Left Turn, Clyde!

Sunday December 14 2008
Gallup, NM

Mother Nature finally caught up with us.

The day we were to leave Taos, the weather reports made it clear that heading north in to Colorado was not a good idea, so we headed back from whence we came: towards Albuquerque. I have been joking since the beginning of the trip that maybe taking a left turn at Albuquerque (a la Bugs Bunny) was what we really wanted to do. I didn't think it would come true.



And, of course, it didn't, because once we actually got there we took a right turn onto I-40 (which parallels some of old Route 66) and lit out for Gallup, New Mexico. Gallup is perhaps best known as a major stop for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad. In fact, the motel where we stayed (a pretty nice Days Inn) had trains running all through the night just across the road--I really felt like I was out west.

In another time/chapter of my life, I actually took what was known as the Empire Builder from Red Wing, MN to Whitefish, MT. Although it was not a luxurious train ride, as depicted in the movies, or a spartan hitch a la Woody Guthrie, it did give me an unique experience of America, a view one does not get from an Interstate. Rule of Thumb: always take the road less traveled.

Sunday morning, we woke up to our car coated in ice and snow, and a slight chill at 27 F. After reading about the devastating ice storms in the northeast, I figured we got off pretty good. Regardless, the weather reports are having us change our route once again. After we leave Gallup, we're heading for Flagstaff, AZ and then south to Phoenix and then (maybe Tucson). I'm glad we have a little extra time and that the long legs of our trip are behind us. It gives us time to adjust our trip and stay out Mother Nature's way--at least for the most part.

The picture below gives you a really good idea of the route we've taken so far; and so far the weather's been great. Double click on image to get a bigger view.