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Thursday - 3/10/06 
7:11 pm
Albuquerque, NM
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Today I drove from Amarillo Texas to Albuquerque New Mexico. It's amazing the transition between the states out here in the west. It seems like the scenery somehow changes just around the state lines. I was in Texas with farms and long stretches of grassland with some small hills but flat overall. The big sky really kicked in when I got a little ways into New Mexico. One can see the drought reflected in the landscape. Yesterday. I used my digital camera's panoramic feature to take a wide 360 degree shot of the rest stop where I stretched my legs and filled my thermos. Click here or on the thumbnail below to view the full sized panoramic image.

Today's drive wasn't as long as in prior days. The scenery is getting better and better and it seems that I have been slowing down a bit to enjoy it. I have taken three times as many pictures as I had in previous states and will display many of them in between the text. I have surely hit Big Sky country and it has been very moving to travel into new terrains.  

I am staying in Albuquerque at another of the Choice hotel chain I am frequenting. They have a "Choice rewards" program which allows you to accrue points and earn free stays. I plan to use the points I have earned as a free night in Arizona in the next day or two where I plan to stay for an extra night and see some sights. The people on the phone have been very nice. They understand right away that I am calling from my cell phone on the road and have been helpful. 

I went out to get dinner compliments of my friend who gave me a McDonalds gift card for my trek which I probably mentioned in my non-serious voice in the past. I filled up my tank at the gas station. Albuquerque is set up more or less as a grid. The roads intersect at right angles for the most part. On the west end of town there is a small mountain which rises up from the valley.

(I think its funny how I got all serious real of a sudden)
(A sure result of the BSS (Big Sky Syndrome) 

Onto the blogging 

(Flogging/Clogging)

Ok I am hitting the road today to Arizona so I won't be ablle to finish this page today. Much to your dismay I will also be inserting stuff into all the pages as I finish it ad-libitum (deal with it)

A friend of mine submitted this story which left me dwelling  in a dander cloud of hilarity-

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"Smoop Bloggy Blog"

As Smoopy wiggled himself out from under the covers to get his breakfast one morning, 
his head went right through a small hole in the old blanket. 
He was totally trapped.