Travel Journal

Live the adventures of Dan Walker's travels through reading his travel journal. The travel journals are listed below in descending order of date. To search the travel journals, use the keyword search at the bottom of the page.

Journal Entry:

Trips | New Mexico 2008

Saturday, August 16, 2008 21:29:51
New Mexico 2008: 2 - Barstow California to Wellington Utah Total mileage to date 2,907 (4,678 km) Sunday, August 10, 2008 The weather forecast proved correct as temperatures rose to over 90 F (32 C) by 8 AM and by 11 had reached a predicted 110 F (43 C). Temperatures started to drop after Needles, California when the altitude climbed to over 6,000 ft (1,829 m). Suddenly the desert was gone and we were in pine forest until after Flagstaff, Arizona, where trees became shrubs and then pure scorching desert once more. Just as we were getting into desert we were hit by a tropical class downpour, which did a great job of cleaning he car and cooling things down temporarily, but once out of the rain temperatures soared. We made a big mistake buying gas in Needles, the last California city before Arizona. We paid $4.799 per US gallon for gas, but as soon as we were in Arizona it was advertised as low as $3.60 per gallon. It is necessary to watch signs, as prices vary widely from gas station to gas station. Another big change was in the speed limit - in California it was 70 mph (113 kph) for cars & 55 mph (89 kph) for trucks, but in Arizona it is 75 (121 kph) for all. It would seem high gas prices are benefiting the railways. We passed trains every few minutes loaded with truck trailers. The highway and railway ran parallel to each other for a couple of days, and trains passing at night felt like earthquakes in the motels. Our accommodation tonight was in the very average Best Western in Holbrook, Arizona, but as we stopped a bit early I ventured into the wonderfully wacky world of Lucas Electronics and took the ignition/light switch apart. I couldn't figure out how the starter part worked in the unnecessarily complicated maze of contacts, so attacked anything that looked like a contact point with a nail file to clean it. Much to my surprise it started with the key again for the rest of the trip! Monday, August 11, 2008 It had rained overnight, so I was able to give the car a quick cleaning in the morning by wiping off rain water. Temperatures ran to around 100F (38C) again, including in Albuquerque at an altitude over 6,000 ft. (1,830 m) After checking into the Sheraton Albuquerque we drove to the Sandia Peak Tramway, where a return trip to the top of the 10,378 ft (3,153 m) mountain is a reasonable $15. At 2.7 miles (4.46 km) in length it is billed as the longest tramway ride in the world - it has one single span of 7,720 ft (2,353 m). Getting out at the top was like entering air conditioning - a very comfortable temperature. The vertical lift is 3.819 ft (1.163 m) from the 6,559 ft (1,999 m) high lower terminal. There is a restaurant and pub at the top, plus pleasant walking trails. After drinks & snacks in the club lounge of the hotel we walked to Chili's where M had inedible chicken wings. I wasn't hungry, so had beer, which worked out better. Tuesday, August 12, 2008 I made a wrong turn that accidentally bypassed Santa Fe, then deliberately bypassed Taos and other side trips as the front-end shudder is worse, now shaking from 62-73 mph (100-118 kph). On winding two-lane road with a 65 mph speed limit it is hard to not hold up other vehicles, as I have to slow to around 60. Today's drive was through pretty mountain country at an altitude high enough to be cooler, but when we dropping down to Durango, Colorado it was hot. The EconoLodge we stayed in was not great but had comfortable beds. Main Street, Durango, is a street of beautifully preserved old buildings, among which we found the Irish Embassy Pub - super food and decent beer! Wednesday, August 13, 2008 We crossed into Utah in scorching temperatures, stopping at the Wilson Arch, which is beside the highway, and at a house blasted out of a cliff. After passing through Moab we toured the spectacular Arches National Park, including hiking one trail in the scorching heat. There are over 2,000-catalogued wind carved arches in the park and a good road system to see a lot of them. It is definitely worth the $5 per person fee to visit this surreal area. Watch the gas gauge in the part of the country, as it can be up to 130 miles between services of any kind. We made it to the tiny town of Wellington, Utah for a night at the National 9 Inn - the first motel in many, many miles, but it was well equipped - a bargain at $54.95. They have a restaurant with no beer, but recommended the Cowboy Kitchen a block down the street where we had the best lamb chops ever and freezing cold beer. The standard order was a stack of four huge, inch thick, perfectly cooked chops - more than either of us could eat.

Saturday, August 16, 2008 21:29:51

New Mexico 2008: 2 - Barstow California to Wellington Utah

Total mileage to date 2,907 (4,678 km)

Sunday, August 10, 2008

The weather forecast proved correct as temperatures rose to over 90 F (32 C) by 8 AM and by 11 had reached a predicted 110 F (43 C). Temperatures started to drop after Needles, California when the altitude climbed to over 6,000 ft (1,829 m). Suddenly the desert was gone and we were in pine forest until after Flagstaff, Arizona, where trees became shrubs and then pure scorching desert once more. Just as we were getting into desert we were hit by a tropical class downpour, which did a great job of cleaning he car and cooling things down temporarily, but once out of the rain temperatures soared.

We made a big mistake buying gas in Needles, the last California city before Arizona. We paid $4.799 per US gallon for gas, but as soon as we were in Arizona it was advertised as low as $3.60 per gallon. It is necessary to watch signs, as prices vary widely from gas station to gas station.

Another big change was in the speed limit - in California it was 70 mph (113 kph) for cars & 55 mph (89 kph) for trucks, but in Arizona it is 75 (121 kph) for all. It would seem high gas prices are benefiting the railways. We passed trains every few minutes loaded with truck trailers. The highway and railway ran parallel to each other for a couple of days, and trains passing at night felt like earthquakes in the motels.

Our accommodation tonight was in the very average Best Western in Holbrook, Arizona, but as we stopped a bit early I ventured into the wonderfully wacky world of Lucas Electronics and took the ignition/light switch apart. I couldn't figure out how the starter part worked in the unnecessarily complicated maze of contacts, so attacked anything that looked like a contact point with a nail file to clean it. Much to my surprise it started with the key again for the rest of the trip!

Monday, August 11, 2008

It had rained overnight, so I was able to give the car a quick cleaning in the morning by wiping off rain water. Temperatures ran to around 100F (38C) again, including in Albuquerque at an altitude over 6,000 ft. (1,830 m)

After checking into the Sheraton Albuquerque we drove to the Sandia Peak Tramway, where a return trip to the top of the 10,378 ft (3,153 m) mountain is a reasonable $15. At 2.7 miles (4.46 km) in length it is billed as the longest tramway ride in the world - it has one single span of 7,720 ft (2,353 m). Getting out at the top was like entering air conditioning - a very comfortable temperature. The vertical lift is 3.819 ft (1.163 m) from the 6,559 ft (1,999 m) high lower terminal. There is a restaurant and pub at the top, plus pleasant walking trails.

After drinks & snacks in the club lounge of the hotel we walked to Chili's where M had inedible chicken wings. I wasn't hungry, so had beer, which worked out better.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

I made a wrong turn that accidentally bypassed Santa Fe, then deliberately bypassed Taos and other side trips as the front-end shudder is worse, now shaking from 62-73 mph (100-118 kph). On winding two-lane road with a 65 mph speed limit it is hard to not hold up other vehicles, as I have to slow to around 60.

Today's drive was through pretty mountain country at an altitude high enough to be cooler, but when we dropping down to Durango, Colorado it was hot. The EconoLodge we stayed in was not great but had comfortable beds. Main Street, Durango, is a street of beautifully preserved old buildings, among which we found the Irish Embassy Pub - super food and decent beer!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

We crossed into Utah in scorching temperatures, stopping at the Wilson Arch, which is beside the highway, and at a house blasted out of a cliff. After passing through Moab we toured the spectacular Arches National Park, including hiking one trail in the scorching heat. There are over 2,000-catalogued wind carved arches in the park and a good road system to see a lot of them. It is definitely worth the $5 per person fee to visit this surreal area.

Watch the gas gauge in the part of the country, as it can be up to 130 miles between services of any kind. We made it to the tiny town of Wellington, Utah for a night at the National 9 Inn - the first motel in many, many miles, but it was well equipped - a bargain at $54.95. They have a restaurant with no beer, but recommended the Cowboy Kitchen a block down the street where we had the best lamb chops ever and freezing cold beer. The standard order was a stack of four huge, inch thick, perfectly cooked chops - more than either of us could eat.