Chandler, AZ to Albequerque, NM
I realized that my previous Day 1 post was a little on the bland side. I’m exhausted. Jumping on the laptop to tap out a post after driving all day isn’t the first thing I want to do, but I’d really like to post this stuff in real time and not recap it later. Maybe the prose isn’t as whimsical as usual, but I’m trying.
I’ve also neglected to talk about the emotions involved with moving. We lived in the same house for 12 years, which for Jenni and I together is a record. A lot happened in that house. Our kids grew up, and one even moved out. Our dog Quincy ran amok, ate a million pounds of carrots tossed in the air, and passed away peacefully in that house. So much more. But the weird thing about it is that while packing up then driving away, I tried to summon some kind of emotional feeling about living there. I tried, I couldn’t. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been in planning and executing mode for the last month. There’s no room for feeling anything. I’ll probably feel it next week.
Today’s journey took us through Payson and Holbrook, AZ, to Gallup, NM — all charging stops. I forgot how beautiful the desert can be. The landscape changes almost instantly, like in a cartoon. We stopped in Holbrook, which, if you’re a Pixar fan you’ll know was a stand-in for Radiator Springs. I got some great pics at the Wigwam Motel.
The poncho/Baja Jacket mission is failing. We stopped at several trading outposts along the way, but no dice. We will soldier on.
I’ve adjusted our route to a more sane level. Our next stop is now Oklahoma City. It’s not lost on me that we’ll be traveling through and staying in three states that hate the LGBTQ+ community (OK, TX, MO). H is a little concerned about it, because of the way the government responded to the death of Nex Benedict. He brought it up and I didn’t know what to say. But we just have to be who we are and do our own thing like we have a right to do.
So far it’s been great to share music, talk about it, and point out beautiful and hilarious things on the road. It’s also the best excuse in the world for continuous snacking.
Resting in Albequerque. See you in OKC.
Want to follow the trip in one convenient place? I made a page.
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