Peter and the Painted Desert, June, 2002

Panorama courtesy Olympus




Not far from here, as we continued along route 66 into New Mexico, we passed a classic old Ford Sedan. It was in mint condition and a beauty. Its single occupant was a pretty shriveled old timer hunched behind the wheel.

A few hours later, Peter and I took separate rooms (cheap) at the Pony Soldier Motel in Tucumcari and very early the next morning I hit the highway in my running shoes. I jogged about a mile toward the new highway where I took a break in a new service and souvenir stop. Parked outside the entrance was the Ford.

The slight and wizened driver stood quietly beside his old Ford with a beverage in his hand. In reply to my questions he told me it was a 1950 with 186,000 miles. I found out that he lived, and the Ford was garaged, in Southern California, and that this was his third full trip across the length of 66 and back. The first two had been with his wife. He didn't say why she wasn't along this time. I didn't ask.

I have made several Route 66 trips of my own in the last 50 years. This was surely my last one and definitely the best. I'm glad Peter and I did it together.