Texas to Albuquerque

No bull!  We're in Texas!



We're at the big travel info centre on I40 on the Texas
Panhandle.  We're about 100 miles from the New Mexico
border.  At this point we realized we'd be bailing the
Route 66.  But let's backtrack abit.

We realized there are only so many restored gas stations to
hold our interest.  The last one was in a dusty,
run-down town that survives from the taxes it makes from
the chain hotels perched on the interstate interchange.   Hard
to believe but the little town of Shamrock, Texas features an
Art Deco design gas station!

But the rest of town was pretty sad - a 21st century version of a one-horse town.  I
never found the source of the name - Shamrock - except for the obvious one - a
powerful Irish heritage. 

 We were told the only good place to eat was at Big Vern's - the home of The Real Texas Steaks!

So off we went ... we felt like the proverbial strangers in town: 
the only thing missing was the set of saloon doors swinging as we walked into the bar. 
There were guys in cowboy hats and boots, elderly men and women, and amply endowed waitresses with yellow hair.  Oh, and a life-sized pair of bobble-headed mannequins sort of like Texas Gothic.  Very bizarre. But the food was good.  I had one of the real Texas Steaks.   Sorry...no pictures.  Blair says they were afraid we'd steal their souls!

We were glad to leave Shamrock behind and stopped at our last Route 66 landmark:
the Midpoint Cafe...proving that we've driven the 1139 miles from Chicago ...and
had a terrific burger at the Midway Cafe - used as a model for a diner in the cartoon
movie Cars.

 
We loved the laid back atmosphere and the chrome kitchen sets.  And I might add, this is more proof that we have not eaten once in any of the ubiquitous roadhouse chain
restaurants that overload the freeway landscape. 

We were headed to Albuquerque with no particular agenda.  But then I bumped into a
lovely lady who seemed to be on her own.  Her name is Joyce and she was waiting for
65 more women to arrive, all towing their own vintage trailers!  (www.sistersonthefly.com)
Joyce appeared to be a healthy, active women in her late 70s...but she said she and her
group of trailer towing ladies were on their way to Albuquerque too....to witness the
launch of hundreds of hot air balloons at the 40th anniversary Balloon Fiesta - the largest
such gathering of hot-air balloon enthusiasts in North America.

Blair's eyes lit up and I have to tell you it was an amazing experience.  I'm taking a break now
but will leave you with just a few of the images we captured at 7 am this morning (4 o'clock
wake-up, followed by a bus ride to the 'balloon park' where we joined many thousands
of people from all over the world.)  More on that in my next entry:)

This is just a tease...more pictures tomorrow!