Day 8

July 27, 2008 – Sunday – Day 8

0625 – Wake up. I think that is the most sleep I’ve had in weeks!

Shannon makes breakfast then we spend the morning hanging out and talking while the kids play one of their made-up games. Dana had suggested mini golf yesterday but the weather today is just as rainy as yesterday. Hurricane Dolly strikes again!

1112 – Car is loaded and we hit the road.

The kids are hungry so we decide to head back towards town to grab a bite before we go over the mountain on the back road towards Alamogordo. When we near the interstate there is a sign warning Transmountain Road is closed. Guess we won’t be going over the mountain after all. We discuss whether or not to go the long way around or to just skip the pistachio farm that may or may not be open on Sundays and just take the interstate up to Albuquerque. Albuquerque wins.

1159 – New Mexico!

12:28 p.m. I found a Jack in the Box in Las Cruces. Unfortunately it’s moving super slow and now I’m trapped at the drive-thru.

12:37 p.m. Finally leaving. Now I have a second complaint when I call 1-800-JackintheBox. See, I knew there was a reason I hadn’t called after the Texas problems! And even after all that I still like Jack in the Box and would stop again if I saw one!

12:59 p.m. Border Patrol checkpoint. It’s been a long time since I’ve been through one of these. Apparently we look innocent enough with our mini-van full of Virginians so the officer merely wishes us a nice day and sends us on our way with barely a glance.

1:38 p.m. Police car on the side of the road with a flat tire. A few cars behind us is a Border Patrol SUV. Do you think he’ll stop to help? He doesn’t…

2:00 p.m. The first of several HEAVY rains that we drive through. These are the white-knuckled can’t even see the road type rains. We also see some big lightning in the distance.

4:00 p.m. Arrive in Albuquerque.

Grandpa is assembling his new grill so the kids and Lana and I go swimming while we wait for dinner. We only swim for about 20 minutes before Felisa is shivering and ready to leave. I give Ryan and Bella a 3-minute warning. 30 seconds later it starts to rain so we leave right away.

Dinner is delicious but apparently all the rain they got here yesterday has brought out the flies. They are EVERYWHERE! I’ve never seen so many flies around this place.

Finally it’s bedtime. On the news they are talking about all the flooding in Ruidoso which is near Alamagordo. Looks like we made the right choice by skipping the pistachios. Oh well. Maybe next year!