New Mexico or bust...

It's travel time again, but this time instead of hopping a plane we loaded up the family truckster and headed west-for the annual Agriculture Media Summit.

If you thought Dodge City, Kan., was the edge of the earth, you're dead wrong. In fact, we drove off the edge of Earth a few times and had several bouts of road rage. Did you know that in New Mexico it is apparently kosher to cruise at a snails pace in the hammer lane of Interstate 40? I know this because I've seen it.

We left our humble abodes at 11:30 a.m. and started our trek west. We made it all the way to Guymon, Okla., before we stopped. But, before we made it to Guymon we found the worst stretch of road I've ever traveled on - and that includes Missouri. The small stretch between outside Liberal, Kan., and Hooker, Okla., now there should be a joke somewhere in there, but I'll let it be. Once we got onto some new pavement it was smooth sailing until Guymon. The restroom was, shall I say, interesting. I'm just hoping, no, I am praying that what I noticed on the floor was berries that had been stepped on and not other body fluids. It wasn't exactly pretty, but they had motion detected soap dispensers and paper towels, so I decided to take my chances.

The quote of the day came from my travel partner not five miles down the road. "If you thought that bathroom was disgusting and gross, you haven't seen nothing yet."

Great.


As we journeyed west we came across some lovely living quarters. A trailer house made from some type of bus, surrounded by old tires and shut off by a locked gate. I guess you could say it was the beginning of a gated community.

Once we hit New Mexico it started to rain, and it rained for quite a little bit. We had to drive all that way to find a little moisture, but the most baffling part of the trip by far was the driving skills of others. I've been on several road trips and never have I witnessed such pure stupidity and lack of consideration for other drivers. Twenty miles per hour under the speed limit, passing in no passing zones, and clogging up the passing lanes.

The scenery was great and it reminded me alot of Radiator Springs, but sadly there was no appearance by Lightning McQueen or Mater. I was sadly disappointed.

We made it into the city after driving through some pretty scenery and to the hotel in a pretty nice part of town - Old Town.

We're heading to Santa Fe, so hopefully I'll have some great stories of that adventure - or at least a photo or two.