Driving across Texas

[iCe]

With two teenage girls can be interesting. My daughters friend Alex says, "there sure are a lot of llamas around here. What do people do with them?"

I said, "eggs"

She says, "llamas lay eggs?"

[MikeyG1965]

LOL....I can close my eyes and imagine my niece (16) saying the same thing!

[Teddington]

Originally Posted by iCe

With two teenage girls can be interesting. My daughters friend Alex says, "there sure are a lot of llamas around here. What do people do with them?"

I said, "eggs"

She says, "llamas lay eggs?"

Yeah, but did you get the face in a photo?

[iCe]

No. I was literally driving across Texas at the time she said it. She Googled Llama and is convinced that I am wrong. Actually my daughter pitched in so I guess that we are both wrong I stopped in Abilene for fuel and made this post on my iPhone. Then I drove up to Childress and visited with Russell for about 30 minutes. He and his family are a pleasure to be around. I finally made it to Clayton, NM a few minutes ago. It was pretty much blowing snow and snow packed roads all the way up from just outside of Childress on. We saw 10 wrecks. One severe enough to require an ambulance (bad rollover when the pickup slid sideways into a culvert). On top of that, somewhere along the the last 120 miles of the trip my truck went into limp home mode (that sucks). I'll have to find a Chevy dealer (probably in Raton) if it's still hosed up when / if I start it in the morning. All this just to go slide around on some sticks for a few days. Good thing I added an extra day to the trip...

[carrbowl]

Boy thats a nice trip in the snow and ice!!! have fun on the sticks...I"m jealous!!

[Torrey]

Better be really careful if you go north from Raton...very steep slopes in the mountains between Raton NM and Trinidad CO that aren't car-friendly when covered with ice.

But...if you do head that way, there's remnants of an old abandoned town off to the left (west) of the highway with a nice front wall of a church still standing that makes a good photo.

[ebhawley]

That's pretty cute. I know the ruins Torrey mentioned along Raton Pass. I know they'll look especially pictoresque under snow. Hope you can take pics of them.

[Torrey]

Do you happen to know the name of the old town? I'd like to see if I can find out some history about it. There are tracks running along the highway that I believe are still used by Amtrak, and I want to say I've seen a sign along the tracks with a name that started with a "G"...not sure if those signs are town names or what.

edit: Nevermind, did some searching and found out from a thread on www.ghosttowns.com that it's an old mining camp called Morley and the church is St. Aloysius Catholic Church. As a matter of fact, this website has pictures of the church and some history.

[ebhawley]

Originally Posted by Torrey

Do you happen to know the name of the old town? I'd like to see if I can find out some history about it. There are tracks running along the highway that I believe are still used by Amtrak, and I want to say I've seen a sign along the tracks with a name that started with a "G"...not sure if those signs are town names or what.

edit: Nevermind, did some searching and found out from a thread on www.ghosttowns.com that it's an old mining camp called Morley and the church is St. Aloysius Catholic Church. As a matter of fact, this website has pictures of the church and some history.

You found a lot more on it than I did googling it. I knew, though, that it was part of the historic Santa Fe trail, and that the town was a stopping point for travellers on the railroad.

[venchka]

You are so BAD! I love it!

You better bring back at least one Polaroid Type 55 image from this trip. Maybe a llama nest with the usual 2 eggs in it!

Back in The Land Before Time, this time of year, I always went south through Ft. Sumner (sp?), NM. Where William Bonney is buried. Angle across to Muleshoe, TX and Lubbock, TX. From Lubbock you can get to most anywhere in Texas.

Bonus question: "Lookin at Lubbock in the rear view mirror." Who done it?

Have a safe trip!

[iCe]

Torrey- Yep... I've hauled my Jeep over that pass a few times and been over it more times than I can remember over the last 30 years. Winter is always interesting but CO / NM does a better job of maintaining the roads than TX does. I had h e double toothpicks getting from Childress to Clayton because the road conditions were so poor. It would have been easier if traffic wasn't kicking so much snow up. There were icy spots all along the route and cars in the ditch to go with them. If you get the chance, go west out of Trinidad (at the tourist info center) and head towards Stonewall. The Cuchara loop is historic and gorgeous no matter what time of year it is. If you are feeling real adventurous, see if you can find the old road out of La Veta that goes over the old La Veta pass. I didn't take it this time around because I was running late but it's another one of the numerous little roads that I've found while rummaging around Colorado over the years. We'll be in Breckenridge tomorrow afternoon. I'm looking forward to not driving for a little while

Wayne- Sadly the film gear is safely tucked away at home waiting for me to come play with it. There is a little ranch road that heads south somewhere between Clayton and Raton. I took it one winter day right after a big snow. That was interesting. I had to bust a couple of 2-3 foot drifts to get through but the scenery was awesome and the snow was pure unmarked for most of the trip (not counting my tracks of course). I can't remember the number though. Going the other way, a you can go up through Folsom and end up coming into Trinidad from the east but I don't think I would recommend that road during the winter. I've done it but it's 4WD...

[venchka]

Enjoy the scenery...and the lanscape too!

Be safe!

[CobyPhoto]

I actually by passed a trip up in the Panhandle because of the impending weather and obligations here.

I was hoping it would snow where I was at, but no such luck. I haven't had a good snowball fight in ages!

I hope you enjoy your trip and get back home safely. I am jealous! LOL

CJ

[Shimmers]

It snowed tonight 5 times in the American Airlines Center in Dallas... the Trans-Siberian Orchestra was in concert. Might be the only snow we see this winter :)

[TXFZ1]

Originally Posted by venchka

You are so BAD! I love it!

You better bring back at least one Polaroid Type 55 image from this trip. Maybe a llama nest with the usual 2 eggs in it!

Back in The Land Before Time, this time of year, I always went south through Ft. Sumner (sp?), NM. Where William Bonney is buried. Angle across to Muleshoe, TX and Lubbock, TX. From Lubbock you can get to most anywhere in Texas.

Bonus question: "Lookin at Lubbock in the rear view mirror." Who done it?

Have a safe trip!

Lubbuck is the Hub city!!

Mac Davis.

David