Land of Enchantment

alrighty...somehow have made it to Albuqurque, NM , the Land of Enchanment so they claim. After a few uneventful nights in Texas I was eager to get back on the road. The last few days have been nothing but sunshine and no wind! Crossed into New Mexico last Thursday and got on the interstate for the first, and hopefully last time. After making about 250 miles I was finally stopped yesterday by a state trooper. Let's just say there was a semi-truck, some construction, and very little space at one point. But, hell, it was worth the 15-mile stretches of coming downhill at 30mph while watching the sun go down, the clouds changing from white to deep purples, and a red glow forming across the desert. New Mexico really is enchanting. except for all the little thorns that keep sticking into my tires, which is really disenchanting. But have picked up some xtra special resistant tubes so will hopefully get me into Phoenix. Have been going on and off the famous route 66 which follows I-40 but seems to disappear all the time. At every stop along the way there seems to be someone who wants to tell me how they had seen me 30 miles ago. You run into all sorts of people who just try to understand why the hell I'm riding a bicycle to Panama. They either a) think it's just wonderful and wish they were doing it ; b) think I'm a lunatic and try to rush their kids past me so as not to get any ideas in their head; or c) wonder if I'm too poor to buy a car and offer me a ride. One black trucker dude was completely amazed and said he was gonna tell his wife he 'met somebody'. So I guess I'm somebody. Finally. Anyways, that NM state trooper was nice enough to tell me of a different route into Albuquerque other than the interstate, which I was more than happy to take after the semi incident. I even saw an ostrich farm. Funny little things runnin around. Went to the supposedly best scuba diving in SW America at Santa Rosa called the "Blue Hole", which is about 65 feet deep. But there wasn't much there except for a blue hole and some water. But, so far, the last few days have been the most enjoyable riding days, especially after the windy hells of Kansas. So have found a nice hostel in Albuquerque, getting some rest, talking japanese to the Japanese tourists, and sharing travel stories with old man Donald from England. Myself and Chris, a BMX'r from Mississippi, have come across the U of New Mexico campus library to finally find some internet access. A great city, kinda like a big college town, so may stay here a little longer than expected. The nights have been cold, the days have been hot, and the Rooster rolls on....see ya in Phoenix.