Days 3 and 4: Still Alive — Both of Us!

When last we left our intrepid heroes, they were contemplating doing away with one another. I'm happy to say that hasn't happened. Yet. But it's still on the table.

The first part of yesterday (Monday, Day 3) we spent in the Las Cruces area, in Old Town Mesilla. The buildings, even many of the residences, are either original or reproduction adobe-style, and the center of town has a village square with a Catholic church on one side and shops and restaurants along the other sides and down the side streets.

One thing I've regretted since I drove through New Mexico on my way eastward four years ago was that I didn't buy any turquoise jewelry, particularly that made by locals and nearby Native Americans. So this time I bought a turquoise and silver pendant and a silver chain.

I couldn't believe how much time we spent just walking around the square looking at the shops and occasionally talking to shopkeepers! We had lunch next to the square at an outside cafe and we didn't get back to the room until around 3:30. I was hoping for a nap yesterday, but instead I got kitted out and went to the White Sands National Monument with Steve. He was hoping for some good late-afternoon and early-evening photos of the dunes. (He hasn't looked at them yet to see how he did, so I can't tell you yet.)

I took photos, too, but when the sun was getting low over the mountains and we were walking up the ridge of a dune, I'd had enough. Not only was the ridgeline of the dune triggering my edge phobia, I don't have very good night or dim-light vision, so I knew I'd better get back to the car. So I walked back out to the car and waited until Steve returned from taking sunset photos. Then we drove back to Las Cruces, stopped and picked up some things from a store, and by the time we got to our room it was late (again) and we were exhausted (again). So I didn't even write anything for the blog.

Today (Tuesday, Day 4) bloomed brightly and even though we tried, we still didn't get out of town until 10:30 am. Then we drove onward across New Mexico and Arizona.

We'd planned to stay at a nicer place in Blythe, California, tonight. Unfortunately, we are staying in a not as nice place just outside Blythe, still in Arizona, for two reasons. The first reason is that the Blythe Best Western was booked by the time I got around to making reservations. The second reason is the way this spring-time promotion of BW's is handled. The promotion states: stay three separate times and get one night free! I figured that meant that, since we've stayed at BW hotels three different times before today, that tonight's stay would be free.

Doesn't work that way. You stay three different times during the specified period. Then, a week or two later, you get a coupon in email that is good through June 30. I call shenanigans! The likelihood of my going on another trip before the end of June is low; I imagine it would be for most people who had managed three different stays during the spring! Stoopid corporations!

Today we mostly drove, stopped at rest areas to take walks, and stopped to eat. We did stop at one rest area so Steve could take pictures. The area is called Texas Canyon (it's in New Mexico) and the geological formations are fantastic! The rock is split horizontally and vertically, and sometimes diagonally, and it's all rounded on the edges. I don't know what caused such formations, but they were wonderful to see. When I eventually get some pictures put up, I'll include one of those, too.

By the time we got to Tucson, it was HOT. The weather app on Steve's phone said it was only 76, but I'd say high 80s or even 90.

By the time we got to Phoenix, it was rush hour. We made it through alive.

It was around 7:30 when we arrived at the hotel. The first room we had didn't have a working fridge, and we use our fridges to refreeze the blue ice and to keep other things cold. So they changed us to a different room. The fridge works, and it has a truly separate freezer compartment. The rest of the room is not so good, but we are here and checked in and tired. Steve has problems logging in to the wifi at the BW hotels, so he's informed me that we are staying at a different brand of place tomorrow. I pointed out that for what I'm willing to pay, we aren't going to get great internet access no matter what, but we'll see. He and I are kind of not talking tonight. We'll see how that goes tomorrow, too.

I really want to get more rest, but that isn't possible given our travel needs. So I will rest when we get back to the Seattle area. I may sleep for the entire following week. But that would be just fine with me!

I will get pictures for y'all as soon as I can, but it's possible that won't be until after the trip. If that's the case, I'll just do a couple of posts that are predominantly photos! That should be fun.

So, hoping tomorrow is a good day for us all, I am signing off now. Good night!