Road to Phoenix

Our destination was Phoenix; specifically Phoenix International Raceway but we saw lots of sights on the road to the race. (And on the way back but that's another blog post.)

We drove through parts of Oklahoma and the length of the Texas panhandle. It was a fun surprise for me that we were traveling along the old Route 66 quite often. It was worth pulling into the small towns just to see the old signage. While choosing our route we look for new territory and for me the panhandle of Texas was a draw. We found some new things and enjoyed the regional foods.

 Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo Texas was right on the route and since we had seen it on TV it seemed worth a stop and a chance to stretch. I did sacrifice a pair of shoes when I misjudged the mud but it was a worthwhile pause along the road.

 New Mexico was a new experience for me. I had never visited there as an adult and it was fun to explore a bit. Dale always likes to stop and photograph the state capitals. We made it to Santa Fe just as the sun was setting. This sculpture of children stands near the entrance of the state house.

 I loved the pottery and the peppers. We spent quite a bit of time strolling through the old town area in Albuquerque and I really enjoyed  being there.

 We started our journey a half a day later than planned so we moved fairly quickly to make up time and get to Phoenix. We slept in Oklahoma the first night, then New Mexico the second night before entering Arizona for the last stretch through Flagstaff. I cannot get enough of these trucks that were along the road. They may be my favorite photo of the trip. We did pause south of Flagstaff to enjoy a sunset before we got settled in closer to the track for the big race.

Race day temperatures were perfect and the sky was overcast. I normally love a sunny day but when you are sitting on the bleachers in the desert, nobody complains about a few clouds. We actually had seats in the shade with a great view. Our seats were high...very safely out of the path of flying car parts if there had been issues. It was a very pleasant day with enough time left to try a great restaurant, Oregano's, recommended by a friend who lived in Phoenix. So much delicious food to explore!