Along the Way

I used both my camera and my phone for taking pictures on our trip. As I was transferring the files from my camera to my computer this morning, it occurred to me that most of the pictures that I shared along the way were from my phone. And I had so many more interesting ones on my camera! 

Rocky Mountains coming into view
along Highway 550 in Colorado.

Overlooking the town of Ouray, Colorado
which was tucked up in this canyon.

We figured this section of the highway
had probably only been open a couple of weeks.

Traveling through New Mexico.

Historic Route 66.

Who'd've thought I would run into Anne Shirley
clear down in New Mexico?

The other buildings grouped around the
Modern Restrooms along Route 66.

We decided this might have been a gas station
once-upon-a-time with the little carport in front.

And this was apparently a motel
back in the day.

This place was a little fancier with a service garage
on one side and a motel behind.

This must have been a little diner,
don't you suppose?

I was glad we had shipped most of my convention
supplies when we had to unload all our
luggage to get to the spare tire.

My parents' home in Arkansas.

The church where we got married
in West Plains, Missouri.
It's a pretty little church, isn't it?
I'm glad it hasn't changed in 27 years.

Lyle and his mother.

Trip Wrap-up

Miles traveled: 5,390
Average fuel mileage: 36.15
States driven through: 16
Spent the night in:

• car (2 nights)
• Montrose, Colorado
• Tucumcari, New Mexico
• my parents' house near Mulberry, Arkansas
• my mother-in-law's house in Rolla, Missouri
• Paducah, Kentucky
• Nashville, Tennessee (2 nights)
• Belle Fourche, South Dakota

Observations:

• I still love to travel with that man of mine. We'd stay on the road full-time if we could, I think.
• I'd really love to make a "Route 66" road trip some year, following the old highway as much as possible all the way from Chicago to California. Getting off the interstate was so interesting to me.
• Simple, elastic wrist bands designed to help with motion sickness actually seem to work. I've worn them several times now as we've driven over winding mountain roads and haven't experienced motion sickness while wearing them. (And I'm usually susceptible to it.)
• Smaller, cheaper hotels are often more comfortable and friendly than the bigger, expensive ones.
• I feel sorry for the people who are taken with the over-the-top, lavish decor of the "world class" hotel where the convention was held. The indoor, faux river and waterfalls, while impressive, don't begin to hold a candle to the beauty of the western wilderness.
• It seemed weird for southern accents to be the norm rather than the exception at the convention. I could hear mine getting more pronounced as the weekend wore on. 
• The air in the South is soft and heavy. In the Northwest it's light and crisp.
• It's nice to visit the South, but even nicer to live in the Northwest.

Travel Stats: Day 3

Departed Tucumcari, New Mexico: 8:00 a.m. MDT.
 Hours driven: 9
Flat tires: 1
Hours stopped to change the tire and get it fixed in Amarillo: 2.5
Miles driven: 590 (including 44 on Old Route 66)
Average speed: 50.2 (including stops)
Fuel mileage:  39.7 (40.259 on one tank!)
States: New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas
Wildlife spotted: 2 snakes crossing the road in New Mexico
Other VW Jetta wagons spotted: 1 (silver)
Weather: sunny and warm (high of 95 in Amarillo)
Car Talk podcast: 2 episodes
Lum and Abner MP3s: 6 episodes
CBS Radio Mystery Theater episodes: 2
Indications that we had reached the Bible Belt: a giant cross as a tourist attraction, and a billboard advertising the Jesus Christ is Lord Travel Center
Arrived at my parents' house near Mulberry, Arkansas: 8:35 p.m. CDT.
Tuesday's destination: My mother-in-law's house in Rolla, Missouri.

Modern Facilities

At the junction of a (dirt) portion of Route 66 and another (dirt) highway. Eastern New Mexico, almost to the Texas state line.

Route 66

Trying to pretend the Interstate running parallel to our left is not there, and visualizing what it might have been like to travel across New Mexico 50 years ago. "Gettin' my kicks..."

Travel Stats: Day 2

Departed Montrose, Colorado: 7:30 a.m. MDT.
Hours driven: 9.5
Miles driven: 503
Average speed: 52.9
Fuel mileage: 39.9 mpg (still hoping to see 40 mpg!)
States: Colorado, New Mexico
Wildlife spotted: deer, burros (though the burros may or may not have been "wild")
Other VW Jetta wagons spotted: 0
Weather: sunny and warm
Bicyclists going up the mountain as we were coming down: 51
Car Talk podcast: 2 episodes
Unshackled podcast: 1 episode
Lum and Abner MP3s: 3 episodes
Also listened to: our pastor's sermon and a Cathedral's CD
Arrived Tucumcari, New Mexico: 5:00 p.m. MDT.
Monday's destination: My parents' house near Mulberry, Arkansas.

Have Lemon, Will Travel

Albuquerque, New Mexico

New Mexico

And on we go...