some reprieve from the desert sunat 108 degrees i was cooking inside my car. i haven't decided if the black tint keeps me cooler or is a great way to bake inside the car....
After packing and unpacking and packing some more, I have finally started my short time off to get to Portland. Ideally it would have been great to take my time across the Southwestern portion of these United States, but I stopped all of 6 hours or so the entire time through Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Mostly only because I had to find toilet facilities. I can't decide if it was because I was determined not to get dehydrated along the way or if it's signs of getting older. Sigh. It was definitely strange to have to stop at a gas station more often for myself than my car....
So there are a couple of pictures from along the way. I decided to go the US 40 route, the old Route 66, rather than the US 10 as I haven't been to OK City in ages and the It was also I think the cooler way to go, as driving to El Paso or even further south through Big Bend country would require battling the sun for hours at a time. OKC was a solemn stop. The memorial for the bombing of the federal building April 19, 1995. It commemorates
candymy mom's dog is a prima donna. he, yes he, is decidedly gay despite his early start to procreation. he's already had a litter at the grand age of 2.
those victims who died, who were in the building, and those who were involved in finding individuals in a outdoor setting and museum. One enters though the Gates of Time which borders what was once 5th Ave. and either side of the reflecting pool. On the west side of the pool are chairs indicating the number of individuals who passed away and what floor they were on at the time of the bombing. Further up is what remains of the playground and the names of the children who died near this location. The east side of the building is flanked by the museum, which was once the Journal Records Building.
I remember that spring, as it was my junior year in high school. In the midst of studying for AP exams and wrapping up the semester, this bombing occurred. As close in proximity as the bombing was, it never crossed my mind as being absolutely real. Even when there was a bomb threat at the school (which was evacuated during the final moments of the AP Economics exam, which the administration forgot that there was a class in the basement taking), the idea of a bomb was and still
oklahoma city national memorial this is the entrance from hayward the beginning of what was 5th Ave. on the other side, it has 9:01, the minute before the bomb went off.
is a foreign concept. And after visiting the memorial, it still seems surreal and something that I will never, and never hope to, understand completely. I feel very fortunate to live in a place where bombings are hardly considered a threat, despite what the current terror reading may be. Perhaps thats a naive take on the current situation with the problems in the Middle East, but the last time I saw a soldier fully armed in the US was at a border stop.
After OKC, I continued along the 40, going through Texas, yet again, where I stopped of course at the Big Texan, home of the free 72 oz. steak. The tradition began in 1960, when a roper managed to eat the 72 oz of steak after a long day of ranching after declaring he could eat a whole darned cow. The owner, Bob, then declared that anyone who could finish the same meal within an hour, it would be free or currently, a $72 meal. Some 400,000 people have attemped and 7000 have managed to finish.
Well, needless to say, it made me want to go back to being a vegetarian.
Santa Fe was of
course great as usual. I spent a good part of the next morning trying to get the sore spots out of my back from sleeping on my plastic storage containers and walking around town, enjoying Santa Fe without the crowds and remembering good times spent there before. And of course eating at the patisserie...yum.
Arizona was hot lots of construction and I was very glad to be out of there and into foggy smoggy L.A. Basically exhausted from the driving and still recovering from being delirious.......
More to come after Mt. Whitney.....
children's memorialthe bells down the fence represent each child that died while in day care in the building
the big texanthis guy greets one for about 150 miles, every 15 miles or so before getting to amarillo
loreto cathedralthe cathedral with the miraculous stairway. there is no center support pole in the cathedral's spiraling staircase. a feat of engineering or a miracle....
more information found on santa fe now stat
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san miguelthis is the oldest cathedral in the u.s. built in the early 1600's by the Tlaxcalan Indians. the original adobe is under the stucco
back side of san migueloriginal adobe bricks exposed in the back. this style is used in the more popular ranchos de taos cathedral.
palace of the governorsThis was the former government hall/residence from 1610 to 1910. There are usually native artisans selling their wares during the weekend. but not at 5:30am....
thanks es for the correction! i knew
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Hey maybe the Prius and it's awesome gas mileage might be part of the reason why you've been having to stop more frequently for yourself than for the car. ;)
Back on the road again, huh? COOL pics! Have a great time and can't wait to read and see more of the places you visit before you get to Portland. :)
Hey, so you went through Oklahoma? I didn't know there was a memorial of the bombing up, and I was there last summer! When the bombing occured, I was at a junior in high school as well, and it was scary because I thought my dad might be involved because he was working in that area instead of his usual station in our city...anyway, look forward to hearing more about your trip! Are you planning to settle in Seattle now? Keep me posted, okay?
Santa Fe -- it's palace of the governors, not palace of the government
aww.. our candy is so cute. =D anyway... i remember taking pictures of those places before.. like that.. san miguel church or wahtever? crazy... how long ago WAS that? and yeah.. i agree with what's his face bout your car and your bathroom breaks... haha... i miss you. and i still haven't sent your packages.. dun be mad...
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