We left Oklahoma City soon after an early motel breakfast on day 2 of our westward journey along portions of Historic Route 66.
Destination: Albuquerque.
We had replaced our defunct GPS at a Best Buy in Oklahoma City the night before, though it had a fairly easy job. After navigating a couple of side streets to get on the highway, it instructed us to get on I-40 West and follow it for 547 miles. Not much chance for a wrong turn there.
In Missouri I'm used to driving past fields of corn and soybeans. In southern Oklahoma and northern Texas the crops were different: cotton and wind. Though the cotton fields ended not long after we crossed the Texas state line, southern Oklahoma and northern Texas were lined with slowly turning, power-generating wind turbines as far as the eye could see.
Near Amarillo a billboard tried to entice us to stop at the "Top of Texas Catholic Super Store." Since many of our best friends and neighbors are Catholic, I saw no reason to stop and shop for new ones.
The Big Texan Steak House in Amarillo still offers a free 72 ounce steak, provided you eat it in one hour. If you don't? No price was listed, but with a 16 ounce restaurant steak running around $20, the math would suggest a tab of at least $100 if you fail.
West of Amarillo we passed by a very large, very aromatic, cattle feedlot operation that threatened to overwhelm the senses. Shortly after that, Mother Nature successfully overwhelmed our senses. Topping a rise we were suddenly presented with a panoramic view of buttes and valleys, rocky outcroppings and vast open spaces against the horizon. If I closed my eyes, I could imagine the cowboys of Lonesome Dove slowly driving the cattle they stole in Mexico north to Montana. Since I was driving, I tried to imagine it without closing my eyes.
As we entered Albuquerque, our new GPS roused from it's direction-free day and began spewing directions again. Our vintage motel, the voyeuristically named "Sandia Peaks Inn" (Sandia peeks in), is located on historic Route 66. "Vintage" is often a euphemism for "old", not exactly a good thing for motels. The Sandia Peaks Inn was very nice, though somewhat noisy due to its location adjacent to a very busy street. Loud stereos and thunderous mufflers periodically pierced the night as vehicles waited at the traffic light a mere 75 yards from the door to our room. The price was right though. Only $67, including tax. More than enough savings to pay for the ear plugs I inserted before turning out the light.
Next stop: Grand Canyon.
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