Our big adventure to the panhandle of Texas to celebrate the holiday is coming to an end. The only thing left to do is point the car west and go home. We were up early in order to leave Arrington Ranch as soon as we could after sunrise, but not too early as we wanted to head into town for a stop at the Bucket for some coffee and breakfast, togo. We recommend the cinnamon rolls and breakfast burgers; the sourdough sure lends a great touch.

Our road south on Highway 83 took us to Shamrock, Texas, where we caught Interstate 40. Typically, we avoid freeways, but with 897 miles (1,450 km) ahead of us, we wanted to get home today, preferably before midnight. Fifty miles west of Shamrock we reached Groom, Texas, and the home of this giant Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. While passing through two time zones and gaining two hours, I have to pull over twice, allowing Caroline to drive while I try to get some rest. She swears later that I slept well based on my loud snoring.

In Albuquerque, we stop at Sadie’s for great New Mexican food, some of the hottest cooking around. Sadie’s was another discovery from the road trip I took with my mom, except that Caroline sent us there when we phoned her to ask for a restaurant recommendation in the area. We move in and out of the rain, at times so heavy it is difficult to see more than half a dozen car lengths ahead of us, and Route 66 beckons us to leave the Interstate for a few miles to revisit the Mother Road.

The photo above is on Interstate 40, somewhere west of Acoma Pueblo and east of the Continental Divide.

Fifteen and a half hours after leaving Canadian we reached home in Phoenix, Arizona. These long drives are getting harder the older I get.