107 Texas and New Mexico

     The next morning we had  a wonderful breakfast with Bill and Betty, some pictures,  a little travel advice and we were on our way. 
     Not wanting to jinx our stay I waited to tell about the last time we tried to get to Amarillo.  It was two years ago on our motorcycle trip.  We had reached Post Texas stopped for lunch and a well meaning couple asked where we were heading "Amarillo" Mike and Cynthia pulled out their smart phone and told us to turn back south as fast as you can, Great advice Amarillo got hit with one of the worst storms in history, 19 inches of snow, highways and airports closed, no travel.  We think of them often.  Well this time we made it.  Its off to explore and then continue our westward journey. 
     In facebook conversation with Mike I told him of our planned try at the city again asking for help with his influence on Texas weather.  He said he didn't have much control over the weather but mentioned a steak house we should visit.  It was the Big Texan on route 66 of course. They have a 72 oz steak challenge, if you eat it with all the trimmings, then its free.   I told him up home we call it a roast and invite company.  We took a picture of the site and did some research.  He was right, in 1962 the contest was born, one cowboy ate 4 & 1/2 pounds of steak, (which is 72 oz’s) baked potato, shrimp cocktail, salad & a bread roll.  By the way you have to eat it in an hour.  Had to add this.  May of this year, Molly a 125 pound mother of four ate two of the steaks in less than 15 minutes, by the way she is a professional eater.   Well, Betty had

made sure we had plenty to eat on our short visit to the city so a picture is all we took.  Maybe next time.
     I apologize for the pictures today, the dial on our camera got moved to fisheye so like me there are some curves where there shouldn't be.   Back tracking a little we dropped into Palo Duro canyon, the second largest canyon in the US.   I believe Bill said it meant hard wood.   There was a 10% grade on the road going into the Canyon and the sharp curves encouraged us to drive with some caution.    Well worth the extra miles we rode from one end to the other, great scenery.  We were happy it hadn't rained as there were a few water crossings, just enough to keep it interesting.

     The other attraction was located right next to interstate 40, some more speed tourism perhaps.  It is called Cadillac ranch and they call it "art"?  We could see it from the interstate, Ruthie snapped a picture as we sped by.  With the extra curves provided by our camera, and our speed the picture wasn't worth sharing.  It looks like 10 older Cadillac half buried nose first to expose their tail fins.  Bill said visitors are in encouraged to paint and draw on them.  Another "66" oddity I'm just as happy we didn't take the time to cross over for a closer look.  We want to get further South west before winter moves into this area.
     We reached the midway point between Chicago and Los Angeles around 12:30 November  26, looks like we discovered and corrected the camera

New Mexico

settings.  One thousand one hundred and thirty nine miles in either direction.  A little town called Adrian Texas was the benefactor, a small café across the street has benefited from the lucky location.  But not today as they were closed and we were hungry.  A quick fill with gas and we moved on.     A half hour later and we were in New Mexico.  The terrain reminded me a little of South Dakota, flat with some buttes and roads that stretched straight to the horizon

I believe I counted 17 billboards in this picture.

     You know at first you are just a little hungry and it would be nice to stop but then as time and miles roll on it gets to a point, okay the next place we are stopping.  Out here the bill boards announce the treasures that await you at the next big tourist stop.  Moccasins, beaded belts, cold drinks, hot food, Indian pottery, breakfast, Indian artifacts, car museum, 50's diner anything to get you to pull off at the next exit.  We had seen many where the miles of huge billboards cost more than what was at the next exit, we didn't want to make that mistake.  However we needed fuel also so at exit 369 Glen Rio, New Mexico we pulled in.   We hit the jackpot.  A Route 66 diner, a western store, complete convenience store Russell Truck and travel Center is the real deal.  They had advertised a car museum however I didn't expect much.  Wrong again, it was a very extensive collection of 50's memorabilia, Marilyn, Elvis, coke, cars, a very old corvette with less than I believe 150 miles on it caught my eye.  The free display has a good will offering which they donate to feed the needy, very nice. 
     A couple pulled in to the parking lot on motorcycles and from their actions we could tell they were very chilled.  Made us thankful for the gear we were wearing on this trip.
  

Named after Henry and Clara's son!

 Back on the road I had a stop in mind suggested by Dale and Leigh Ann, our photographer friends from Rochester MN.   Earlier this spring they had stopped at a car salvage yard in Tucumcari New Mexico,  They said the people were very friendly and the old classic cars were fun to see.  We pulled over and started our search.  We found it, unfortunately the same welcoming people were not here today.  They must have known we didn't process the same photographic skills as our friends.  Just to prove we were there I took a picture of the same Edsel Dale had captured and some of the unique cars at there entrance. 
     One of the brochures Crazy legs had given us was of the "Blue Hole" not knowing what it was we stopped for the night in Santa Rosa New Mexico, who would have thought here in the high desert lay the scuba diving capital of the world.   An amazing huge sink hole with clear blue water flowing out of it.  The caves below it have lured divers for years.   Two divers died in 1976 when they entered the cave system below the 80 foot depth.  As a result a grate and boulders have been placed at the entrance to prevent explorers from venturing further.  They believe the second major cavern reaches a depth of over 225 feet.
     Tomorrow we hope to get past the continental divide as we had been told it would start getting warmer.