Day 15 - Alan saves the day

We set out early as my sister has indicated that there is a music festival and car show in Albuquerque and as those are Larry's great loves he was anxious to shove off for the long drive today.  Hobson did most of the driving the road being flat, straight and not crowded.  That left us able to snap our fingers and stomp our feet listening to the musci of the 50's that Spotify picked to go with out request of Route 66 by Nat King Cole.  It was great fun and as the scenery was mostly brush and windmills it did make the drive go faster --- until we lost our cell signal.

One advantage of starting early was this gorgeous sunrise

We have learned to listen to the car more about how long to charge.  The more depleted the battery is the faster the charge and it gets considerably slower as the car gets towards a full charge.  Today we never charged the car completely but did get a scare when the car told us to turn around and recharge at our previous stop.  We of course ignored it and eventually as we neared the halfway point between the two chargers the car issued  a warning that we were in a position where is was unlikely we would reach any chargers which turned out to be overly pessimistic as we made it with over 10 miles to spare.  That scared Michelle and slowed us down as she insisted on a much bigger buffer.

All the original places along the old Route 66 get to put up these signs

Quintessential (I spelled it right first try!) Route 66 sign in Nob Hill, Albuquerque (spelled that right too first try).  The Route 66 Summerfest was conducted on a street that has revstored and repurposed lots of the old buildings and signs.

Parts of the road show the loss of travelers like these two abandoned gas stations.  The nearer one was converted to a Chinese restaurant but that too is out of business

Our final destination was my sister's house in Sandia Hills, NM.  As mentioned above she promised us a festival with cars and music and she delivered big time but only after a warm greeting by her, my brother-in-law, who because he had a battery charger for my outdated camera is Larry's favorite person in New Mexico now, and their very friendly dog Simba.  Alan and Larry had a great time looking at, an photographing the cars while Lori and Michelle walked, talked and then stopped and waited for the two guys.  We had good craft beer and listen to some great music by Nikki Hill who was followed by Booker T Jones who as a septuagenarian one feared could not compete with the young, incredible band that proceeded him but proved up to the task.

Statistics Corner

States involved: We drove out of Oklahoma back into North Texas and finally into New Mexico which was became number seventeen.  

Best welcome sign yet.  Yes I took it while Hobson is driving over the speed limit but only 4 mph.  He is such a scofflaw!

Charging 

Wetherfield OK 20 minutes We were going too fast and there was too much wind to not stop her although we had not planned on it.

Shamrck TX 30 minutes - This one was at an old service stainon/diner on the old Route 66.  Unfortunetly the dinere was closed for good but had manequina dressed in  50's clothes sitting at one of thoseiconis formica counters.  The town of Shamrock looks down on its luck now that the interstate carries the cars and trucks on the outskirts of town.

This is the defunct garage adn diner with the Tesla chargers to the right.  

The atigue gas pumps out front have antique rrices

Amarillo TX  30  minutes.  Although Amarillo was on the old Route 66 according to the song we were on the other side of town in a modern motel parking lot.

Tucumcari NM - 20 minutes - Another motel lot on the outskirts of town.

My sister's garage.  Charging at 110 volts it will take awhile but it is sitting for a full day and 2 nights so should do fine.

Regular Features

Song of the Day: Route 66 by Nat King Cole - We spent the day following the path of the old Route 66 and spent the evening at a festival to celebrate its anniversary.  What else could one pick?

Coolest Car of the day: Impossible to decide as there were over 100 classic cars in the show but I think a pink Desoto was the best depiction of Route 66

This was two tone both colors being perfect art deco.  Wins on that account.

A couple of runner-ups

 



Church of the day: The church is mundane but that cross!

Coolest Thing of the Day - Larry - The Summerfest and if I have to pick a particular item it was Nikki Hill's set.  She writes the kind of rockin' blues I love and is backed by an incredibly talented band

Coolest Thing of the Day -Michelle - The entire Summerfest although if whe did not have Lorinda to talk to she would have not included the cars.