Almost ran over a guy as he foolishly tried to mosey across US-50. L-to-R in front of us, all the way, never once tired to trot, let alone run out of danger. Only hard evasive repeated actions by us saved him from having his shorts browned or his head turned bright red after being launched 300 feet airborne down the road and into the desert. DMF!
Saw a rainbow outside Lamar Colorado.
Waved at a BNSF freight train running the rails along US-50; got a woo woo in response. 🙂
At Guniston gas stop, got a side trip recommendation from a Boulder Colorado, optical engineer, dirt bike rider (Craig): CO-69 along the Sangre de Christo mountain range and CO10 – a straight, level, and empty stretch of go-fast road. 69 was gorgeous. 10 allowed us to outrun big ugly, thunder bumper clouds and speed check our bike’s warp drives.
Stayed at Mr. Kim’s Travelodge in Lamar. He has three older kids. All in college/grad school on partial/full rides; two at prestigious universities. Wife and youngest daughter live in Seattle. He sees them infrequently as the “schools and neighborhoods are better there.” Now and then he drives the long weekend round trip to see them. Recently bought this “East Jesus” motel to make his fortune. He found small town America clannish, lazy, hostile, and bigoted towards his dreams.
Inadvertently discovered that he slept behind the motel’s check-in counter on the floor as I awoke him in a start when I quietly entered the lobby to write today’s journal musings. Mr. Kim is one of several immigrants we met on this trip who’ve been charmed so much by small town real estate values as to cause them to risk their life’s savings and sanity seeking their fortunes there. Despite widespread and often cruel opposition they face, these newest Americans persevere. Love ‘em one and all as examples of what makes this place grand.
Dined at a small Szechwan restaurant owned and manned entirely by recent mainland Mandarin-only-speaking Chinese immigrant wait staff. Large Hot-Sour soup appetizer should be retitled Extended-Family size.
Our wait captain came to Lamar from Atlanta, when his Lamar friend called to ask for his help. Seemed that Lamar’s local workers wouldn’t work slave as hard as was needed. The restaurant seemed successful with a huge takeout and delivery business in evidence.
Daily Windshield Bug Smash Bingo Game winners: yellow
Query count as of the end of Day 20:
Where’re you going? – 22
What’s that? (Steve’s Valkyrie) – 8
Damsels in distress? – 9
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