Day 22: Sunday, July 6, 2003

Pretty much just makin' time on Interstate 40 now. I-40 follows old US Route 66. On previous trips (1996 especially), I got off the interstate and tracked pieces of the old route. That was interesting, but "done that." This time I want to get as far as possible.

The scenery around Amarillo is nondescript, but somewhere west of Amarillo, in north Texas, I started to see against the horizon the mesas that announce one is now in the West. I hit a couple of patches of rain in New Mexico. These were welcome relief from the 95-100 degree heat. I got groggy about mid-day and pulled off at a rest stop. Slept for an hour or so on top of a picnic table under cover from the sun. It helped. Parts of New Mexico are pretty, especially the area around Albuquerque. Long, hot day. I make it to Flagstaff, Arizona, by nightfall. This was a 650-mile day. Not much time for taking pictures.

In Flagstaff, although staying at a Motel 6, I went for dinner at the Little America Hotel. Deja vu to Thanksgiving weekend, 1979: Moving from Boston to San Francisco I drove my car across country and stopped at Little America for the night. They gave me the one room they had left -- the bridal suite. It was cavernous and very swank -- and just me with nobody to enjoy it with. Little America looked the same as it did 22-1/2 years before, except there was no fire going in the lobby fireplace. Summertime. It's a very nice hotel.

The bartender at Little America recommended Porky's Pub, across the road from Motel 6, as a late night place. I went there for a nightcap. Very friendly crowd of locals. The bartender was a lively lady with quite a nice shape on her, and not shy about showing it. I found myself fantasizing about that. It's tough when you can see yourself turing into a dirty old man but can't do anything to stop it. Had a couple of beers, then walked back across the street to my room and slept well.