Regrouping

It's morning in Amarillo, Texas and we're regrouping.  A mere four hours from our next destination - Santa Fe, New Mexico - we're taking an hour or two to reset the car, pay some bills, finish Emmy's "Paw-di-cure" and pull out more socks.

It's been COLD, the entire trip.  For those of you who thought "oh!  you're headed south, it's gonna be warm", look at your map.  While I am taking one of the southern routes, it's through the northern parts of the states where winter, as us New Englanders know it, still exists.   It hasn't been above 35 degrees since I left Connecticut in the snow - and that wind, "sweepin' down the plains" in Oklahoma?  Frigid.  The next two days have us heading up the mountains of New Mexico and Arizona  - increased elevation = chillier weather.  The high in Santa Fe upon our arrival is predicted to be 27, with a low of 5!!  So no sitting by the pool for me...

Yesterday we made a stop in Oklahoma City.  As a Connecticut resident, I wanted to pay my respects and represent Newtown citizens at the Memorial.  Not sure what I expected, but it was really lovely.  So well-done - makes me think that Sandy Hook school could be a similar site.  A place of memory and reflection.

As we continued across the plains, it was a challenge to keep driving without stopping - Mel Tillis at the Sugar Creek Casino!  Cherokee Trading Post - see live Buffalo!! (for the record, from the highway, it looks like a convenience store with a huge fake Teepee in front) But one of the coolest thing we saw was windmills! 15-20 of some of the biggest propellers I've ever seen - had to be 200' in the air, with blades half that size... and then I saw another set in the distance on the opposite side of the road.  Really cool!!






Coming from the Northeast, I forget how much space there is in the rest of the country... miles and miles of open land, dotted with cattle and the occasional llama.  Was wishing it was night so I could enjoy the wide open sky filled with stars.

Landing at our La Quinta for the night meant dinner.  Decided to "ask the locals" and ended up half a mile down the road at the Country Barn, replete with its own "Big Tex" for great brisket and ribs... even the few bites of  white bread Texas toast tasted good!

Next stop?  New Mexico!  Santa Fe,  we're comin' for ya!