I think it is 11p.m. When you cross time zones it is hard to be sure. I never saw a sign that informed me of a change when I arrived in New Mexico, so I was not sure if it had. But the hotel room clock is an hour earlier than my computer clock. So I guess I did. What a day! I need the extra hour.

My day began late—I did not leave til 9 a.m. Then I lingered a bit longer than I intended in Norman, OK with Kirsten because I was having a nice time. The next thing I knew I was on I-40 having a terrible realization. I had made it as far as Oklahoma and the next major city I would hit would be Amarillo—TEXAS! Gasp! The knowledge that in more than 200 miles I would be back in Texas where I started this morning was rather discouraging. The drive was not fun. It was hard to have an adventure when my back hurt and the interstate seemed endless. The Panhandle is about as attractive as West Texas, if you ask me. Actually it half resembled West Texas and half resembled Mars. In one section there were these piles of stuff—dirt maybe?—on the land with crevices in them. Of course it was brown. The western part of Texas knows no other color. They looked like something from outer space. Perhaps that is why I felt so isolated.

I did not hit New Mexico until 9 or so. I was delighted to see the state line. I was also delighted to switch from the Texas night speed limit of 65 to the all the time New Mexico speed limit of 75. What a difference that made! Of course it is also more dangerous to drive 75. I discovered this when I saw a huge tire right in my path in the dark. I veered and praise God there was an exit ramp to the right of me and I happened to see the tire in time to move to the side. I spent the next several minutes in deep gratitude and praise to God for helping me. This was not merely a small piece of a tire but almost a whole round one, waiting to kill someone. My friend Helen emailed this morning that when she was praying she saw a big angel over my car. I met that angel tonight. (I’m not kidding.)

No other close calls—unless you count almost falling asleep several times. I don’t mean I was literally going to close my eyes, but from around 4:30 on I was so tired I could hardly imagine making it here. And harder still was the knowledge that it was only day one. And I wanted to DRIVE to the worship conference in Vermont this summer? OY! I could not get comfortable. I called someone to chat outside Amarillo and my phone cut us off four times. After passing through Amarillo I was on an analog signal all the way to Albuquerque and it was not even in my phone company’s service area. It is now on digital, but not in the service area which means delayed billing that affects later bills. The great technological mystery of the night was how I could only get an analog cell signal and no towers from my own company yet I have been listening to KNX 1070 News Radio out of Los Angeles since entering New Mexico. Some things defy logic.

So I left at 9 a.m. CST and arrived at 11:30 p.m. CST with a 1 ½ hour break. I drove about 13 hours today. Tomorrow I will go all the way to the Los Angeles suburbs where my friend lives. It will help if I get on the road earlier, but I am so tired that I am not sure how realistic that is. Also, I absolutely HAVE to see Route 66. I am right here on it and I have to explore a bit. You can’t take a road trip down I-40 and ignore the road that made the road trip famous.

I never even stopped for dinner. I looked for a place near my hotel but couldn’t find one that had food I would eat. Instead I rummaged through my food bags. I ate a mini bag of Baked Lays, three pieces of beef jerky and a Pria nutrition bar and called it dinner. I wanted to run or something in the a.m. but I am not in a great locale for that. My hotel is just short of a dive—and I got the last room because I had a reservation. The sheets are clean and so is the room, as well as it can be, but it is just old and worn. I am glad I am only sleeping here. For $30 I guess I got my money’s worth.

I think it is very pretty where I am. It was so absolutely pitch black that I had to drive with my brights on on the interstate even at times when cars were on the other side. They were not head on so it didn’t help, and I could not see a blooming thing, you know, like the shape of the road. But I saw outlines of high cliffs around me. I know I am not far from ski resorts, so I bet it is really pretty and morning will make all the difference.

It has been a hard drive. Besides the aches and sleepiness—and just plain boredom at times from being in a confined space—I was battling a bit of fear. That is a subject best dealt with later. And I battled, so that is what matters. Those were some of my closest God moments this trip so that was nice. But it is not like me to feel this way on a road trip. Sometimes the ANTICIPATION does, but not the act. I think some is the distance I am traveling. I also wondered if some was where I am going. Does it raise old feelings? I guess facing ghosts does. And I am seeing lots of shadows the closer I get. How can some ancient history seem like yesterday? I will cast those ghosts far away. Still, it was not fun. I expect tomorrow will be much better.

Well, I am going to read a brochure on part of New Mexico I will pass through in about 140 miles. I am off exit 167, so I have 167 miles of NM plus all of AZ and then the CA miles to be there. I have logged around 900 miles today. Between my 1st and second gas stop, when I was driving only I-40, sometimes 65 and sometimes 75, I got just over 39 mpg—the best I have ever had. That was nice. I went about 400 miles before filling up. That helps.

Gas prices are higher. I have paid 1.59 and then 1.64. They rise as I go west, of course. For now, though, the only place I want to go is bed. Sleep is my friend.