Friday, February 28, 2014

Santa Fe, are you there? Do you swear you won't forget me?...

   Yesterday ended like all the other days on this trip, short of my desired destination. After making it halfway through New Mexico I decided to stop in Albuquerque to get some dinner at a micro brew pub. After consuming some tasty Mexican food and a refreshing beer it was time to get back on Route 66 toward Arizona... the car had a different plan in mind. I got in the car and it started fine but something was missing, headlights. With the sun already set, it would be impossible to continue with the car not cooperating. After thirty minutes of messing with some of the electrical, which I know nothing about, it was clear that Albuquerque would be the final destination of the trip for the day.
   The situation could have been worse, it was a lively neighborhood with lots of restaurants, cafes, and bars instead of on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. Luckily there were a few motels within walking distance and the closest one seemed to be the best price and therefore the best choice. After checking and walking into the room I realized that the best price was not the best choice. The room smelled heavily of smoke even though I requested a non-smoking room. The smoke detector was dismantled so in the motel's defense it may have been a non-smoking room but the last tenant decided he/she could do what ever he/she wanted. The clean white towels had black marks all over them and the room was just messy. So not the greatest motel experience but I got a little sleep and will be on the road again in no time.
   Although the day did not end as planned it still had some highlights. For starters Route 66 threw me a curve ball when entering New Mexico and turned into a dirt road while at the same time veering a few miles away from the interstate and civilization. I was a bit nervous at first but it was a nice drive and the dirt road only lasted for a few miles. Also early on in the day I reached the halfway point on Route 66. There was a cafe there that would have been a good place to get breakfast but it was closed for the winter so breakfast would have to be acquired a little further on down the road. The landscape in New Mexico was amazing. I felt like I was in an old western movie and John Wayne was going to pop out at any minute and tell me to “stop burning daylight”. I have done some traveling in my days but never experienced very much of America. I always thought that you wouldn't get much diversity from state to state but it seems like a whole different country down here.
   The news on the car is that it is running smoothly for the most part, just have to figure out the headlights otherwise my travel times will become limited to daylight hours. If there are any motor heads out there with any tips it would be most helpful. I have all lights (interior, brake, running, blinker, reverse) but no headlights, high beams or low beams. Before yesterday I had only low beams and no interior lights so apparently the car decided that the interior lights were more important then the headlights at this point in the trip. I swear this car has a mind of its own. Please leave comments or email me at nathangeorgeis@gmail.com. My google research makes me think it might be the headlight switch but that could just be hopeful thinking since it only costs $10. Unfortunately with this car issue it looks like the The Wigwam Motel is going to have be passed up, maybe next time.
   Today I am going to do my best to make it to Palm Desert, CA where my Aunt Katie and Uncle JT have graciously offered a place to stay the night and maybe a home cooked meal if I can make it there in time. Between here and Palm Desert lies Arizona which has the longest continuous stretch of Route 66 still intact. You could say they saved the best for last. Hopefully I will be checking in with you from nice and warm Palm Desert tomorrow morning.
   Thanks to everyone spreading the word and a little publicity in the Spokesman Review there were a lot of donations that came in yesterday. It looks like we are on track to meet the $1,000 by the end of my trip.

MONEY RAISED:

$781

Today a special thanks goes out to all of the donors below as well as a few anonymous ones:

Craig and Kristi Murray
Frank and Angie Taylor
Dirk and Julia Bond
Joey Klein

Renee





Halfway there!


New Mexico's version of Route 66.


Amazing landscapes all day long, this picture doesn't do New Mexico justice.

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