Home Again
Home again. Home again. It feels good. We pulled out of Red River, NM around 8 a.m. yesterday, and I put my head on my pillow at 12:45 this morning. Two cars, eight people. We stopped for breakfast in Taos, and from there it was gas station food all the way home. New Mexico in the daytime is pretty, Texas at night is no great shakes, it’s blackness and the blinking red lights of wind farms, until you hit the blessed Interstate 10 with its 75 and 80 mph speed limit.
I’m not sure the human form is meant to maintain a sitting position for nearly sixteen hours, especially sitting in the back seat of a jeep. But I got plenty of chances to stretch since the combination of low gas mileage and small tank meant a multitude of stops. Still, the little jeep came in handy on our way into Red River when we hit the snow and it was us and the plows. And I think that’s the point of a jeep these days, to be there when the going gets rough.
The trip itself was amazing, from Albuquerque to Ojo Calienta to Alamosa to Red River. It was a wonderful combination of sights, sounds, and soft touches. On a personal note, I got to play again on the stage at the Lost Love Saloon, two songs, sung to a good gathering for supportive friends. And the Red River Songwriters, Josh Grider, Drew Kennedy, Walt Wilkins, Susan Gibson, and Kelley Mickwee delivered as usual. Kelly Willis and Pat Byrne added additional color. This was my third trip, and it looks as though it’s now a staple of my life, and as staples go, it’s a good one.