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Route 66 Road Trip - Home Sweet Home

8/13/2012

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

Day 4

Burleson, TX to College Station, TX

162 Miles
2 hours, 40 minutes
Home Sweet Home!!!!

We made one stop just outside of Waco to fill up on gas and get one last stretch before making our way to Aggieland... Home Sweet Home… College Station, Texas!

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!!!!!!

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Route 66 Road Trip - Day 3

8/12/2012

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Day 3

"Oh My God I'm Having So Much Fun!!!!!!"

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.

The Many Positions of Paughey
This dog gets around...

Goodbye New Mexico... HELLO TEXAS!

Cadillac Ranch

Just outside Amarillo, Texas, this art installation by artists Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez and Doug Michels would be completely missed if you weren’t paying attention. Set in the cow pasture of millionaire Stanley Marsh 3, the ten classic Cadillacs half-buried in the ground have been graffitied by passersby since 1974. Dad and I were on the phone with my sister when we spotted it. We promptly got off the freeway and made our way to the iconic spot. Paughey and I ran out into the field, and Dad and I sprayed some paint and explored. The cars have so much corrosive paint on them the metal is practically melting away. It’s amazing what you can find on the side of the road.

The Big Texan

You don’t get more stereotypical Texas than this! This restaurant/hotel/gift shop is like walking into a county fair. Big boots, a larger than life steer, Texas stars and red, white & blue painted smokers is what makes this a Route 66 legend leave a lasting impression on any Texas outsider. We weren’t able to eat inside the restaurant because of Paughey but they had a wonderful porch (minus the heat and flies) where we were able to eat our order to go. If you ever have the chance to go, get the fudge. It’s to DIE FOR!

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.

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Route 66 Road Trip - Day 2

8/11/2012

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Day 2

Lake Havasu, AZ to Albuquerque, NM

595 Miles
11 hours, 10 minutes
6 Stops

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!

The Many Positions of Paughey
The Traveling Pup

We broke up our day with a few detours:

London Bridge – Before embarking on our LONG day we made sure to cross London Bridge.
Seligman, AZ for an authentic Route 66 breakfast at the Road Kill Café next door to the Route 66 Motel. This adorable town (pop. 456, but they do have an airport) is the epitome of a Route 66 town. Everything was Route 66 themed. From the trinket shops to restaurants, this town was using being on the historic highway to their full advantage.
Flagstaff, AZ where we got lost trying to find a much needed Starbucks.
Meteor Crater in Winslow, AZ. Unfortunately dogs weren’t allowed inside but my dad, being the wonderful man that he is, stayed with Paughey and stretched their legs out in the parking lot while I ran in to see the best preserved meteor crater on Earth. And, as the docent said, “the Grand Canyon is a big hole but this is an impressive hole.”
Winslow, AZ – “Well, I'm a standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona and such a fine sight to see. It's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin' down to take a look at me.” (Take It Easy by the Eagles if you didn’t already know) It’s a Toyota, not a Ford, but close enough!
Petrified Forest, AZ between Hollbrook & Navajo – This detour took us about an hour off track but it was well worth it. The remains of this prehistoric forest were unlike anything I have ever seen! I recommend this detour to anyone traveling between Flagstaff and Albuquerque.
Gallup, NM – This detour was unplanned but necessary. A surprise rainstorm forced us to veer off course to protect the cargo!

TRAFFIC! New Mexico needs a new system for doing road work, such as making a detour or not doing it during rush hour.

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!

Random Sites by the Roadside

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Route 66 Road Trip - Home Sweet Home

Day 4

Route 66 Road Trip - Day 3

Day 3

Route 66 Road Trip - Day 2

Day 2

Caitlin Curry

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