7 hours…

7 hours of driving is probably the most I’ve ever done in a day… and that was today.

So I left OKC early to get started, making sure to bring my 2 remaining cupcakes with me (I ate some of the peanut butter chocolate last night and the rest with breakfast).

I decided I’d power through and then stop for a nice lunch, but fail to include my bladder into the equation. But before I knew it I was in Texas! I still get super excited crossing state lines and laughing at the slogans!

I got off in McLean, Texas, population 3,104 or so the sign said. And damn was it a time warp. Now this is a part of the amazing old Route 66 back in the day but CLEARLY has been horribly neglected and effected by the highways. (Just like in Cars). I stopped at the restaurant because it was open and I had to pee again and hasn’t had lunch yet. Well there were 4 patrons there including me. All passer-bys I assumed. I got a delicious chicken fried steak with amazing gravy. Pretty sure that was my highlight today. And bonus: every meal comes with free cobbler!! So I had delicious peach cobbler.

This is the original Phillips Route 66 gas station, which is literally just a photo op now in McLean, that I saw on an app but happened to pick the right exit to see it.

It made me a little sad thinking about how those people must barely scrap by some times…

You may have seen the severe weather that was hitting the mid west… well the moment I crossed into New Mexico, I hit it, BIG TIME.

Now this only shows the clouds beforehand because I ended up driving through freakin hail. The ground was literally white and I was glad I’m from MA and can handle snow. It started out as rain, then a downpour, then a freakin deluge, where I couldn’t see a damn thing. I pulled over and stress ate half a delicious cupcake before it let up…. and then it started back and that’s when the hail came. I said some prayers and asked my Grampa Jerry to watch over me. He always told me to “drive safe” and would count the dents on my car, so I’ve always thought of him as watching over me when I drive. Eventually the rain slowed and stopped all together. I also finished my audiobook so that was good!

So I made it to my hostel in Albuquerque but didn’t explore much since it was raining here and it’s been a long day. I walked to get pizza for dinner and someone stopped me to say the loved my necklace! I’m hoping to wander around Old Town Albuquerque tomorrow and buy beautiful jewelry before heading to see friends in Arizona!!

Xoxo aim