I'll cover today first. The amazing landscape I
described briefly in my last post only got better as Interstate 25 took me
north through New Mexico. Many had recommended the drive, noting that New
Mexico was one of the most picturesque states in the lower 48; I didn't really
believe them until today. Man, was I wrong. Words really can't do
it justice, but the combination of arid plains and towering, multi-colored
peaks was awe-inspiring. The images below give you just a taste of what I
saw along the drive...and illustrate why a four hour drive took me six.
:)
One of the stops along the way was a place called Truth or Consequences, NM. I had lunch there--beef, cheese and bean tostadas--but didn't really do much else. Just thought it worth mentioning because of its awesome name.
I grabbed dinner and spent some time walking around the main
plaza in Santa Fe tonight. It seems like a really cool town. More
to come on this in subsequent posts.
Random Ramblings...
--More from Austin...
The music scene in Austin is really, really cool. Even
though I was there on Monday and Wednesday nights, we (my host, Lauren, and I)
were able to listen to some really cool bands. The first was a swing band
(not exactly what we were expecting) that was surprisingly good. It was
also really cool to watch the locals get up and dance--they were really good!
Much better than I could ever pretend to be, that's for sure.
The second was a country/western band at the same bar, just
downstairs. They played some classic covers and what I'm assuming were
originals. My favorite--"I'm not a wine-o, I'm a whiskey-o."
Given my love of whiskey, I thought it was quite fitting. Many of
the same dancing locals from earlier showed up; after inquiring, Lauren found
out that the troupe of six or so were all friends, all single (some of their
moves suggested otherwise...), and had a routine. They were really
awesome. Maybe so much so that I'm considering dancing lessons...
Monday was good, but Wednesday night was by far my favorite.
The Smazmatics, whom I mentioned earlier, are an 80s cover band that
played three raucous sets before a standing-room only crowd at the Cedar Street in downtown Austin. A crazy look, but they were all very talented
musicians with great stage presence. It was a ton of fun rocking out to
them. And the people-watching was top notch.
--Memphis, and a commentary on what we value...
Some of you have commented on my post (er, diatribe) detailing
my thoughts on Memphis. I wanted to devote a bit of time to an
observation I had along the way. As I pointed out, the site of Martin
Luther King, Jr.'s death was truly moving...and sparsely attended. While
my photo didn't exactly give the most accurate depiction--there were more
people there than just me; I just waited patiently for a clear shot--there were
not that many people at the Lorraine Motel. Conversely, I couldn't have
gotten a solo shot at Elvis's gravesite if my life depended on it. The fact
that Graceland was packed, and the Lorraine Motel was not, provides some
interesting insights into what we as Americans appreciate. Thanks to Dr.
Bell for raising it (on Facebook) and encouraging me to touch on it here.
--New Orleans...the truth comes out?
So...many of you have reached out asking for more details on
my time in the Big Easy. I won't go into every detail--far too hazy for
that--but suffice it to say Dan, Beth and I had a blast. From Hurricanes
to "Huge Ass Beers" (the real name, I swear--see below), we had a
bunch of fun. The people-watching was great. And when one night
ends at 4am and the other ends at 5am in a casino, you know you've had a pretty
good weekend.
That's enough for now. More to come in the following
days. I've got a full day in Santa Fe tomorrow, followed by a LONG drive
to the Grand Canyon on Sunday.
Later...
DRB
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