Oh the things we learn

Traveling brings such new perspectives to your life. Day in and day out we rush about trying to get from one thing to the next or one place to the other. When we take our time to travel, see the sights around us, talk to the people who are local and just enjoy ourselves we get a whole new view of the world.



Today we spent time at the Devils Rope Museum, I was reluctant at first to take this side trip, I was in a hurry to get somewhere else, I remembered, it is a vacation and I have the time. I am glad that we did. I learned that barbed wire played a major role in settleing this country and there are Barbed Wire associations across the country. We think of it as something used for fences only, but it was used as a way to automate crop planting for the farmers too. I learned there is an association of everything. This had to be one of the best displays of the history of farming and ranching that I have seen. The inginuity of man is amazing.

Off we go on Route 66 again. It is easy to follow now because it goes along the path of US 40, it is long and straight, no traffic and the speed limit is 70 in the daytime and 65 at night. Yes they have a night speed limit.

We got to Groom Texas where we stopped to see the giant cross. This is the second largest cross in the western hemisphere. It use to the be tallest, but the builders, being good christians let the good people of Effingham Illinois use their blue prints to build one of their own. OOPS they forgot to put any stipulations on the height of the cross on the blue prints so the Effingham cross was built 8 feet taller. I have been to both now, and can say with complete confidence, the one in TEXAS is stunningly displayed. There are beautiful life size statues displaying Christ carring the cross, the crucifiction and the empty tomb with angels on it and in it. There is also a lovely gift shop that supports the cross ministries. Here is a link to their website. It really is worth taking the detour for. http://crossministries.net/




Finally we are in Amarillo. A city divided by US 40, once you figure that out it is easy to get around. But, I have to say here, if there are two people who are more like Lucy and Ethel in the world it would be Me (lucy) and Penny (ethel). If there is a bad side of town, we end up there, if there is a wrong way to go and a right way to go, we always end us the wrong way. Even when we think we are right we are wrong..........and then we start laughing so hard it hurts. Oh well, that is just the way it is. There are 3 Comfort Inns in this town, 2 are beautiful, newer and in a very nice part of town, near the mall. There are New Holiday Inns, Farifield, Residence Inns, Marriotts, and so on. They are about 8 miles EAST of where we are, because we kept getting off on the wrong area, we ended up at a Comfort Inn in a less favorable part of town. The rooms were old, the beds sucked, and so forth and so on. BUT hell we stayed anyway. I parked baby by the window so I could keep an eye on her.....all night.

We did find this great Car Wash, and a Giant Duck. Baby got a wash and we got a picture of the duck.



Now we are off to Albuquerque, New Mexico. We will be staying with Gayle Williams, a very dear friend and BNI Director. Gayle has had me to her home for the Balloon Fiesta in years past. I love Albuquerque, so we are going to stay there an extra day and visit Old Town and do some sight seeing. We will let you know what we find!


Getting our kick on Route 66
Hazel M. Walker
Queen of the Road