Roughly eleven hours and 665 miles after leaving the motel in Yukon, Oklahoma, I sat at the desk in another hotel; this one in Gallup, New Mexico. Yesterday’s drive included a stop for lunch at the Big Texan Steak Ranch (I did not attempt the 72 ounce steak and all the trimmings challenge in an hour) and driving through an incredibly ferocious downpour between Albuquerque and Gallup. And, of course, some spectacular scenery, especially west of Albuquerque. Putting 665 miles and eleven hours behind me yesterday left me incredibly tired. That was after an entirely unsatisfactory night of trying to sleep.
Last night…well, let’s see how I want to describe it…I got to sleep relatively quickly after I went to be; probably within fifteen minutes. But I woke several times before 2:15, after which I could not get back to sleep. Aching left knee, right shoulder, and loud wheezing when I breathed all worked together to keep me fully awake. No matter how I tried to relax, chill, think about other things…nothing worked. I finally got up rather late, well after 6, and showered. The shower (a tub, actually, fitted with a shower spray) was incredibly slippery, causing me to nearly fall several times. The water did not help; it kept me slippery and feeling like the soap would just not wash off. I detest such combinations of slippery surfaces and water unsuitable for bathing. Oh, well. I’m clean now.
In a while, the road will beckon. Tulare, CA is scheduled to be home for tonight. Google Maps claims it is about 11 hours and 728 miles from here (not counting stops for meals…so 12 hours or so). Next road trip will be one designed for 3-5 hours of driving a day, with stops every so often to take in local flavor. This one is proving brutal to my old, tired bones.
And now, it’s onward to the call of the highway.
