Snow, Then Out Into the Open

Leaving Amarillo early the next morning we find ourselves traveling on a slick and dangerous road. The ice trucks are out, but the cold, the snow and the wind have made I-40 a long continuous path of ice. It's slow going at first, and only around 10 in the morning do we reach the Texas-New Mexico border and begin to break out into clear highways. We begin to accelerate to make up for lost time. We need to be in Holbrook, Arizona by the end of the day and we are already running behind. The blowing snow continues to warn us of the possible hazards along the way, but the pavement is no longer glazed over with ice, just wet and slippery in spots. Its best to stay in the right hand lane. From time to time a brave soul speeds around us in the snow covered left lane. Carefully fellow, that lane is still pretty slick.         

With careful driving its not too long before we cross over into New Mexico and the snow is more confined to the sides of the road. I grip the steering wheel with a little less stress, and Suzi drifts off to sleep, as she loves to do when we travel.

We are about to pass through the area I have been most concerned about... West Texas and the possibility of a major storm stopping our forward motion. I feel better as we pass over into New Mexico.

The highway is now clear, and the scenery is opening up into great broad vistas. I can see for miles, and the snow  seems to bring the scene around me into even greater focus.

With a clear highway we cross New Mexico without incident, and enter Arizona. It is well after dark when we reach Holbrook, Arizona, our destination for the night. We decided before leaving Indianapolis that we wanted to have our granddaughter experience the night in a wigwam, and Holbrook sits astride historic Route # 66, and is home to one of the famous Wigwam Motels. We check in after dark and head for our rooms. They are neat, clean and comfortable, though a little small. A quick look around in the pale moonlight promises a better view of the wigwams with the morning light. But for now, its been a long day, so its off to bed. See you in the morning. Tomorrow we want to get a better view of this historic place, and still make it to the Grand Canyon by around lunch time.