The Texas Panhandle
Crossing the Texas Panhandle, we stopped in Amarillo for a meal at a Route 66 landmark, the Big Texan Steakhouse, famous for its beef, its old-time decor, and its sassy attitude. They offer a free 72-ounce steak (that's four and a half pounds of meat!) to anyone who can finish it in one hour, and for every six who have tried, five have failed. They brag, "This ain't no franchise or chain," and will even pick you up at your hotel in a stretch limo with a longhorn bull's horns mounted on the hood! I chose a modest portion of prime rib and found it delicious. Recommended.
Oklahoma
After watching so many miles of desert, cactus, and tumbleweed, our eyes were soothed by the green grass, green bushes, and green trees of Oklahoma. Our travels followed historic Route 66, the U.S. highway that once ran from Chicago to Los Angeles, a single ribbon of asphalt that guided so many migrants to California. Route 66 is still remembered and celebrated across Oklahoma.
At one RV park, we parked next to a small travel trailer which turned out to be occupied by Jeb, a 76 year old man in well-worn bib overalls who grew up on a farm in Arkansas and had a lifetime of experiences working outdoors, including drilling for oil in Texas and harvesting timber in Oregon. His gentle drawl and and the stories he told about himself were delightful.
We noticed that we were entering Tornado Alley, famous for the number of tornadoes each season, and were headed for Oklahoma City, which has been hit by more tornadoes than any other city. But this wasn't tornado season, and we made it out of the state without seeing so much as a funnel cloud.
Iowa
The curious thing about Iowa was that the price of mid-grade gasoline (89 octane) was actually less than regular (87). As we drove across the state, I kept my eye on the prices at gas stations, and mid-grade was always less, usually by ten cents a gallon. Now, this seems to somehow contradict a law or nature (dusk comes after sunset, not before), or at least a business rule (you put the scoop of ice cream on top of the cone, not the cone on top of the ice cream). After some web research, it turned out that Iowa mid-grade gas contains ethanol, but regular doesn't. Why? Good question.
As we continued north, we got closer and closer to the Minnesota border.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
The Arizona–Utah Border
Bright red mountains, bright red dirt. This is Ed Abbey's territory — sunbaked, windswept, harsh, and unforgiving. Have you read about it in his Desert Solitaire ? Or The Monkey Wrench Gang ?
At a small, desolate Utah state park campground, as we were taking a morning walk across the sand and scrub brush, Menominee suddenly leaped and caught a lizard — her first! She's a Minnesota cat, and didn't grow up learning about lizards, but somehow her hunting skills include lizard-catching, subduing, and playing. The legend of the Great Hunter lives on.
Continuing east, we came to Four Corners Monument, where Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico all meet at one point, at right angles. You can walk right up to the very point, stand on top of it, with parts of your body in different states, and pose for pictures. Nearby, friendly Navajo Indians sell jewelry, pottery, and made-to-order Indian Fry Bread.
Cartographic trivia: The monument's location was set by an early survey which determined the state boundaries. Decades later, the survey was found to be in error. What to do? The Supreme Court ruled that the incorrect survey results would continue as the legal boundaries between the states!
We checked the weather forecast and found that Colorado was too cold and snowy for our taste, so we continued east across New Mexico.
At a small, desolate Utah state park campground, as we were taking a morning walk across the sand and scrub brush, Menominee suddenly leaped and caught a lizard — her first! She's a Minnesota cat, and didn't grow up learning about lizards, but somehow her hunting skills include lizard-catching, subduing, and playing. The legend of the Great Hunter lives on.
Continuing east, we came to Four Corners Monument, where Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico all meet at one point, at right angles. You can walk right up to the very point, stand on top of it, with parts of your body in different states, and pose for pictures. Nearby, friendly Navajo Indians sell jewelry, pottery, and made-to-order Indian Fry Bread.
Cartographic trivia: The monument's location was set by an early survey which determined the state boundaries. Decades later, the survey was found to be in error. What to do? The Supreme Court ruled that the incorrect survey results would continue as the legal boundaries between the states!
We checked the weather forecast and found that Colorado was too cold and snowy for our taste, so we continued east across New Mexico.
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