We woke up this morning in Arizona, and in a microcosm of the total trip, drove through New Mexico to El Paso Texas, and then turned and went north back into New Mexico and finally settled in Alamogordo, which the locals shorten to Alamo, which I won’t mention when we return to Texas. We went to El Paso to switch rental cars since the Sentra developed a hitch in its get along, or at least a leak in the transmission. I should post a picture of the rental car parking garage since we spent a good deal of quality time there because, according to the guy at the car rental desk, spring break had cleaned them out of cars. Somebody isn’t doing Spring Break right IMHO. But for your sakes I try to only post the most luscious photos, and even I at my craziest wouldn’t take a picture of a rental car parking lot. Just keeping it real in the Thrifty rental car lot.

Last night we saw a beautiful new moon above the picturesque hill out the front door of the Airbnb, but sadly the technology at my disposal was inadequate to capture the ineffable beauty of the sight, so until the Vulcan mind meld becomes an actual thing, you’re stuck with my puny and inadequate words.

On the subject of abject fails, we crossed the continental divide this morning in the flattest, most desolate plain which is no way to cross the continental divide. We did take a side trip to the City of Rocks (state park) but to be honest, our heart wasn’t in it with the car and our calls to Thrifty. So we had our picnic lunch courtesy of Subway, wandered around a bit, found an outhouse – the nice bathrooms were closed because COVID, the lousy ones are still open because when you gotta go, you gotta go.

We didn’t lose an hour Sunday morning like everyone else, we lost an hour this morning because (1) Arizona doesn’t do daylight savings time, and B. New Mexico does. Arizona really should change their state motto from the Latin for “God enriches” to “Ornery” or “like no where else” or even “live free or die” – that one may be taken but it’s a good one and seems to fit. If I was smart, when I retire I should buy a house in New Hampshire and one in Arizona.

Desolation factor for the day Maximum, beauty factor Minimum.

Even the ussie is substandard today.  

You’d think I would be getting more used to the teeth aligners, not less.
I give you a city of rocks.
This is the best of the moon over the mountain pics, but in person the moon was new, huge, and amazing.
This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Even if it’s a picture from Day 2. Some days are easier to rejoice in than others.