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“Is this the way to Amarillo?” |
Reluctant to get on the bikes again after a full day's rest, we set off on a pretty boring and uneventful drive from Oklahoma City. It's hot (95 degrees) and there is a 20 mile an hour wind that buffets the bikes from side to side. The land is flat as far as the eye can see, more churches, more corn fields and time passes very slowly on the bikes. We play spot the cotton crop to give us relief from the tedium, otherwise the highlight of the day was to get out of the corn and bible belt and into Texas. Just over the border we stop for a night's rest in Shamrock. Not much going on here apart from a very well restored 1930's petrol station.
Next morning we head off early towards Amarillo. With the words of Tony Christie (or Peter Kaye for you youngsters) ringing in our helmets we make good time and arrive in Amarillo for lunch. We take a trip to the Cadillac ranch, an experimental art installation of 10 tailfin-bearing, graffiti covered cadillacs, buried bonnet down in a wheat field - one has to ask "why?", but it makes for a good picture. Apart from being the place where Tony Christie's heartthrob Maria waited, Amarillo is famous for cattle and heluim - yes, heluim. Apparently, it produces 90% of the worlds helium supply. There is even a road called Helium Drive - only in America!
We are in deep cowboy territory here with cattle and ranches all around. We visit a western outfitters complete with stacks of cowboy boots (3,000 different types) and hats, but come away empty handed as we have very little space on the bikes for souvenirs.
We spent the evening in the Big Texan Steak Ranch and Motel. The Motel even has a hotel for horses for the weary cowboy. This is an historic eatery where the main entertainment is provided by challengers trying to eat a 72oz steak in 60 minutes. Two such challengers sat at a table covered by a cow-print tablecloth on a raised stage, attempting to munch their way through half a cow. If successful, they get their meal for free. Tonight's challengers were booed off the stage as the digital timer hit 60 with only half the hunk of meat eaten. Amazingly, quite a number have succeeded and there is a testimonial on the wall providing details of the winners, with the record time this year being 25 minutes - and I thought that I ate quickly!
Leaving Amarillo in the morning, we head towards our 6th state, New Mexico. We pass the half way point at Adrian and the Midpoint cafe (closed on Tuesdays -that's today). The landscape starts to change quite dramatically, the grey earth of the corn belt has turned a rich teracotta red and the crops are starting to disappear. As we head further into New Mexico, the land becomes more rugged. Large, scarred, flat rocks push up from the ground and the earth is dry and dusty.
With good roads and a little more speed than the first few days, we push on beyond our planned stopping point of Santa Rosa. After 300 miles, tired and ready to drop, we arrive in Santa Fe. 7,000 feet above sea level the city of Santa Fe is a cultural delight. Set in a backdrop of mountain ranges, it is the nation's oldest capital and a wonderful mix of Spanish and Pueblo architechture. The buildings are all low rise, finished in various shades of warm teracotta. The roads snake round in circular patterns, unlike the more recent grid system of most American cities. We stop for a well earned rest and, with some time in hand, plan to spend the morning exploring the many shops selling art and native Indian wares.
previous travel blog entry
pastsec says:
tell dad not to rustle no cows,Norman mentioned it at the meeting last night Bert so you may have a few more bloggers.Texas looked boring,give me Southend any time.all the bros.are envious...Bill