Day 30: Oklahoma

First Stop out of Amarillo was the route 66 museum in Clinton, OK. A nice little museum that highlighted the history of the highway. From the early days where the road was the route used by the dust bowl farmers to flee to California, as depicted by John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, to the travel and automobile boom that followed after WWII. The road lost its luster in the 1960’s with the building of the Eisenhower Interstate system. The museum did a nice job of celebrating its importance and heyday.  One of the founders of the museum has a tattoo that says “It’s about the journey, not the destination” words I’m living by on this trip.

Next Stop was the National Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City. This museum was very impressive, with a huge art collection, short movies, and a mockup of a western town.  Significant for me were the paintings by Charles Russell and Fredrick Remington. When we were really young, Dad used to gather us kids around and go through pictures books of these two artists paintings.  He would quiz us on the names of the paintings. My favorite was “A Bronc to Breakfast “by Russell. That painting was not here but I did enjoy seeing his paintings.

 It was fitting that I saw both of these museums today as I’m done with crossing paths with route 66 and done with the American West.  Nice little recap.

In Oklahoma City, I walked over to the memorial for the victims of the bombing that took place in April 1995. Especially poignant is the field of 168 chairs, in 9 rows, representing the 9 floors of the building and the floor where each of the people died.  Very touching was the smaller chairs, representing the children. I like Oklahoma City, nice mix of old and new.

Song of the Day: Living on Tulsa Time, Eric Clapton and Running on Empty Jackson Browne (It was playing when I left the route 66 Museum)

Podcast: Smartless, Clayton Kershaw – ace pitcher for the Dodgers

Book on Tape:  The Reckoning

Beer of the Day:  Everything Rhymes with Orange, Roughtail Brewing C0

Total Miles: 300

 Day 29: Texas

Angel Fire

From Taos I decided to take a slightly longer route to Texas, electing to go by the Ski Area, Angel Fire, 25 miles outside of Taos.  Going this way and along the North East part of New Mexico, really surprised me with how beautiful it was. I always thought of New Mexico as Adobe and desert, but this part of New Mexico is great. At one point I pulled over and was rewarded with seeing a Hot Air Balloon in the distance, taking off.  I also have to say that even in the small towns in New Mexico, everybody is wearing masks, and I didn’t see that in the other small towns from Maine to Oregon.

Driving into Amarillo I reflected back on the spring break trip I talked about yesterday. We left Center Colorado in the evening and it became my turn to drive around 3 or 4 am.  We were all excited to be on the trip, by the time it was my turn, everybody fell asleep and it was up to me to get us beyond Amarillo safely. I remember being so tired, I was having trouble seeing and there was road construction. I was hitting the gas and letting off on the accelerator, so much so that my friends would later say they thought they were dreaming of rocking back and forth.  I was staring at the gas gauge, willing it to go down so I could stop for gas and change drivers.  Turns out my driving was so bad that we burned through a tank rather quickly and as the sun came up beyond Amarillo, we changed, and I slept.

Today in Amarillo I stopped at the Cadillac Ranch, where 10 Cadillacs are buried nose first into the desert. It’s become a public art exhibit as people spray paint the cars.  Looks like they also believe in throwing the used cans and caps anywhere.  I also took a spin through downtown Amarillo, not a lot going on there.

Song of the Day: Texas Sun, Khruangbin, Leon Bridges

Podcast: The Habitat: Finished, really enjoyed the science and thinking behind this simulation of life on mars, from a group dynamic standpoint. The producer examined the pros and cons of sending humans vs Robots to Mars.

Book on Tape:  The Reckoning

Beer of the Day:  Shiner Bock, Spoetzl Brewery (Only Texas beer at the gas station, what happened to Lone Star?)

Total Miles: 330

 

Day 28: New Mexico

Espanola

From Durango I drove east until I dropped into New Mexico. I have not seen this part of New Mexico in the daylight and it’s pretty, especially now with the Aspen trees showing their fall colors.  I was heading towards Taos, but as I drove through the town of Espanola, I remembered a story from 1979.

Six of us from school decided to do spring break on the gulf coast of Texas, it’s only a little over 1,000 miles and gas is 70 cents a gallon, why wouldn’t we? We were young and dumb.  We first stopped in Center Colorado to get my roommate, Marks’ 1959 Pontiac, complete with tail fins and studded snow tires. We made to Port Aransas and camped on the beach for a week. On the way home, it’s was about 2am when we pulled over in Espanola for gas.  We always changed drivers when we needed gas.  A car of local guys pulled up on the other side of the pumps. Not sure if was the car, or Six guys from Colorado that got their attention, but they started questioning what we were doing there and where we were going.  After giving them no information, we got back in the car. Mark paid for gas, and when he got back in, he said the cashier told him to watch out for “those guys” they were trouble. As soon as we pulled out, the driver of the other car slammed it into reverse and attempted to cut us off. Fortunately for us, an unsuspecting motorists had pulled up behind the other car and they ran into him hard.  Mike was driving and he floored that Pontiac down the highway.  We looked back and it appeared the other car was speeding off in the other direction.  After about 30 seconds Mike said: “hey guys, did we cross a divided highway to get to that gas station?” The last driver, said yes and then we saw the headlights coming at us.  Mike flashed his lights and maneuvered through oncoming traffic, until he found a place to cross over. With the head start we got we never got caught by those guys. If not for that poor unsuspecting motorist and our inadvertent drive down the wrong way, who knows what would have happened.

Today I had a more uneventful fill up in Espanola and I drove to Los Alamos to see where there once was “more brainpower per capita” than any other city in the Country. There is a museum, Bradbury Science Museum, where you can learn about the development of the atomic bomb. It was closed because of Covid but I got to see the town where it happened.  

From there I headed to Taos for the night, it’s got a great ski area 18 miles out of town, that I probably won’t see tomorrow, but the town looks nice.

Songs of the Day: Rocky Mtn Way, Joe Walsh (For Colorado) Get your Kicks on Route 66, Asleep at the Wheel (because it mentions New Mexico) No time to be Sober, Uncle Kracker (because of the Covid news)

Podcast: The Habitat: Today about group dynamics, when 6 people are locked in a small space for a year.

Book on Tape:  Started The Reckoning, John Grisham (Preparation for when I hit Mississippi)

Beer of the Day:  Desert Fog, Marble Brewery

Total Miles: 280

Day 27:  Colorado

Karma

I left Winslow early and doubled back to Flagstaff so I could take the road that I would have driven between Durango and Phoenix back in college. I wanted to stop at the 4 corners monument, that I would have driven by 8 times when I was in college, without stopping. As I said yesterday, my sister is still mad I wouldn’t pull off the road for 300 yards and let her stand in all 4 states at one time.  Today, after going about 100 miles out of my way, I stopped... and it’s closed because of Covid, that is Karma.  The 4 corners monument is in the Navajo nation and they were hit hard by Covid and have taken drastic steps to halt the spread.  Gas stations are open, but only for pay at the pump, all the stores are closed on the weekend and all the fast food restaurants are drive up only and also closed on the weekend,

You are lucky if you can find a port-a-potty. Side note on that, noticed that wearing a mask makes the port-a-potty experience better, think I’ll keep one in the car, even after there is a vaccine.  The road between Flagstaff and Durango has not changed much in the last 40 years, maybe a few more passing lanes and a few more fast food restaurants in the 2 cities on the way, but other than that, it’s all the same.  Could not find the historical marker that showed where our car broke down, but it was a nice trip down memory lane.

When I got to Durango, I found all the places I used to live, walked around the college and had a good lunch downtown.  Picture below is of my first dorm, where I met the people that I am still friends with to this day, including the friend that introduced me to my wife of 33 years, so it’s a pretty important place in my life. I loved my time at college in Durango.

In general, I would say I expected more change since I was last here in 1983.  There are more name brand hotels and more brew pubs, but the basics have not changed that much.  Even the trailer park I lived in for one summer is still there, and still looks about the same.  The college seemed a lot more quiet that I remember, but I asked a student and I think it’s because of Covid.  The school has added some new buildings but I had no problem finding my way around.

Song of the Day: Rain in Durango, Guy Clark

Podcast: The Habitat: A group of 6 people are locked into a structure in Hawaii, to simulate life on Mars.

Book on Tape:  Nothing today

Beer of the Day:  I had a local Octoberfest at lunch, but in honor of my college days, it’s got to be Coors original “The Banquet Beer”

Total Miles: 380

 Day 26: Arizona

I’m running out of adjectives to describe the American West.  I got to Bryce Canyon at dawn and was not disappointed.  There is a 35-mile round trip drive up the canyon. Amazing views of the Canyon to the east. Some recent fire damage (I think 2018) but really a beautiful area.  I was there before it got crowded and enjoyed the early morning.  It was 27 degrees at one point, now I’m in Arizona at 86.

Driving south from Utah I entered Arizona through Navajo Nation.  Couple of stories come to mind. First time through we were on spring break, driving from Durango to San Diego. We got a late start, in two cars heading through the desert late at night. One of the cars broke a fan belt. My car was still in good shape, so we drove to two towns looking for an open garage, this was near Tuba City. Needless to say, nothing was open, so we bought a 12-pack and listened to my new John Prine 8 Track.  All of us slept in the cars, it was a cold night.  When the sun came up, we drove back to town and got a new fan belt and were on our way. The other story is about my poor sister, Astrid.   When she came west with me to see Colorado, I took her through here on the way to Phoenix, where she was going to fly home.  We were driving through here, and she saw the signs for the Grand Canyon. “I always wanted to go there she said” Nope, no time to stop I said.  She is still mad about that to this day.  This was after I also refused to stop at the 4 corners national monument, told her I thought it was silly.  She’s not happy about that one either.  I’ll stop there tomorrow in her honor.

I did pull off the road on the way to Winslow to see where a meteor hit the desert, but I decided not to pay the $20 bucks to see a hole in the ground.  I was more interested in getting to Winslow to stand on a corner. They actually have a corner set up, where a gift shops plays Eagles music and there are two statutes, I guess commemorating Glen Frey and Jackson Browne.  Guess it worked, made me want to come to Winslow.

Song of the Day: Take it Easy, The Eagles

Podcast: nothing today

Book on Tape:  Finished the Wright Brothers

Beer of the Day:  Tower Station IPA, Mother Road Brewing

Total Miles: 480

 Day 25 Utah

Area 51

Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakota’s have nothing on Nevada when it comes to stark landscapes. Today I left Tonopah heading east.  It was 200 miles before I saw a gas station. I probably saw 12 cars in those miles.  I went by an Air Force missile range, and this is close to the famed “Area 51” At one point I turned on to a highway call the “Extraterrestrial Highway” I didn’t see any UFO’s, but a few cows on the highway. It’s called open range, they don’t even bother putting up fences to hold the cattle in, just let them roam.

My only stop today in Utah was Zion National Park, the Kolob Canyon part of the park. Lots of people parked at trail heads, hiking.  I just drove the 5-mile road to the top, for some good views. To fully see Zion, you need to make a reservation to take a shuttle, and I didn’t feel like being on a shuttle.

One more note about yesterday, after I wrote my blog, I went to dinner at one of two options in town, a nice Mexican restaurant.  I was the only one there wearing a mask, when I questioned the waitress, she said the town has not had any cases, so nobody bothers.  I checked my Weather Channel App, and sure enough there have been 0 cases in that town, but it’s interesting, there are a ton of people going through this town as it’s on the only route between Vegas and Reno and there were a lot of guys that worked for a mining services company staying there, judging by the number of company trucks parked everywhere. Nobody in these small towns seem concerned, the national hotel chains and fast food restaurants all use masks, but gas stations and local places are not feeling the need.  It’s not a state thing, it’s county by county.

Song of the Day: The Promised Land, Bruce Springsteen

Podcast: Smartless, Jennifer Aniston (just ok)

Book on Tape:  The Wright Brothers, interesting today about them trying to sell their invention - had to go to France to find a buyer.

 

Beer of the Day:  Oatmeal Stout, Moab Brewing

Total Miles 335

Day 24: Nevada

Halfway

Today is ½ way through my trip, it’s gone by fast.

I headed from Truckee down the west side of Lake Tahoe, it’s one of the largest lakes in North America, after the great lakes, and the views were stunning. The first time I came to Lake Tahoe was with my parents for a ski trip. My sister had a new job and couldn’t take vacation, but Mom and Dad took my brother and myself. I think it was the last vacation I took with both my parents.  I was reflecting today how I was 24 and my parents were old.  Except of course, my Dad was 3 years younger than I am now, and my Mom was in her 40’s – how did that happen?  On that trip, I drove the family down this same highway, after skiing, probably to see a show in Lake Tahoe.  I remember that drive in the dark was really hard, it was dark, and it was windy road.  Seeing the road in the daylight, I had reason to be stressed all those years ago. Today, at one point, going down switchbacks I was behind a guy on a bicycle and he was going faster than I was.

From South Lake Tahoe I headed up the east side of the lake to Carson City.  I stopped to take a picture of the Capital of Nevada. It was not that impressive.  Compared to Montpelier, it was pretty mundane.

Next I headed to my stop for the night, Tonopah Nevada, as I wanted to make some miles before hitting Utah tomorrow.  The best part is when my GPS put me on a dirt road out of Carson City for 15 miles. It wasn’t even a good dirt road, it was all washboard so at 15mph, it felt like my fillings were going to fallout. After I hit the blacktop it was 175 miles of desert, at one point there was a sign, “no services for the next 100 miles” It’s all good and now I’m in this funky little town, it’s not Vegas but there is a brew house across the street, so what more do you need?

Song of the Day: Bittersweet, Big Head Todd and the Monsters (my feeling being ½ halfway done)

Podcast: Nothing today

Book on Tape:  The Wright Brothers 

Beer of the Day:  999 IPA, Tonopah Brewing Company

Total Miles 310