Saturday, December 15, 2012

Off for Christmas

Tucumcari, New Mexico

You couldn't see the top of superstition mountain this morning for the fog.
And the spitting rain at 50 degrees...  I asked if we were really going to head out on such a day and received the affirmative..  Uh, . . . . .  OK..

Things were locked and packed by 9AM...  So we stopped for gas in the East end of the valley...   as we passed Gold Canyon it began to rain..  Beyond Superior it began to sleet..  Loyce was beginning her nap....  I had white knuckles .... but Christmas beckons...

Right away we came upon a wreck outside of Miami...  A pickup had lost it and spun backwards into the guard rail..  Someone was hurt and the ambulance people were on their knees...

About three miles farther a second truck accident was in the middle of the road..  This one was a head on....  We sat still for a while and I couldn't help but notice the very minimal amount of sleet on the road....  How did these folks crash in that?  Its barely wet...    But it was foggy,  still us Northern folks would have to quit driving for all winter...

We had decided to take the Show Low route rather than go to Payson, because Payson was forecast for 9 to 12 inches of new snow... Show Low was to have just 4.. Still we were in it heavily above 6000..   It stuck like glue because it was so wet..  We just went slow and steady..

Down thru Salt Canyon it kind of let up, as the temperature in the deep ravine was several degrees warmer than out in the open...  Show Low looked like Christmas.. The trees covered in the white blanket....  We topped the gas tank and headed East on US60..

Its still 7400 feet of altitude all the way to New Mexico but it seemed to be letting up  a bit..  After a long while we turned North at Quemado to sneak back up to the interstate..  We had bypassed Gallup and Grants coming out 45 minutes West of Albuquerque..

After more gas at the Route 66 Casino for $2.91  we were in the big city...  Loyce wanted Cracker Barrel, so we took about an hour off...

After supper another three hours landed us here in Tucumcari at a Rodeway Inn..  They are pet friendly  for an extra $8, but the place is way nicer than the Motel 6 next door.....

Tomorrow the central time zone.......

Retired Rod

3 comments:

  1. Travel safe guys and watch out for those other drivers!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Was wondering if you guys really did take off. Sure glad to hear you made it through the mountains safely. Hope the rest of the trip is better weather for you. Be safe.

    ReplyDelete

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