Freedom Tour -- Day Four

Yesterday I traveled from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Amarillo, Texas, but not in a straight line.

I’m having an adventure, remember?!

I filled my car with gas before hitting the road. Note the price! New Mexico doesn’t have the crazy gas taxes we have in California.

On my way to Santa Fe, I decided to detour over to the Turquoise Trail (state route 14) to do some exploring.

You really have to intend to go to some of the little villages along the Turquoise Trail because they’re way off the beaten path.

I stopped in Madrid, New Mex., first. It's an old coal mining town. The last time I was here, about 15 years ago, it was just a dusty little hamlet with nothing to write home about with the exception of the Mine Shaft Tavern, an old-school roadhouse in the middle of nowhere.

Fast forward 15 years and Madrid has become an artists' community, bustling with activity and reborn with brightly colored paint.

And the Mine Shaft Tavern is still there. Since I was driving, I ordered a Diet Coke. The bartender looked at me as if I were from Mars.

I stopped in tiny little Cerillos, where the unpaved roads lead to quirky little discoveries. Some artists have moved there as well.

Note the headless statue on the left, leaning lazily against the fence.

At the entrance to a ranch on a long stretch of lonesome road along the Turquoise Trail, this truck is for sale.

Then it was on to Santa Fe, which I visited about 15 years ago as well.

Following doctors' orders, I took a walk all the way around the park in the center of the historic downtown/plaza area. The park is much larger than what I captured with my camera/phone, believe me. It felt great to stretch my legs.

I did even more walking in Santa Fe, visiting a couple of museums and galleries and seeing the sights.

The Indian Market was in full swing. That's the historic St. Francis Cathedral in the background.

Residential neighborhoods are so distinctive with their adobe-style homes.

I spent much longer in Santa Fe than I originally intended, plus the trek along the Turquoise Trail took some time, so I had to put the pedal to the metal to get to Amarillo before the clock struck midnight.

So here I am in Texas, getting ready to start my journey to today's final destination -- Edmond, Oklahoma, a suburb of Oklahoma City, where I'll stay the night with my cousin Cabell Craig and his wife Kelly. 

I'll tell you all about today's adventure tomorrow. 

I'm loving my Freedom Tour!