Souper Tuesday

It wasn't very many miles from Amarillo before the landscape began to change. There were fewer and fewer farms, and many more small hills. Fields became low shrubland. There were still plenty of cows, as they are so adaptable in what they are willing to graze on. Along the way we caught our first glimpse of snow on the mountains just beyond Albuquerque.

Today was the third consecutive day of strong winds, which has made for tiring driving for Bob, so we were glad that it was a short day, "only" 288 miles. Given a 75 mph speed limit, which means the traffic cruises along at 80, it's only about 4-1/4 hours of driving, or about 5 with stops. Add in the hour we gained crossing into Mountain Time, and we were able to reach Albuquerque by lunchtime.

We sat outside at a small cantina in "Old Town", where we consumed bowls of Posole, a hearty soup made with white hominy, pork, and chiles. "Posole" is the Spanish word for hominy, so the name of the soup is a use of synechdoche. (Bob made me use that word. It's one of his favorite words, and means a part represents the whole.) Anyway, the soup was very good, but not quite as good as my mother used to make. Really.

After lunch we walked around the shops in Old Town, and visited a small, pretty church there.

Later, we saw more types of rattlesnakes than I knew existed at the rattlesnake museum. I hope to never meet one in its natural habitat.

Tonight we expect to be entertained by all the commentators trying to out-predict each other on the primary results. It's ludicrous to read that Mitt voted today in his "home town" of Belmont, MA. Didn't he sell that house, or at least put it on the market? And wasn't it just a week ago that he claimed Michigan as his home state?

2350 miles so far.

Tomorrow we go across the Continental Divide and finally reach Tucson and our friends. Can't wait!