New Mexico - and the Rio Grande is DRY! The White Sands Missile Range is WHITE! We came thru the San Augustin Pass and the
white sands lay out before us, interspersed with skeletal remains of towers and
fences from when the area was really a missile range! Miles from the Mexican border we encountered another “Inspection
Stop” – this time the guard on duty was a bit intimidating with his body bulk
crammed into a dark uniform, clean shaved head, stern looking face and
prominent black eye patch! The Alamogordo
Sands Motel and the Sunset Restaurant finished up our day on the road. The special of the day was a “Wobbly Wayne”
and we could not resist – a juicy chopped BBQ sandwich and a bottle of root
beer! Sunday morning led us up out of
town and we climbed steadily to the crest of the Lincoln National Forest – Yes
– all the facilities were closed but the road, the tunnel and the scenic
pullouts were still accessible and the views were gorgeous. From the 8700 ft elevation the decent was
long and slow thru forests with trees that were finally taller (much taller!)
than our van. The vast pine forests
were sporadically dotted pale yellow from trees that had begun their fall color
change. From there on our journey east
became a blur. Pump jack fields, nodding up and down as they pulled the black
oil from the ground split up the Texas fields of sunflowers, sorghum and
cotton.
Years ago – before the days of our blog – H and I were
traveling home across the northern states of Wyoming and Montana, and were seemingly
playing leap frog with another couple on a big black Goldwing pulling a big
black trailer with lawn chairs secured on top.
We finally stopped together and Gene and Betty from Post Texas became
lifelong friends! A visit with them was
a welcomed break in our run for home!
Once we hit the interstates of Rt 30, and then 40 – it was
all over - no more slowing down to see
what interesting view we were passing because the ‘view” was a steady stream of
semi butts and then the massive blank walls of their side panels as we passed
them by. From Dallas/ Fort Worth, thru
the entire state of Arkansas to Memphis Tennessee – the “view” was the
same. And we won’t discuss H’s ire about
“rolling roadblocks”!
The “Land Between the Lakes” area in north/west Tennessee-
south/west Kentucky is similar to the Natchez Trace but since the National
Parks are closed due to stupidity – this road was just that – a nice calm road,
without semis, to get us north.
Louisville, Kentucky – Indianapolis and Ft Wayne, Indiana to the new Rt
24 interstate thru Ohio to Toledo and we were done.
