Grants Travelodge

... d'une sortie d'autoroute. Quelques milles plus loin, un parc desert sur le haut d'une immense colline. Plus bas, un lac.

Nous sommes bien assis a l'abri d'un bosquet de cypres. Laurelie pratique le lancer du caillou et taquine la sauterelle. Emile observe, apprend, touche... Patience...

... today, and soon we will be headed into the painted dessert of Arizona, making our way up to the Grand Canyon. We are hoping to see some old buildings and memorabilia from the original Route. That would definitely make tomorrow more entertaining.

Today is day 54, we think, and our trip is coming close to the end. We should be home sooon....

Till Arizona,

Nic and Jess


*Like we said not a whole lot to see, so sorry no pic's this time

... 8217;t go on without either food or the stove to boil and purify water. I started out and heavy snow rolled in. I had a few centimeters over my arms and legs, then more mud, more clogging and more scooping it out. By now my breaks had failed from all the volcanic mud and it was near suicidal on some of the descents. I had to walk a few. It was slow work but soon enough the weather eased and I came onto better, harder roads. I saw three hunters on these roads but knew I’d make ...

I'm sorry, I grew up with Bugs Bunny cartoons and I always think of him taking the wrong turn there. I will some day explore the city and especially I would love to turn north and ride around the Santa Fe area. Don't think it will be this trip since they are expecting high winds and thunderstorms this week.

... the eastern road, what did I see but more very, very black clouds. And this time they were putting on one of the most beautiful (and horrifying) displays of lightning I have ever seen except for on TV. And I was headed straight in to it. Now, my momma didn't raise a fool so turned myself around and went back to Grants to find a place to stay for the night. I might try again in the morning. Tune in again tomorrow night to see if I make.

... since it had rained earlier that day everything was mud and puddles of water. Everyone struggled getting around it and one couple accidentally dropped their baby's diaper bag in the mud! Our tour guide himself lived at the Pueblo so it was nice getting the tour from him. We walked around and various vendors were selling their pottery and handmade crafts along the way.

Our tour guide told us so many stories that I can't quite recollect them all. He told us about past ...

... district. I have included photo's of the trip plus some of the scenery photo's I took on my way there and over to where I am now in Grants, NM. High points of the trip was a) talking to a bunch of really interesting guys on the way up to the Cross of the Martyrs and when I asked to take their photo as a memento one them said hold on a sec and reached into a paper bag and pulled out a large jug of...well you know what. The other special memory was ...

... a snow-bow? Mother Nature was just full of herself today! In one very short period, maybe 5 minutes, we drove through beautiful blue skies with white fluffy clouds to white out conditions in the NM mountains. The white out started right when we were exiting to Cline's Corner and I think we could get there blindfolded since this is a routine stop for us, but ...

... at road signs and generally ****ing up your country is not the way forward. Thanks to Burton for the words to the Littles Hobo, I will be humming them. Thanks also to Anthony for really cheering me up. On telling him that I had made it to Cuba (the last town back) he declared "Oh you have arrived already." No Anthony, it is Mexico that I am heading for, as Cuba is an island. Silly, easy slip I know, but I am still giggling. Off into the desert for four days ...

... bottom of the swamp. Over many millions of years silica, sand and other natural minerals in the water soaked into the pores of the wood replacing the natural fibrous tissue found in fresh wood. The petrification results in amethyst, quartz crystals and other semi-precious stone. Over millions of more years the climate changed drying up the swamp and erosion has exposed them to the surface. We continued on through the park into a section of Badlands. The in the ...