It’s 575 miles to Tucson from here. Ohhhkay.
That’s where we’re headed in the morning. All the way to the bottom of New Mexico, then hang a right and head for Arizona. It’s going to be 19 degrees F here tonight. By the time we pull into Tucson after dark, it’ll be cooling down from the mid-80s. Yup, all the way in one shot, driving the famous ’89 Dodge Spirit. Today I prepared for the trip by buying a tube of Liquid Nails adhesive. The headliner is coming loose, you see, already ripples above our heads like maroon waves of grain. That’s OK, so long as I don’t look in the rearview mirror and get seasick. But if it comes all the way down, well, then we got trouble. Ergo the Liquid Nails. I figure I’ll cut a little hole, squeeze some in on the back side of the fabric, then slap it back up there.
These are the kinds of things you put up with in a free car we’ve had to sink $1,500 into in just over a year. But it does have cruise control and arm rests, and the wheezy little heap gets 30 mpg. It can’t get out of its own way, but if you wait long enough, it’ll do 80 unless it decides to overheat and blow up. I’m ready for that too — there’s a big roll of actual baling wire in the trunk. I also have duct tape and pliers. I hope you’re impressed.
My sweetie and I give good road trip. We switch off driving every hundred miles or so and stop whenever we want to, for answering nature’s call or taking pictures or anything at all. (Not like my old man with his ETAs and relaxing be goddamned…) I’m hoping we’re in the vicinity of the Owl Bar not too long past lunchtime, so we can score some green chili cheeseburgers. I also hope we get a nice early start, because I can already hear what a certain lady’s going to swear when it’s 9:00 p.m. and we’re still two-and-a-half hours out.
I thought it was just 575 miles. Hell, maybe it is.
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Good travels, John: Hope you make the Owl B&C for those green chile cheeseburgers. San Antonio, NM with the Owl is always our mid-point stop twixt El Paso and Taos. And we’ve learned, if we get a really early start it’s okay because you can get a green chile cheeseburger at the Owl at 9:30 in the morning.
But many stops ago at the Owl, I made the mistake of studying photos out in the cafe’s “foyer.” There I studied pics of the owners, the Bacas, cavorting with the Bush family. Now I swallow more than those delectable burgers whilst dining at the Owl. I swallow my principles as well. But, “Oh what the hell.”
Godspeed…
Safe journey….
We had the green chili cheeseburgers the last two days. Once on the way to Albuquerque and again on the way home to Las Cruces. Best cheeseburgers we’ve ever found. Bon voyage.
hmmmm….interesting; I read this blog after coming home from Las Vegas, NM, and fully convinced that I had just had the best green chile cheeseburger EVER at Charlie’s Bakery and Cafe…I was headed to the Plaza Hotel per your recommendation some months back John, after reading on this blog about their killer steaks, but missed the lunch by 15 minutes. A GREAT alternative tho’.
And last night? Veal Osso Buco at Julian’s in Santa Fe…man I’m getting fatter by the minute!
Hey GravelPit — Thanks for that little insight re the *best green chile cheeseburger EVER* at Charlie’s Bakery and Cafe in Las Vegas. You’ve, of course, made me curious to the point I must make it back to Las Vegas, to Charlie’s, to compare their fare with the Owl’s. Oooh, can’t wait for spring! Nothing like a great GrChCheeseBurger!