Day 5: Las Cruces to Albuquerque, NM
So here’s our motel in which we stayed in Las Cruces last night. We were excited, it being adjacent to the Pancake Alley and all — like it was a sign. It was also the cleanest and quietest place we’ve stayed in yet.
However, this morning, on our way out of town, I looked at the marquee a little more closely. As you can see, it says “American Owned.”
And this, my friend, starts a sidebar about the more negative aspects of this trip. I feel like I’d be lying a little if I omitted the bad stuff.
Don’t get me wrong — Molly and I travel really well together and most of our experiences have been great. But we are two pretty liberal gals traveling through some not-at-all-liberal territory. And we’ve seen a lot of inflammatory and/or narrow-minded viewpoints on the backs of cars and trucks, on roadside billboards — and on motel marquees. It can be a little dismaying, but it is what it is, and just sets my jaw a little firmer to fight my own good fight.
The bumpersticker on the back of the car of Jo Ann, my friend in Phoenix who is a liberal. Molly pointed out that a message like that could also be on the car of an ultraconservative. Never thought of that.
Also a shock to our soft souls have been the great swaths of economically depressed regions. Lots of boarded-up and deserted main drags of many small towns.
Today was also not the best for me in general. We’ve been driving a lot the past two days — I took the day-long shift today from Las Cruces up to Albuquerque — and by the time we reached our destination I was coming apart a little at the seams. This toddler was in need of a time-out.
FORTUNATELY my fantastic travel partner is more even-keeled than I (which helped me regain my equilibrium) and tonight’s stopping point was at the home of my brother and sis-in-law Pat and Peter! I got to surprise my brother, which was awesome.
We went out to a fantastic meal. We drank margaritas. We shot the shit. We only got two pictures, both of Pat and me, looking like we’re getting disturbingly chummy on the couch.
Thanks, P & P, for the wonderful hospitality. And the cupcakes! I love you.
Let’s backtrack a little. Before my attitude became sub-stellar, we started the day with a massive breakfast at (you guessed it) Pancake Alley! I had banana pancakes, and they were delicious.
M and I were pumped and primed to buy Alley tee-shirts, but we encountered the same issue we did many places — no woman-cut shirt. If you don’t carry a girly tee, you are a bigot.
The drive from southern to northern NM was just lovely, and so different from the other desert drives.
In the car, M and I engaged in one of our favorite pasttimes: analyzing (read: savagely ripping apart) movies we’ve recently seen.
M got some good shots of the amazing signs on the old Route 66 that runs through Albuquerque.
It was thrilling to see all those signs in good shape, and the new businesses trying to pick up on the retro vibe. It’s really one of the most vibrant parts of the 66 that you can see.
So there you have it. We’re back on track and ready for a little less driving and more funning tomorrow.
Molly’s quote of the day:
I feel like I’ve dedicated my life to getting more volume into my hair.
BONUS QUOTE OF THE DAY from my sister-in-law Pat.
As much as I love your brother, he can go from zero to Appalachia in no time at all.
(referring to the broken car in the driveway and the junk-cluttered porch)
- See all the pics on my flickr photostream
- Go to Day 6
Love the pictures. I feel like I’m traveling with you.
I am LOVING these travelogs! And I snorted water out my nose when I read Pat’s quote.
I saw a bumper sticker here in Oreegone the other day that said, “I’ll keep my guns, insurance, and money. You can keep the change.” There was also a “girls love guns” sticker. I was scared.
Love the photos. I want to see those signs in person and stop at Pancake Alley. If you travel north from Taos look for Holman, NM. (not named after me, sadly)
Pancakes at Pancake Alley; the awesomeness is palpable. I am so very behind & excited to catch up (I am commenting as I go). The photos of the signs are grand. You are doing great. Even one hour in a car could make anyone’s seams come undone. Pat’s quote needs to be a bumper sticker.