31 May 2011
I got up at 0500, but somehow it took me four hours to do all the noodling around, fooling around with coffee, eat breakfast, listen to music, send out trip reports, et al. If I keep this up, I'll have a hard time making it by Thursday. Good breakfast, though: omelets, bacon, sausage, biscuits & gravy, waffles, cereals, juices, pastries--took some of the sting out of the price of the lodging.
The day was warming up as I wrapped around the north and east sides of the Phoenix megalopolis and headed out 60, stopping for fuel in Apache Junction. Rather than staying on 60 as I usually do, I took 70 out of Globe, for the variety, even though it's out of the way. I had a vague idea that it might be cold in the New Mexico mountains, although it's not feeling like that's possible.
Anyway, down through Safford, and up 191 for a ways--the straight part. I came down 191 through New Mexico some years ago; it was a treat (and it was called 666 back then). But I was staying on 70, and at that intersection is a tumble-down gas station. Not knowing what the future holds, I put in $10 (cash!) worth of premium to get me to civilization.
Civilization turned out to be Silver City, NM, Dick Sackett's new stomping grounds (for those of you not in the San Diego BMW club, a former president). I didn't have time to stop; the road had been curvier than I'd imagined, and the speed limit would drop to 45, or even 30, as soon as the sight lines got less than optimal.
That continued to be the case as the afternoon turned into early evening, until I got to I-25. My route went south, but it was so late that I went north, heading for Truth or Consequences.
I got off at the south end and started looking for grocery stores and motels. Finally, at the north end there are a bunch of new motels, and shopping centers, et al. There's a Wal*Mart, and a non-chain motel hard by. It'll do.
The wi-fi is iffy (although better in the morning [when there's less competition for the signal?]) and the A/C is a bit noisy, but I'm so beat it doesn't matter.