drruth does Panama

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Another leg.Colorado to Texas.
We left the Hallmark parking lot at 8:30AM. Frig is tuned up and waterpump running. Took the tollway I-470 around Denver --$8.50 total toll. Lunch at Golden Corral in Pueblo,Colorado at 11 AM. It has great food in a clean building and is convenient.
Next rest stop was at Colorado Milepost 18. The dog hadn't been out for six hours and we needed to check out the beautiful new restrooms too. Let's just say that between the nice dog walking area and the great toilets it made the air smell much better in the pickup.
Dumb people on the road. We passed a new Kia going up the canyom outside Trinidad, Co., with the driver talking on his cell phone with a map spread out over his steering wheel!!!! And three deer were standing just on the other side of the guardrail waiting to cross..maybe the deer are smarter than people, I hope.
Diesel was $2.64 in Raton. Passed it up. On to Clayton through spitting snow. Newborn calves in the fields. Tough life but get used to it.
Saw a big Mandala Center on the right. Lots of "barn red" buildings that we didn't notice when we were through the area a year ago. A huge new house or something. Maybe a conference center???
Diesel $2.75 in Des Moines. Finally found diesel for $2.45 in Clayton. Bought $10--saved $2--That will take us to Amarillo.
Our friends in Dalhart, Texas, were receiving cattle from the auction so we continued on via the backroads. Mont knows them well since he owned a cow truck when we lived there.
Diesel at $2.41 in Amarillo. Filled up. 16.6mmpg. We spent the night in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Bad choice but handy. 476 miles today. In bed by 9PM.

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