Winslow Az. to Albuquerque, N.M. via the Very Large Array
Distance: 348 miles / 560 km
Time: 5h30m
La Posada is also known for its gardens. They are a better place to wait for a train than Grand Central, that’s for sure.
The “back” door of the hotel (the side you now enter on if you don’t arrive by train).
The intersection of Kinsley Ave and Route 66… [Wild! As I typed this, Will, from Independence Missouri, sitting next to me in Anchorage, who has been run over by a car and had a cancer scare in the last month said to his friend, “I plan to take it easy.” I’m not making that up!]
Standin’ on a corner… in Winslow, Arizona… Glenn says, “Hi.”
No words… Arizona east of Winslow
In Pie Town, N.M. I kid you not. Cool town. So why do towns exist? This one sits at the high point on a steep grade in both directions and then the road widens out. You can imagine the conversation. “How we gonna get money out of people in order to live here?” “We could shoot them…” “Naw, the sheriff will eventually take exception.” “We could bake really good pies…?” “Yes! That’s it!” And here I am: Pie Town. There is still a phone in the booth. I picked it up and plunked in some change. No dial tone. Too bad.
The most interesting grade crossing in the Federal Railroad Administration database [I was gonna link it, but you’d need an account. If you know the hieroglyphics, it’s “912743U .” Hands down.
Socorro, N.M. The Very Large Array. Sooooooo. Cooooooooool. “Where is Jodie?” “Dude…” “No, seriously!?!?” “Dude…”
“This gets Cinemax, right?” “Yes, but the ladies all have four legs and huge fangs.” “OK, let’s check it out.”
A storm hovered over me the whole time, but it didn’t rain because I was wearing my jacket… in the coming weeks above 60°N that trick won’t work.
On this journey I brought two friends… What I believe to be my original two Lego minifigs. They have a place of honor on my dashboard. “Construction worker with broken hand,” let’s call him “Earl.” And Spaceman with faded planet in his Planet and Spaceship logo. Let’s call him “James T.” I’m not sure they’ve ever had names before. [Later, after Anchorage, and a few weeks after Hawaii, I’ll listen to a sad bio of Captain Cook, which is clearly where Captain Kirk’s name comes from…] I’m glad they do now. James T. is here inspecting the VLA.
That night I got to party with my awesome cousins and hang out with my mom’s sister. Soooo cool. No photos to post, but a great time. Good people who have had a huge influence on me.
A Viking’s Walkabout: | Prologue | Day 01 Calif. to Az. | Day 02 Az. to N.M. | Day 03 N.M. to Colo. | Day 04 Colo. | Day 05 Colo., Kan., Neb. | Day 06 Part 1 Neb. | Day 6 Part 2 Neb. to S.D. | Day 07 S.D., Wy., Mont. | Day 08 Mont. to Alta. | Day 09 Alta. (Banff) | Day 10 Alta. (Grande Cache) | Day 11 Alta. to B.C. | Day 12 B.C. to Yukon | Day 13 Yukon | Day 14 Yukon to Alaska | Day 15 Alaska (Coldfoot) | Day 16 Part 1 Alaska (Atigun Pass) | Day 16 Part 2 Alaska (Deadhorse) | Day 17 Alaska (Prudhoe Bay) | Day 18 Alaska (Fairbanks) | Day 19 Alaska (Anchorage) | Day 20 Alaska (Anchorage) | Day 21 Alaska (Tok) | Day 22 Alaska to Yukon | Day 23 Yukon | Day 24 Yukon to B.C. | Day 25 B.C. (Prince Rupert) | Day 26 B.C. (Prince George) | Day 27 B.C. (Vancouver) | Day 28 B.C. to Wash. | Day 29 Wash. to Or. | Day 30 Or. | Day 31 Or. to Calif. | Day 32 Calif. |