I left Fort Worth, Texas, early on a Wednesday morning, heading northwest on Highway 287, towards Amarillo and my eventually destination of the State of Washington, over 2,000 miles distant.
I filled up the gas tank in Amarillo. $1.17 a gallon. This was to be the cheapest gas of the trip.
I continued on 287, north out of Amarillo, exiting on to Highway 87 in Dumas, continuing on through Dalhart to Texline and over the border in to New Mexico.
The scenery changes abruptly as you leave Texas. On the Texas side of the border there are big cattle ranches. On the New Mexican side the scenery turns desert-like and rugged. With few people in a few small towns. After less than 90 miles of two-lane highway I reached Interstate 25 and the town of Raton.
In Raton I stopped at a very busy McDonald's for a break and a burger.
On the first day of a Roadtrip I have often had the problem of developing a real bad headache. On this Roadtrip the headache arrived before I got to Amarillo.
From Raton I headed north on 25. By the time I got to Pueblo my head was pounding so hard, it was time to stop for the night. I'm not picky about where I stay. A Motel Six was right off the freeway. I always like to be on the top floor of any motel I stay in. This was a two story Motel Six.
I had not stayed in a Motel Six in years. I was surprised at how much the room had been upgraded from my previous Six Motel experience. In the morning when I went to the motel office to get coffee I asked if this was a Six Motel exception, to be told the entire chain had been upgraded. This made Motel Six my motel of choice for the trip.
I was not pleased to wake up that first morning of the Roadtrip to find I was still in headache mode.
I was back on the freeway by 8 in the morning. In Colorado Springs I exited to find a grocery store to buy some ibuprofen.
I forgot to mention. In Texas you notice a lot of litter. And somc locations in Texas don't pay a lot of attention to looking neat and tidy.
By the time I got to Pueblo I was making note of how clean everything looked. And how little litter there was. I thought to myself I am back under the west coast umbrella of environemental influence.
The first day of this Roadtrip I'd driven around 630 miles. I had no idea how far I was going to drive on day two.
Leaving Colorado Springs I sailed past Denver, after the morning rush hour. I stopped at a big truck stop just across the border, in Wyoming, on the outskirts of Cheyenne. Filled up the tank again. I don't remember the per gallon cost, except for it costing more than the Amarillo gas.
Now I was heading west, across Wyoming, on Interstate 80, did not exit in Laramie, was aiming to get to Rawlins where I'd stayed many times on trips back and forth from Texas to Washington. In Rawlins there is a KFC Buffet. That buffet was my goal, hoping for a headache killing pigout.
As I exited the freeway to Rawlins and saw the freeway sign of available services, I saw the KFC Buffet among the signs.
But this was late July. Tourist season. I've never driven through these parts in tourist season. All the fast food joints were packed. A line ran out of Subway. KFC was not operating its buffet. I bailed on the fast food plan and went in a grocery store and got some deli turket meat and cheese and a V-8. Consumed the food sitting in a parking lot, then tried to take a headache-ending nap. To no avail.
Back on the freeway I continued my trek across the vast open spaces of Wyoming. As you drive across Wyoming you see many enticements luring you to visit Little America. By the time I got past Rock Spring it was about 40 miles to Little America.
I stopped at this oasis in the desert and had myself a nice break. My head was still throbbing At this point in time I was mostly on a low-carb diet way of eating. But now I was desperate to feel better. I bought a bag of my favorite type cookie.
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. I also had a few cups of the Little America coffee. I may be mixing it up with Wall Drug, but I think it was a nickel a cup. Or was it the ice cream cone that was cheap?
Feeling a bit better I was back on the road again.
About 60 miles west of Little America, Intestate 80 crosses into Utah. Leaving Wyoming the scenery drastically changes as you drop elevation. About 30 miles in to Utah I exited I-80 to get on I-84, heading in a northwest direction. On its way to Ogden, Utah I-84 passes through a lush, green valley and then a narrow canyon with features with ominous names like Devils Slide.
By the time 84 joined up with I-15 in Ogden, the pressue in my head was feeling significantly better. The Salt Lake Basin is still well above sea level, in the 4,000 feet range.
From Ogden I continued on I-84 another 185 miles, give or take a mile or two, to my final destination for the day, Twin Falls, Idaho. I called ahead when I got gas in Ogden to make sure I had a room waiting for me at the Twin Falls Motel Six.
I had driven around 740 miles from Pueblo to Twin Falls.
The next morning I really knew I was back on the Northwest. The Motel Six coffee was really good.
I left Twin Falls around 8. With about 550 miles to drive to get to Seattle. I figured I'd make it there by late afternoon....
No comments:
Post a Comment