Near Sunset, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Today was a great drive that took me from Phoenix Arizona to Albuquerque New Mexico. I am starting to get jaded a little bit by all the scenery. It takes more to impress me than it did at the start of the trip. (I am sure that one week in flat Iowa will cure that).

About halfway through the drive today I spotted a sign that said crater national monument turnoff was ahead. It also said tune to am radio 1610 for information. So I tuned in and they told me lots of info and hyped it all to hell. They did not mention the price, the announcement just said “all this for one low admission price”, that made me skeptical, but it said it was “just five minutes off the highway” Actually six miles at thirty miles an hour = twelve minutes off the highway. So twelve minutes later I get to the crater and they want fifteen dollars to see it. Sorry not in the budget. I did tell the manager that the sign for the radio announcement should read ADVERTISEMENT, not information. The manager said that they don’t mention the price so that they can get more people off the highway into their place. (yeah and I hope these travellers take a big crap in their parking lot and then leave).

I got to Albuquerque without a Couchsurf host for the night. I had sent out a few requests but no replies. I was in the parking lot of a super8 when I checked my mail one last time and found that I had a place to stay. (Helen and Lester in Albuquerque) They were great hosts and we went to see the movie Vampires Assistant together. The one picture with this post is close to sunset just outside of Albuquerque. Tomorrow is Alb to Oklahoma City, a drive of about 540 miles.