So today... after making friends with some of my fellow motel customers (a very nice couple from Tennessee and their newborn daughter)... and some of the hotel staff (2 very nice ladies in the hotel office that talked with me about rescue dogs and Smartcars and such...)... I got some fresh coffee for the road and headed out.
This overnight stay has sort of changed my perspective a little on Texas... and that is a good thing.
Driving through the desert is a wonderful experience. And I was rather surprised at how happy I was to be back in New Mexico. Not just because I happen to live here and was coming home... although that is certainly a crucial factor. But it was more that New Mexico seems to be such a sacred kind of place. Yes, the economy sucks. And yes, there are certainly distressing things about living here... but it is also a very serene kind of place... almost eerily so at times. It's like you can feel the land and the stories it is trying to tell...
And so... I got home late in the afternoon... and it was an awesome thing to behold.
Today was spent traveling from Missouri.... through Oklahoma... to Amarillo, Texas. I wasn't sure I would actually make it this far... but the driving was good today. Today was a huge day for reflection... and it made the hours in the Jeep go by rather quickly.
I stopped for a late dinner at The Big Texan... you may remember it from a previous post. It is a fabulous ... kitchy... interesting place. The last time I went here... I noticed that there was a row of buildings next to the restaurant that are available as hotel rooms... so I decided to check it out. Indeed... rooms are available, and are very "cowboy" inspired. I got a room that was all decked out like the interior of a rustic cabin... complete with large log furniture and cow print duvets. The bed was extremely comfortable. In fact, my only complaint was that I had no wifi connection... but perhaps that was for the best.
Sabrina and I thoroughly enjoyed our take-out dinner from the restaurant... consisting of a top sirloin, roasted tomatoes and onions, mashed potatoes, rolls and iced tea. It was scrumptious. For dessert... I tried a very small piece of their home-made fudge... which was exquisite.
Today we started out in Oklahoma.... and made it all the way home to Albuquerque just after midnight. My daughter did alot of the driving.... and I am very grateful. It still seemed like I felt every bump in the road.. and in that sense... it was rough. However, it was still much easier (no doubt) than if I would have done the driving as well.
Oklahoma is a very pretty state in the springtime. All along the highways were gorgeous wildflowers. The photo above shows tons of the red ones.. .I think they are a form of fire weed.... and they were stunning. We also so lots of daffodils, tulips, dandelions, wild mustard, and a few poppies.
Throughout Oklahoma and later into Texas, we continued to see lots of beautiful farmland and ranch land. We saw tons of cows, and even the occasional goat, sheep and even alpaca farms. America really is gorgeous... and it's a shame we (as a whole) don't appreciate it as much as we should.
My daughter and I had an interesting discussion revolving around Route 66. We were discussing whether there was an equivalent to that kind of thing today (not that I know of). And we were talking about how people travel alot today... but not in the same context. At least the impression I got of the Route66 fame; was that it was treated like a trip... not where the destination is completely the goal... but more of the journey being the goal. I think most people today who are driving/ traveling are more focused on getting to a certain destination... as opposed to enjoying the journey.
We got into Amarillo around suppertime, and on impulse... decided to stop at "The Big Texan" for dinner. If you've never been.... it's an iconic kind of place. The Big Texan is totally kitchy, totally cowboy... and totally everything you would expect a Texas steak house to be. There is a huge dining room full of about 100 taxidermy animals on the walls... wood floors...country style tables... even an authentic cowboy band.
There is a saloon/ bar area... a massive poker room...a gift shop.... fudge and candy area... even a game/shooting range for kids.
There is a hotel/motel right next door that is owned by the same company.... and the building looks like a row of old buildings from a historic western town.
Needless to say, I had an awesome time. The band was fabulous... the atmosphere was fun.... and I had the best. steak. ever. Seriously. I had an 8oz sirloin topped with sauteed mushrooms and blue cheese crumbles and a side of fried okra. My daughter had a cup of chili, cornbread, and a HUGE appetizer that was comprised of fried okra, jalapenos, mozzarella sticks, and rocky mountain oysters. We didn't get dessert (cuz we were stuffed)... but the portions were enormous! and everything looked fantastic. ((Total cost of the meal was just under $40 for both of us))
The following photos are from the Big Texan....(see more on this place: here)
After yesterday; frankly; I was a little reluctant to head out on the road again.
But head out... we did. Somewhere near Kellerville, TX we drove by a nasty accident where it appeared that there were several fatalities. A helicopter was trying to land nearby... presumably to transfer a survivor that all the medical people were attending to. The police had traffic stopped on I-40 heading east, and were waving people to go on.. on I-40 heading west. I tried to find out what happened... but couldn't find anything. Within the next 20 miles or so... we saw almost 30 dead dear along the road as well. All I can think... is that the storm that has been around us... was actually ahead of us at that point... and must have caused some awful winds/ storms or whatever and caused the damage the day/night before. Tonight... while watching the news... I did see where tornadoes had touched down in that area as well. .. and also in Oklahoma. It was all very surreal.
Life is so precious. I think that sometimes we take it all too easily for granted.
(local farm in Texas)
The rest of our day was relatively uneventful. We drove.... alot. When we were in Elk City, OK.... we found a massive 18 wheeler sized truck wash.... and washed the SmartCar. All the mud from last night's fiasco was erased... at least from the outside of the car. Kristin drove the better part of the Oklahoma turnpike route... and around the city of Tulsa. She did a fantastic job.
(Southwest Antiques, in Weatherford, OK)
We would stop... but mainly for gas,water, or to walk about. We stopped at a fabulous Antique Mall in Weatherford, OK ( it was much bigger on the inside than it appeared from the outside); and for burgers at Braum's ( and Kristin got an awesome hot fudge Yogurt based sundae).
The scenery is changing from the almost completely flat fields and ranch land... to slightly more hilly areas... red dirt...and trees. It was great to see the wind farms in action... they are really cool. We are gradually seeing more water as well... rivers, creeks, and ponds. Signs of spring are peaking about as well... some fields have been really, really green. ... but most are still dressed in their winter clothing.
(sunset in Oklahoma)
And we stopped for the night in Miami, OK... just a few miles west of Joplin, Missouri. We are staying at a MicroTel Inn; and it is fabulous. Last night we paid about $50 for a really tacky and somewhat questionable Motel 6. Tonight; we spent about $60... and have a beautiful room; clean and fairly posh... and we get breakfast as well. Go figure.
( Theater in Miami, OK)
Talked to my mom on the phone... the hospital (actually .. a social worker)...is talking about the possibility of transferring my dad to a rehab place of some sort. She apparently told my mom that dad could be transferred as early as tomorrow. He just had massive surgery yesterday. He is still in a heavy fog of pain... and can't really move at all. Sometimes I really don't understand hospital/ insurance stuff at all. I can't really see how that could happen... but I am trying to get there.... in the meantime, I encouraged my mom to talk to someone tomorrow about it.
But for now... rest well. Be safe. Appreciate the bounty we all have.... health, family, friends... blue skies, happy puppies.
----------------------------------photos by Elaine A. Russell
We did not get an early start... but we got the car checked at Jiffy Lube and were on the road around 1pm.
Today has been an interesting day. My dad had surgery this am... and according to my mom; is having a very rough post-op. The surgery took much longer than anticipated.. and frankly; I am not sure what all they did. I know it was focused on his hip joint... which was so full of cancer, that the bone had essentially deteriorated and was ready to crumble. But that is really all I know at this point.
I did not know that when we set out on our journey today. We ran into interesting weather before we even got out of ABQ. When we hit Tramway Blvd & the base of the Sandias... a huge storm was gathering and the wind was building. By the time we got heading up the mountains... we had snow. Snow and lots of wind. We traveled in and out of this storm for quite awhile.... experiencing snow, hail, rain, massive winds... and about 3 miles of calm in the middle of the eye of the storm before we went thru it all again.
The scenery is just gorgeous though.. and for awhile... it was really nice out. Windy... extremely windy... but nice. Awhile later, we ran into massive dust storms that pushed all kinds of red dirt everywhere. It was like driving in fog. Kristin drove the rest of the way to the edge of Texas --- when we stopped at San Jon, NM. San Jon is a small town... very small. We stopped at "A Taste of India" cafe/truck stop/mini store.... really, expecting it to not be that great. We had seen signs along the highway for authentic Indian food... and we decided to check it out. We were very pleasantly surprised. While the outside is heavily under construction... and makes the place look a bit "questionable"... the inside has a wonderful little cafe. The owners are first generation Americans who serve awesome authentic Indian food. They were very friendly, very nice... and dang was the food good. According to the last census, about 300 people lived in the San Jon area... but the owner said now it is down to about 7o homes. Apparently, there just isn't a whole lot to do in ole San Jon....
Bellies full and very, very happy... we headed out again. Finally, we made it to Amarillo.... and considering the weather and such; we decided to just stop for the night. An early night; we thought. Take a long bath... watch a movie... we thought....
We got a room at Motel 6; then decided to go get a burger for Sabrina's dinner as a special treat. However, once we got the food... we couldn't find a way to get back to our hotel. Lots of one way streets... overpasses.... etc. We ended up taking a back alley-way that we thought we take us in the direction of our hotel. We ended up on a dirt road behind all the hotels on that strip, which was great... except that it was very muddy. Kristin decided to turn around when things started looking bleak... and we got stuck in the mud. Not just stuck. Really, really stuck. We tried for about an hour ... pushing, yanking... swearing... then we tried 411 to get a tow. After the 4th try of not being able to reach a business that was open... Kristin went to the nearest hotel and asked for help. Fortunately, we got a tow from a great guy... and a chuckle from the local cops who came to check it out as well, and even a laugh from a passerby on a bicycle. "Angel" (yes, that's his real name)... the tow truck guy....was able to get our car un-stuck... and even drove ahead of us to our hotel so that we would be able to get there in one piece. And now... having had a warm shower... and snacks we got at from the "Taste of India" store.... we are safe... warm.... and in for the night.
I wish I would have thought to have taken a photo of the car stuck in the mud.... but a SmartCar up to it's bellybutton in mud is not a pretty sight....
...at least when you are on I-40. My niece was amazed when I visited her in Landisville, PA because my directions from her house to ABQ all fit on one page. This is because (in part at least) because you are on I-40 for over 500 miles. Kinda like the song by the Proclaimers ...
So -- my first stops were at the Cherokee Trading Posts in Oklahoma. There were 3 of them in a row.. somewhere in the middle of Oklahoma. Typical kitchy travel stuff. ... with tons of authentic and really nice stuff in the mix. I saw porcelain dolls, native flutes, moccasins, leather travel bags, taxidermy rattler snakes, tons of jewelry.....wow. Near the massive gift shops were always a restaurant (which I didn't go to) and a park which sported real live buffalo. Such beautiful creatures ! Sabrina even laid down next to the biggest one of them all (course, separated by a fence)... but it was amazing. This was my major stop for the day.. and Brina and I took our time looking thru everything.
An early lunch was spent at a Braum's. I think this is a midwest type of chain... famous for it's burgers and old fashioned ice cream. They have a deal where you can get a bag full of burgers for only 5 bucks. I remember a few years ago when Michael went with me on this trip. He ate 2 bags of burgers... and washed them down with thick milkshakes. (and then slept for a couple of hours )
Oklahoma scenery is full of farm land, fields, and the reddest dirt I have ever seen in my life. It is almost like watching super Technicolor tv when you see the bright green of the grass next to the bright red of the dirt. I even saw a couple ponds that could fool you into thinking they were pools of blood.
Texas. Ah Texas. You'd think there were be one ranch close to I-40 with Longhorn cattle.. but no. I think the people of Texas should make this a tourist stop. I for one, would like to see a Longhorn close up. Brina and I stopped for a drink somewhere close to Amarillo. We laid down in grass of a McDonald's and tried to cool off. I felt like the air conditioning wasn't working.. but in retrospect.. I think that it's just that it was 95 degrees outside... and I couldn't get cool enough.
Around 3-4pm, we hit the border to New Mexico. Almost immediately, the topography changes from totally flat .. to starting to get hilly and with arroyos. We saw 3 trains go by when we were near Cuervo, NM (one of my fav places)-- I just love trains. We stopped for gas in Santa Rosa, and a pit stop at a very skanky place that I will not mention. We also saw a herd of what looked like gazelles ! feasting on the grasslands fresh with rain.
We encountered traffic congestion to the west of the Sandias... there is alot of construction going on, couple with a fender bender... made life a little complicated. If you've never seen the Sandia Mountains.. I would consider it a must. They are the most awesome jutting monoliths of mountains... full of pine trees and deer.
By 7:30 I was home. I had been craving ice cream since Texas.. so the whole family went out to Coldstone for a treat !
Today I woke up at at 9:30am.. still pretty tired... and stayed tired all day. I can only assume that I am just not used to all the driving. It has also been very humid.. and I have been driving in and out of storms.. which also adds to the feeling of fatigue. Right away, I was able to find a Walmart near the hotel, and was able to purchase a new cord to hook my camera to the laptop. However, the pics still won't load.. so I can only assume that there is something really wrong with my camera. This is not a surprise, as my camera is not so elegantly held together with duct tape and prayer.
Drove for a couple hours, then stopped for lunch at a Wendy's. I am constantly amazed at how many people come up to me to talk about the SmartCar. I have been averaging about 50-60 people every day during my travels, who ask about the details on the car. If I had a $1 for every one... . he he. I actually don't mind. It is great to see people so excited about it... and I understand their enthusiasm.
Later on, Brina and I stopped at a Speedway Gas station in Wadsworth, OH. I got to talk to a very nice young girl about life... young, tattooed, rebellious, and an artist... living in a really really small town. Ohio is full of well manicured lawns and the towns of nothing but 3 bedroom brick ranches. Large corporate buildings and factories. Heavy steel factories, lots of really big buildings composed of brick...reflecting the heyday of industry in the East.
Around dinner, we stopped at a little gas station/cafe/gift shop at the junction of I-80 and Rt66. We are in PA now. Now comes the part of the trip where the road winds up and down thru the top end of the Appalachian Mountains. Small little villages with no red lights and one country store. Areas that are only hosts to the seasonal campers and hunters with sporadic trailers and cabins strewn about. Luscious green fields, primitive forests, and quiet blue ponds. Dairy farms and small herds of sheep. Rusty old tractors gathering rust in the sun strewn fields. Barns echoing times gone by, now left to fall into the ground. It is my home state... and I had almost forgotten how loudly it speaks to my soul.
The last leg of the trip takes me thru Mt. Jewett, Kane, Smethport, Port Alleghany, Roulette, and finally to Coudersport. Along the way I took photos of fields, farms, and some vintage train cars that a gentleman is restoring into guest houses. I took pictures of lots of flowers. This is what I started taking photos of as a child, and I still love to take nature shots. I had actually considered studying Biology at one point... and at one time I knew the names of every plant or tree I saw.
As I arrived into Coudersport, it started to lightly rain.. and there was the most gorgeous HUGE rainbow. It was soooooooooooo bright. I did take some photos.... along with another guy in a small car that stopped alongside the road.
Picked up a salad for supper ... and drove to my parent's house. Brina has been happily sleeping in her bed since we arrived at 8pm.
Total expenses: $60 for gas, food and snacks. $20 for a camera cord at Walmart. Drove about 500 miles or so today.
*photos by Elaine A. Russell
*photos by Elaine A. Russell
(Vintage Conoco Station in McLean, Texas)
(local farm in Texas)
(Southwest Antiques, in Weatherford, OK)
(sunset in Oklahoma)
( Theater in Miami, OK)
----------------------------------photos by Elaine A. Russell
