Everyday is a second chance. A chance for us to make those changes in our lives we have always been putting off. A chance to make amends or leave behind those grudges we have held in our hearts. A chance to make things right for ourselves. If we don't take those opportunities second chances give us, those second chances may not be there tomorrow.
Practically the entire day was spent driving from cool weather to freezing cold snow up in the mountains of New Mexico.
I woke up after a few hours of sleep in a huge Texaco station parking lot around 7:00 am. The first thing I needed to do take a whiz, but this area is just too civilized to pee in public; therefore, I drove out into the country side. From there, I took dirt roads and smaller farm roads to enter into New Mexico early in the morning.
Recently, I purchased a new contact cleaning solution which does not require rubbing the contacts before storing, but somehow it doesn't feel as clear. This technology needs a little longer to mature. When I first saw it in a store, I thought, "man, this would make life with contacts a little more convenient since being on the road, water is not always readily available to rinse and clean my hands before, during, and after washing the contacts- plus the small amount of time it would save." But like the old addage, if it's too good to be true, it probably is; well, at least for now. Also, having dirty contacts could cause eye problems.
I made a stop at Las Vegas, New Mexico, except this city did not have all the glitz and lights of the other famous Las Vegas city in Nevada. Just picked up some beef jerky and sodas for the rest of the trip. At this time, the weather was cool, enough for some people to wear short sleeve shirts. At this point, I still had the fantasy to drive all the way to Las Vegas, Nevada, which at this point, I had driven half way.
About 30 minutes down the road in Mora, New Mexico, things started looking much different. The city itself seemed like one long trailer park- it was weird, it was neat, and it was a pleasure to see since it was different. But the weather also changed, there was cold drizzy rain as headed towards the mountains. And this was when the snow started coming down and people drove much, much slower. I was lucky not to have anyone on my tail for the entire hour ride through the snow-filled mountains.
It's been 3 years since I drove back from Alaska, when I encountered heavy snowing in nothern British Columbia. I learned from that drive that I shouldn't stop because it would result in ice build up on the windshield.
Just north of the city of Guadalupita, there is a very clean rest stop. The snow on the ground is somewhat powdery, which I don't recall after living my childhood in Alaska. I recalled it being more crystalized, maybe it's just different types in different areas.
It was a little unnerving driving in Taos, New Mexcio, since I haven't driven through a city with many vehicles on the road during snow fall. Good thing I was never the first one leading traffic after a signal.
I drove all night going through another region of snowfall. I was able to set up camp at Navajo State Park just between New Mexico and Colorado. It was very cold, but I took a shower in the indoor warm water showers.