Grants - New Mexico
When I got up today I was surprised by 28 degrees cold weather. My HD was covered with ice and the top of the San Francisco Peaks (at Flagstaff, AZ) had snow on them. I changed into warm clothes and full leather. As the day progressed the day got “warmer” to about 65 degrees or so and it was a very enjoyable ride. The landscape changed on I-40 to ‘mountain country’ and the cooler weather gave the landscape a different dimension. Everything seemed to be more in focus, sharper and visible with more clarity. The ride was great.
For lunch I stopped at a Jerry’s in Holbrook, AZ and as I parked my bike, another HD rider parked his. We exchanged a few words outside and then we went inside and sat together and had lunch. Bob (the guys name . . . he looked rugged) mentioned that he was not sure where he was going, he just knew that he would go East. (OK, I thought here I am with some flunked out guy . . . ) He told me that he was from Santa Paula, CA and he just retired. Come to find out, Robert Gonzales retired as the Chief of Police from the Santa Paula Police department. We had quite an extensive conversation and we literally struck up a friendship. He told me that one of the things he was going to do on his trip was seeking the lineage of his Dad in some town in NM , since he knew very little about him. At the end of our lunch Bob gave me a patch and a pin from his police department and we went our way . . . but not without telling him that if he ever comes to Ohio to stop by my house.
My hope was to reach Albuquerque, NM today, but I was too tired to make it (because of the cool weather) So I stopped in Grants, NM. When you enter Grants, NM you see a giant lava field and it looks very destructive. The lava supposedly came from Mount Taylor, a big mountain behind Grants, NM.
As I made my hotel reservation in the lobby of the hotel, I asked the receptionist, what Grants, NM is famous for and the answer was plain and simple: “NOTHING” But then an assistant (her name was Sophia, a young Navaho Indian) spoke up in a quite, but authoritative voice: “That is not true! My grandmother told me a story when I was little, and she told me that the Taylor brothers came here a long time ago and killed a large giant who lived in the mountains. He was so huge that when he fell the blood streamed from the mountain and what you believe is a lava field is the hardened blood of the giant. Believe me it is true!”
______________
Thought of Today:
Reality finds truth in what we know
______________
Total miles: 2912 miles
Miles today: 276 miles
Gas: $23.56
28 degrees to 65 degrees
For lunch I stopped at a Jerry’s in Holbrook, AZ and as I parked my bike, another HD rider parked his. We exchanged a few words outside and then we went inside and sat together and had lunch. Bob (the guys name . . . he looked rugged) mentioned that he was not sure where he was going, he just knew that he would go East. (OK, I thought here I am with some flunked out guy . . . ) He told me that he was from Santa Paula, CA and he just retired. Come to find out, Robert Gonzales retired as the Chief of Police from the Santa Paula Police department. We had quite an extensive conversation and we literally struck up a friendship. He told me that one of the things he was going to do on his trip was seeking the lineage of his Dad in some town in NM , since he knew very little about him. At the end of our lunch Bob gave me a patch and a pin from his police department and we went our way . . . but not without telling him that if he ever comes to Ohio to stop by my house.My hope was to reach Albuquerque, NM today, but I was too tired to make it (because of the cool weather) So I stopped in Grants, NM. When you enter Grants, NM you see a giant lava field and it looks very destructive. The lava supposedly came from Mount Taylor, a big mountain behind Grants, NM.
As I made my hotel reservation in the lobby of the hotel, I asked the receptionist, what Grants, NM is famous for and the answer was plain and simple: “NOTHING” But then an assistant (her name was Sophia, a young Navaho Indian) spoke up in a quite, but authoritative voice: “That is not true! My grandmother told me a story when I was little, and she told me that the Taylor brothers came here a long time ago and killed a large giant who lived in the mountains. He was so huge that when he fell the blood streamed from the mountain and what you believe is a lava field is the hardened blood of the giant. Believe me it is true!”
______________
Thought of Today:
Reality finds truth in what we know
______________
Total miles: 2912 miles
Miles today: 276 miles
Gas: $23.56
28 degrees to 65 degrees
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 at Tuesday, October 11, 2005.
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Saturday, October 15, 2005 11:57:00 AMvery cool post!
my brother and i are currently setting up a trip from ohio to santa paula.. we were born in santa paula.. i moved to ohio three years ago.. he moved here, then to new york..
we want to go see where we grew up...
Sunday, May 13, 2007 4:57:00 PM
Just came across your blog and so glad that I did. Its nice to see there are others out there searching and learning about onesself and the world we live. I'm not sure if you will get this or even why I'm writting to you, but if you do please take time to respond back. I'm originally from Ohio a small town East of Cleveland called Aurora. I'm the son of a pastor and constantly struggled through the years with the knowledge I have learned about God and my own spiritual journey. I share with you the love of the open road and the self discovery that comes each day!
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