Sunday, June 9th 2002

Albuquerque, NM  to Tempe, AZ 

Weather:   clear, not a cloud in the sky, sunny and a high of 90

Total Miles To Date 3,350 miles 

not updated

Money spent today:

$111 on hotel room (I didn't look too hard for a bargain with the way I felt, I know I could have found a lot cheaper)

$10 on fruits and Advil

$39 on gas

$10 on admission to the park

$5.50 on lunch at the petrified forest

$6 on dinner at Arby's

Total Spent Today

$181.50

Total Spent To Date

$1345.36

So, my day started off the way it ended last night...I still feel shitty.

Woke up at 5am and rolled around in bed till 8am.  I got up and updated the website, which I would have done last night if I didn't feel so bad.  So, yesterday's log wasn't as fun to write as it usually is.  I took a really long hot shower.  Popped some Advil and got in the car.  I still feel sick and lightheaded and I'm coughing up stuff that isn't human.  I shouldn't be driving, but what are my choices.

10:35 Mountain time and I'm 40 West

11:35 and I still feel like shit.  But I stopped, bought some apples, banana's, vitamins and more Advil. 

I am amazed at the amount of local random casinos everywhere.  And when you see them, they're smaller than your local Wiz.

It's amazing how windy it is today.  The average wind is about 30 to 40 miles an hour with gust easily over 50

1pm Mountain Time and I enter Arizona.  Scenically Arizona is very similar to New Mexico (how different did I really think it was going to be)

1:10 I stop at a town called Indian City and realize that I have no pictures of me to post..well, here you go

1:15 I leave Indian City, because it's nothing more than  a poor man's South Of The Border.  (but at least they have a bathroom because I'm still not feeling well)

As I keep driving, with all this wind, you can see what looks like mini dust storms...It's hard to see the left or the right.

1:40 and something that makes me feel better.  the local radio station is playing the Diamondbacks / Red Sox game...It's not the Yankees, but it's baseball.  I really miss baseball.  What makes this game for fun is that the Diamondbacks are winning.  They even talk about the upcoming series against the Yankees (Bret, I'm really jealous that you're going)

1:50 Mountain time and I'm at the Petrified Forest National Park

2pm Mountain time and I find out that the whole time I've been in Arizona that time has changed...Damn Arizona and their non conforming to Daylight Savings...so

1pm Arizona Time and I'm in the Petrified Forest.  This place is beautiful.  I don't know if it's the wind but it's a lot more comfortable here than it's been in days.  Within the first 10 minutes my $10 was well worth it.  I can describe how great this place was, but that's why I have videotape...and I have a lot of it

3:15 and I guess even though I'm sick I will trek on like our forefathers did across the country.  So I'm heading off to Phoenix.  

3:20 Arizona Time and I'm on 180 East and I'm starting to feel a little better as long as you don't mind hacking up a lung every couple of minutes and the body soreness.  At least the lightheadedness is gone.

3:40 Arizona Time and I'm on 180 A

3:50 and I'm on 61

4:10 Arizona Time and I'm on route 60

Route 60 is amazing.  This has been the most enjoyable part so far.  This road is so scenic and it has it's twisty and curvy parts and it's straight aways.  It's just been so great.  I even stopped and climbed down the mountain to the river.  Note to self:  Don't climb down a mountain at a place called Salt River Canyon and run back up when you're out of shape and sick!!

I even saw a real cowboy on a horse running some cattle around. I also saw either a fox or a wolf (I don't know the difference) running across the highway.

7:30 Arizona Time and I'm off rte 60 and I'm Tempe

8pm I find a Motel 6....time to chill

C YA

notes:

Mom, I don't know how you'd ever be able to drive here...The minimum speed in the left lane if 65

How are you suppose to take medication when you drive across country.  With the time change I've lost track.  I'm going to end up O.D.'ing

You know how we have deer crossing in NY...well, here they have Elk crossing..

How come when I was in the petrified forest I had the only car that looked like it's been in a road trip.  Every other car looked like it just came out of a carwash

It's amazing how long freight trains are...

So I think the secret why there are no gas stations is to make the tourist look stupid.  My theory is that every local resident has a gas pump on their property and they pump before they go anywhere.  And if they visit friends, they use their gas.

Ok, I've can take Deer Crossing, even Elk Crossing but Cow crossing..

I drove by a place called the 1st Southern Baptist Church.  Now when you say 1st, doesn't that imply a 2nd...but how come you never see a 2nd Southern Baptist Church?

Arizona loves Billy Squier - I heard two billy songs within 20 minutes..I haven't heard two squier songs in a year in NY

Total Miles Traveled Today 

didn't check before I left my car but around 450