Trail Grazer: Day 4: Crawford, TX & Albuquerque, NM

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Day 4: Crawford, TX & Albuquerque, NM

I left Austin around 8 and headed to Crawford, TX to see George Bush's ranch... I couldn't really get close but hey at least I saw it. I then began the 11 hour drive to Albuquerque...... Looking at mapquest telling me it was going to take 11 hours was pretty frustrating ... I wish I could just time travel!

I'm pretty sure I drove through 10 rain storms, and one of the towns was flooded that I was supposed to go through! I drove through a bunch of old towns - Paducah was pretty neat - they still had a 5 & 10. It was mostly country roads, until I got to 40 West, which was relaxing, but did take a while. They don't have rabbits out here that try to cross the road ... they have big hairy black spiders and turtles. When I was by Prairie Chapel Ranch (Bush's ranch), there was a mama turtle crossing with her baby; I decided to slow down and let them cross.

As I continued my journey west, I realized how much I appreciate cruise control and polarized sunglasses - that sun in New Mexico is bright! Right before I crossed into New Mexico, I stopped at a gas station near Amarillo. In the bathroom, they had big sheets of paper you could write where you're coming from/going to. It was really neat to read some of them! I drove on Old Rt 66 & by Cuervo (was Jose from there?).

I booked a hotel room on priceline.com for $60... it was 3 stars and had a 90% rating from visitors - the Crown Royale in Albuquerque (normally goes for $139). I went to a restaurant recommended by a local - called the "Frontier Restaurant". I'm pretty sure I saw a sign in there that said it was on "Man vs. Food".

I realized as I was driving yesterday that I forgot to write about my experience on Day 3 getting windshield washer fluid.... I was in Harlingen, TX and the alarm kept going off in my car telling me that I needed windshield washer fluid so I stopped at Auto Zone. I guy was circling the parking lot on his bike when I walked into the store and when I came out he asked me if I needed help with filling up the windshield washer fluid. I did. I had no idea how to open the hood of my car because I couldn't find the lever inside of my car that you pull to open it! He helped me find it and then insisted on filling the windshield washer fluid himself. He started to unscrew the cap on the transmission fluid and I stopped him just in the nick of time! He then was pouring it in the correct reservoir, but he had his fingers over the mouth of the bottle to keep it from spilling ... the dude had about 2 gallons of windshield washer fluid run through his fingers. I'm glad it wasn't antifreeze or something like that! Afterwards I offered him some food because I didn't have any cash to give him and at first, he refused, but as I was backing out of my spot, he changed his mind. Today (two days later), my biggest regret is giving him my cosmic brownies. Everything else I'm sure he needed/wanted ... but I really could go for one of those right about now!