Arizona Trip - Monday #1

Monday.

6 am - I slept until I could not sleep any more. Just because of the sun in my eyes, I woke up. I did get to awaken to a beautiful sunrise and landscape. The bats were gone and the birds were chirping. The wind was blowing and the kids were sleeping. I sat up and just drove into Amarillo. By the time we got there the kids were awake and hungry.

This is all we saw for miles
and miles and miles.

Baby Girl was fascinated with
the cotton fields.  Since they had
already been harvested,
she gleaned just one piece.

I followed the Historic road,
then it dead ended - with
this sign.

The most interesting part of
 route 66 in Downtown Amarillo

After a potty break, and some "housekeeping" we were on the way to a goodwill. Ya!   $3 crutches!  Back on the road. I am starting to worry if I am in the right place. We stop at Denny's for breakfast and I do a re-check.  Is I-40 the same as RT 66?  I haven't seen anything interesting. I find out that we are on the right road, however to see some of the historic road, you have to exit at some of the towns and loop through the town. I started doing that around Groom, TX. Still nothing. I did this through the entire panhandle.  I knew there wasn't much in the panhandle of TX, but being on route 66 I thought there would be something.  I didn't plan much for yesterday or today because I wanted to find something interesting.  That’s not working out so well.

Finally!  Wait!  What!?  What was that!?  I make a quick u-turn.  We are just west of Amarillo.  I thought I saw cars sticking out of the ground.  Yup.  Cadillac Ranch.  We get out and walk around.  It's very defaced. There is more spray paint on these cars than anything.  They are nearly rusted through.  I would not let the kids touch anything  for fear of tetanus.  It was a nice morning, and a food reason to walk around.  Nothing else to look at.  We took some photos and walked back to the truck.  Because I am the driver and I am tired I make the executive decision to go a mile down the road to the gift shop.  That was a bust.  Just a little store with t-shirts and over priced water in the middle of no where.  Oh well.  Back on the road.  Maybe I am just disappointed that this second day is not filled with more excitement and giggles.

The 2nd Amendment Cowboy
greeted us at the gift shop

Noon - We are in New Mexico.  After a quick stop at the welcome center and photos at the state sign (great excuse to stretch your legs!) we are back on the road.  I knew there would be a lot of driving on this trip, but I was hoping for a little more excitement too.   I have exited the interstate at nearly every town – just to stay on historic route 66.  I still haven’t had a reason to stop.  

A car displayed outside of the Car Museum

2:00 pm - Getting tired. Really tired.  I found a car museum in the small town of Santa Rosa.  I needed to get my blood flowing so we walked through the gift shop. I didn't want to pay 5 each to see cars so we left.  If hubby was here, we would have gone through the museum part – or at least the boys would – but no one was really overly interested, so we left again.

We are all so tired of seeing nothing.



Then I see a sign.  Blue Hole.  What is that?  I have no idea, but I want a reason to get out of the truck.  We are on day 2 and my fanny is falling asleep.  We drive through Santa Rosa for a bit following the signs and finally come upon this:

Arghhh.  It's full of rowdy big kids (early 20's).  I wanted to jump in and do something!  We walked around a bit and felt the water - definitely only 61 degrees.   After thinking about it, we decided we didn't want to ride around all wet, so we left.  

Update - a week after the trip I wish we had just jumped in.  Cold or not, rowdy kids or not, we should have seized the moment.

Change of plans #2.  I ask the kids if they want to keep with this route or get off route 66 and up to to see 4 corners.  Big Girl had asked before we even left, the other two said YES! 

Still no reason to stop, but at least no we see a beautiful landscape and have a reason to take lots of photos.  By now both girls have taken over a thousand photos.

8:00 pm – The kids are getting restless. I look and look for a place to pull off to play for 10 minutes.    In Colorado and Utah there was always a public roadway that lead somewhere fun.  So far I only see driveways.  Finally I find an unblocked ‘driveway.’  There is no sign that says private property or no trespassing.  I see no house.  Just funny looking gopher things.  We drive up just a little and run and run and run as much as we can. 

Back on the road.

9:00 -  We stop to brush teeth and change into pj’s.  I keep driving so I can get a little closer to 4-corners.  It’s a national monument, there should be camping nearby.  In these little towns it is hard to find a stop.   I want to get a little closer. I got to 4 corners at 10:20. No truck stop to be seen! My gps went crazy so I just went straight.  I am fighting sleep so much.  I get to a T in the road.  On the right I see nothing.  On the left there is a town.  Obviously, I turn left.  Just find me a truck stop!  Some place safe to pull over!  I am almost in tears I am so tired. I pulled into the first place I could.  A truck stop - at least it has showers and a bathroom for morning.  I look at the gps to see where I am.  I thought I was going back into the last town I saw in New Mexico, turns out I was going east!  What! ?  No!   Now I'm in Colorado?!  I don’t care.  I go to sleep.

 

This is what I woke up to in Colorado on Tuesday morning.  I miss this sight......