Due to over 45,000 students moving into houses, apartments, townhouses, etc. in preparation for classes starting in just over a week, it is going to take a week and a half to get someone out to my new house to set up the internet.  I am currently at a cafe just up the street (1541 Pastries & Coffee) drinking a chai latte trying to get some work done but since A&M is down for scheduled maintenance (and I don't know their schedule) I am unable to get that work done and have a quick moment to let you all know...

Days 2-4 of the Route 66 Road Trip will be posted next weekend when I FINALLY have internet at home and, therefore, more than an hour to do everything I need to do using the interwebs at an internet cafe.

You really don't realize how reliant you are on it until you are deprived of it (especially when setting up a new home).  Yeesh!

P.s. I am going to pre-date the road trip posts so they have the correct date.  So, see below ; )

Today marked the end of our road trip adventure and the beginning of another… home ownership!

Dad, Paughey and I made good time getting to my 12noon showing and 1:30pm closing.  Then, after almost 2 hours of signing my life and money away, I finally got the keys to my Texas home!!!!!!  

Albuquerque, NM to Burleson, TX

• 645 Miles
  
• 11 hours, 5 minutes
  
• 4 Stops

Today we took the most direct route to get to our destination and after making stops at two iconic Route 66 stops we left the historic highway to head south toward central Texas.  Much of our ride today was spent solving the world’s problems, looking up random facts on Wikipedia and enjoying the scenery, not once turning on the radio.

Goodbye New Mexico... HELLO TEXAS!

The other two stops were just quick stretch, restroom and grub pit stops.

Our original plan was to finish our day in Wichita Falls, TX but we decided to lengthen our day a bit and make our way through Dallas/Fort Worth as not to have to battle commuter traffic in the morning.  We ended up at a hotel in Burleson, a suburb of Fort Worth, where we were the only patrons.  And, as soon as we got into the room, Paughey parked himself on the bed next to the AC and passed out until morning!  He has been such a good boy the last few days, he deserved a good night’s sleep. 

Today’s theme was ‘unexpected surprises.’  Some were amazing (the Meteor Crater), some were hilarious (using the Gallop Hampton Inn overhang for cover while putting our luggage in trash bags during a freak rainstorm) and some were unfortunate (HORRIBLE traffic coming into Albuquerque only to find out the AC was broken in our swanky hotel and we were rebooked at a dive in the sketchy part of town where they charged us extra for the dog).   Needless to say, Dad and I were exhausted by the time we reached Albuquerque.  Julia (second cousin once removed) & her fiancé, Matt, forgave us for being an hour late for dinner at Chama River Brewery and we had a wonderful to end to our whirlwind of a day with a delicious meal and great company!

Our ‘unexpected surprises’ made day two a memorable one.  Although it was exhausting, it ended on a high note and, after a good night’s sleep, Dad, Paughey and I will (hopefully) be ready for another day!

The drive was relatively painless and the company was great.  We ran into minimal traffic (even through the traffic we did hit just outside of Fontana made Dad "frustrated"), sang some Classic Rock, and Paughey behaved remarkably well!  He pawed at the door a few times but finally caught on that he wasn’t going anywhere and eventually laid down and enjoyed the ride. 

Today's stops:

1. At the Green Tree Inn Coffee Shop in Victorville, CA I wasn't able to get any coffee (!!!) but they did have some pretty epic Route 66 posters on their windows which made the stop totally worth it.  Paughey was also very thankful for the chance to stretch his legs and get in some good sniffs before we ventured across the Mohave!
   
2. It was just after sunset, still light out but no sun in the sky, when we made a stop in Needles, CA to have dinner at Carls Jr. and let Paughey stretch his legs again so we were not anticipating the blast of heat when we got out of the car.  It was 104° at 7:30pm.
   
3. And finally, we did a quick gas fill up before heading into Lake Havasu, AZ where we are spending the night.

At approximately 9pm we crossed the California/Arizona border and I am officially no longer a California resident!

We had every intension of going for a walk across the London Bridge when we got to Lake Havasu around 10pm but it was 107° so we decided to crank the AC and watch some Olympics instead.  Dad and Paughey are ZONKED out already recharging for another day of Route 66 fun!

Stay tuned for Day 2.....