what could be new "abrevs" in a text message but isn't: OK, TX, NM
Today Diane and I drove from Oklahoma City through Amarillo (north Texas) and into New Mexico where I am dropping her off in Albuquerque. It's been nice to share the driving a bit for these longs stretches of land. Fly Over States by Jason Aldean is quite appropriate for this section of my trip and I've been listening to it for inspiration.
Along the highway we saw a cyclist pedaling along under the amarillo sky (youtube Jason Aldean again if you don't understand this reference).
It was really awesome to go from Oklahoma through north Texas and then into New Mexico watching the landscape go from being so flat that it must have been possible to see a hundred miles in every direction, to seeing small lumps in the landscape and more small shrubs, to having small hills surrounding you on all sides. I'm officially in the desert now and I'm completely out of my element. I'm so unfamiliar with the landscape (although I've ridden through it on a train before and spent a little time in Arizona) and with the culture it's hard to imagine what daily life is like. The air is so dry I can't help but think of Virginia and how the humidity must be setting in for summer about now to the point of walking outside and finding yourself engulfed in heat which is inescapable, even at night.
Downtown Albuquerque
Tonight we went to an Italian place Diane's friend in the area recommended "downtown". It was nice and all of my food was good (a "Mariposa" cocktail which reminded me of my new LA address, which had Elderflower liqueur and grapefruit juice, and some ravioli with marinated ribs inside bathed in a marinara with asparagus, cooked onions, peppers, and olives--which I gave to Diane). I'm looking forward to Santa Fe tomorrow afternoon and Pagosa Springs, CO for a couple days!
