Day Four - Pueblo bound

Well, we pulled out of the Best Western in Clayton, NM and are headed to our destination for the next 3 consecutive days.  Pueblo will be our home away from home.  Know what that means?  I can unpack for a minute!  Yeeeeehaaaaawwww!

I'm traveling with folks whose ages are: 74, 75, 79, 81 & 83.  They are so energetic and lively and I'm actually having a hard time keeping up!  I don't know how they do it but I hope to be just like them when I grow up.

Sorry I didn't get to post yesterday.  Day Three was exhausting.  We arrived in Oklahoma City mid-morning and toured the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.  To say that it was sobering is an understatement.  For those who need a refresher course about the domestic bombing that occurred at the Murray Building on April 19, 1995- here's a link:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_bombing. Take a moment and read about it.  The pictures of the damage will blow your mind.  The Memorial is amazing.  Here's a few pics:

I signed the book for me, Daddy, Jerry & Max.

This is the Survivor's Tree.  It's an Elm and survived the blast initially it was reduced to a stump but in the 1 year anniversary they noticed that there were leaves coming out.  Now every year when the seeds come out they collect them and grow more survivor trees and send them all over the country to spread the hope.  Behold, the Survivor's Tree at the bo mbing site…

https://oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/press-room/press-kit/survivor-tree/

Across the road from the Survivor's Tree is this:

Seriously badass BBQ.  I do not like brisket.  I just don't, but, Scott insisted that I was to try brisket out west so I did. Wow!  Apparently, I've never had good brisket.  This was amazing.  My Dad is still talking about his pulled pork sandwich today- 24 hours later!  The ranch dressing was homemade and the best I've ever had!

That's Daddy talking on the phone to my brother, Jason, about the BBQ sandwich this morning.

We stopped a bit ago at a lovely gas station.  You heard me right!  Lovely and clean and organized and friendly.  We met Kathy who owns the joint.

Kathy dropped by to spruce up the adorable flower boxes out front (clearly born out of a possible Pinterest addiction).  Kathy and her hubby own a ranch with 350 cows, 350 calves I can't remember how many bulls.  They also own a hunting business.  Here's one of the victims:

Kathy's not sure how many acres they have but you have to have 40 acres per cattle/calf pairing.  Do the math.

Last night we stopped in Dalhart for dinner. We met a nice man named John.  John was there with his grandson Zane.  My Daddy got to talking to them and turns out he's a corn farmer.  He has 4800 acres.  Well, back in 2009 some fancy folksy from Valero Oil Company suggested he might have oil.  He thought he'd let them drill and see.  It cost $1.5 million to drill a well in search of oil.  The first two attempts failed.  The third attempt was a huge success!  John's cut is $4000/day.  Way to go John!  One of the nicest men you'll ever meet.  You'd never know he was a gazillionaire.  He said the interesting part about becoming rich is that folks seem to hear what he has to say now.  Fascinating point!

We arrived at the hotel around 12:30am Atlanta time.  I've never gotten ready for bed so fast in my life! After breakfast, we struck out to Pueblo.  Matter of fact we just crossed the Colorado state line!!

We're stopping for lunch in Trinidad, CO. Be back soon!

Peace, Y'all!