followed the brown signs for historical and natural landmarks, and we explored the towns we were in.

Now we're in a different mode -- just putting miles on the odometer. Yesterday, leaving New Mexico we hit 6,148 miles on our trip so far.

Here's the skinny on the driving:

We left Carlsbad taking Rt. 62/180 to Hobbes, on the NM side of the NM/Texas border. The land was mostly flat, scrubby desert, with some rolling hills coming up as we went eastward.

Passing into Texas, the land was still mostly flat, but not desert anymore -- there were alternating patches of grass and crops. We could see the clouds and sky for miles, and could even see it raining on the southern horizon. (That was cool.)

We also saw lots oil rigs pumping, and a new mark on the landscape -- dozens of wind farms. Sometimes the two structures were together and made for an interesting juxtaposition.

We passed through the Texas towns of Seminole, Lamesa, and Snyder heading east on 180. At Snyder we took 84 East for a few miles to get to I-20 at Roscoe. Then we headed straight into Abilene, and spent the night swimming and relaxing in the hotel pool.

More miles ahead of us. And because of time, we can no longer take the road less traveled. Sorry, Mr. Frost. We wish we could.

Day 29 - Saturday, June 28, 2008

Day 29

Grants, New Mexico to Socorro, New Mexico (via Acomo Peublo and Los Lunas)

• left Grants taking I-40 toward Albequerque
• went south from I-40 to Acoma Peublo (also known as "Sky City")
• amazing 15 mile drive to it
• afterwards saw very cool Dust Devil when returning to I-40 (near the Sky City Casino)
• took Rt. 66 where possible toward Correo
• then took Rt. 6 to Los Lunas; again, every view a postcard
• took I-25 South to Socorro
• stopped early for the day
• that evening went to the old one-screen theater in town and saw "Wall-E"

Day 13 - Thursday, June 12, 2008

Day 13
Albuquerque, New Mexico to Holbrock, Arizona

We started off on the grand Route 66 taking Central Avenue through Albuquerque. We made note of all the places we want to see on the way back. We're on a mission now to get to the Grand Canyon as soon as possible on Friday.

All the same in about six hours we had gone about 100 miles! We kept pulling off and taking photos (especially of old signs) and searching for Route 66 (you'll be on it and it will disappear suddenly). We saw mesa vistas west of Albuquerque and watched the landscape change as the miles went by.

We also stopped at several wonderful tourist traps and trading posts picking up some good southwestern stuff.

We made several more Route 66 stops (including the famous Jack Rabbit trading post with the "Here It Is" sign), before stopping for the night in Holbrock.

We were excited to stay at the Wigwam Motel with concrete tee pees from the 50's, but the place was full and the owner was rude. We settled for a more contemporary hotel on Navajo Boulevard.

We went to bed early because we were excited to finally be getting to the Grand Canyon tomorrow.

Day 12 - Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Day 12

Amarillo, Texas to Albequerque, New Mexico

This was really the start of the vacation for the archeologist because at last we caught up with historic Route 66 in Amarillo. We followed it alternating from I-40 West to Route 66 west wherever we could find it.

Cadillac Ranch
This brought us to some famous Route 66 stops such as the Cadillac Ranch just west of Amarillo, an outdoor art piece by Stan Marsh where a line of old Cadillacs are submerged into the ground, an open, dusty field. People describe it as an Americana Stonehedge, and the angle the cars are leaning is said to be the same angle as the sides of the Great Pyramid.

Midpoint Cafe & the Motorcycle Club
We also stopped at the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, which claims to be the midpoint of Route 66 between Chicago and LA. That was my most exciting stop of the entire trip, because there I met Bearnard B. Behr, motorcycle tour guide and fellow mascot! There I got a photo with his human, Gary, on their way cool Harley. Gary takes tourists all the way from Chicago to Santa Monica on motorcycles, showing them all the famous, infamous, and unknown highlights of The Mother Road (a.k.a. Route 66).

You can visit Bearnard's blog at: http://www.bears-to-travel.blogspot.com/ or www.myspace.com/bearnardbear. Be sure to tell Bearnard and Gary you heard about them from me!

Ghost Towns and Motel Signs
After that we meandered into New Mexico stopping at other Route 66 towns along I-40 and Rt. 66. Some places were little more than ghost towns, and one place Glenrio, TX, was totally a scary ghost lane of crumbling buildings.

It was a long day with the archeologist jumping in and out of the car to get her beloved cadaver signs. But I must admit a couple of them were quite impressive. However, she seems enamoured with all of them.

We stopped in Albequerque around 7PM. We have to be at the Grand Canyon by Friday, so tomorrow and the next day we should have a fairly easy drive.