No Ojo, I'll have Holbrook smothered instead.

Ojo would have been nice, but it didn't get me close enough to Phoenix to meet with some friends on Wednesday afternoon... so here's where I actually went.


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I must say I would rather have stayed longer in northern New Mexico. It was quite beautiful up there, between the huge snow fields on Toltec Mesa, and the narrow guage railroad that follows the same pass, the transitional alpine-high desert vegetation and the amazing valleys that look like Grand Junction grown over.

I took a backroad (NM 112), which wound through some nice country, went across a small dam creating an emerald colored lake, and then without warning turned into a dirt road. Nothing on the map about that, but it was ok. Then took NM 96 to 197 to 550 to 371, skirting just to the south of the Chaco culture site. Another thing I've got to see, instead of driving by. This is why I wanted my VW bus again.

Couple of funny things about New Mexico's back country roads: seems like every major piece of property is some kind of religious establishment; and everyone drives with their hand draped over the top of the steering wheel, so when you drive by each other you do the obligatory two finger greeting, sort of like a peace sign. I'm figuring the proliferation of religious establishments is some kind of tax shelter and must be related to the peace signs.

Getting down to I-40, it gets a lot more commercial - duh - lots of "Indian" roadside attractions, and lots of cops running speed traps. Thankfully, I missed out on both. Oh, and no one does the peace sign thing on the Interstate, at least that I could see. ;-)

Staying the night in a Super 8 in Holbrook, which is a small crossroads town. The old town is not without it's charm despite the usual assortment of chain hotels and restaurants, sort of reminds me of Moab. Had some decent local mexican food at a place called Romo's - I had the chicken enchiladas drenched with green chili that was just hot enough. Ate two of them and left a lot on the plate. The only aerobic activity I got today was adjusting my seat and pumping gas. I'll be pumping more gas in a few hours I expect. Ah, good times, good times.

Tomorrow I cut through some scenic roads (I hope), which should land me in Scottsdale in time for lunch.