10/8 -- On to New Mexico

West Oklahoma looks more like what we expected

Today we headed off I-40 to take the sort-of backroads to north east New Mexico -- we are stopping overnight in Clayton, close to the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, because it was on the way to Capulin Volcano National Monument, where we will go tomorrow. We could have taken the freeway most of the way, but decided to be bold. There were actually a couple bold choices and I took the one that arched over the Texas panhandle because on my high level paper map, it was the only road I could see all of and it looked like it was pretty good. Boy was I right! Lots of 4- and 3- lane sections (for passing uphill) and speeds of 65 and 70 mph most of the way.

Drilling for oil we think, or maybe fracking

Older storage tanks for something - natural gas?

Big wind farms with more mills being added

Some of the old windmills still work. Looks like many
are pumping water for the cattle.

Slightly hilly, but the road sure is straight.

Oklahoma flattened out a lot after we got west of Oklahoma city, and we got to see lots more oil derricks, a couple places where it looks like they are drilling, and a ton of natural gas wellheads. There were also a number of interesting looking ruined or dying buildings, which we managed to snap a few photos of -- kind of a challenge at 70+mph!

One of the charming old homes - probably could
get it cheap.

One of many derricks

With no rest areas, we traded driving duties at McDonald's and a burger/ice cream place called Braum's. We had seen Braum's in several places and decided to check it out. They serve malted milk (way better than a milk shake, IMHO) and in any flavor they had of ice cream. They had just gotten a few new ones in for the holidays, so we had a gingerbread malted. Totally great!

It was a relatively short driving day and we got to Clayton and our ancient hotel (Hotel Eklund) just before 3pm, except the time zone had just changed so it was way too early to check in. The desk clerk suggested we check out the local history museum, which was wonderful. Though I have to say that seeing stuff in a museum that I recognized  using in my youth was kind of humbling! We're becoming antiques! The very chatty proprietor of the museum recommended a stop at Clayton Lake State Park, which  has a very large collection of dinosaur footprints, discovered after a dam created the lake.

We headed out there through some very interesting territory and wandered out to the footprints. On the way there and back we saw lots of grasshoppers and butterflies and a praying mantis (first one I've seen in the wild since I was a kid) and a probable locust. The foot prints were hard to decipher despite the interpretive displays. I think someone must have known what they were looking at to be able to even say what they were, but it was interesting, it got us out of the car and walking (YAY) and killed enough time to let us check in.

Locust?

Praying Mantis

Dino foot print -- the long, shallow depression to the
right was its tail

Several footprints, captured in mud

 Our hotel is an old one, that seems quite nice and the food is reasonably good, but the windows are single pane and there are trains going by right now that might as well be under our windows. I sure hope they stop by bedtime! Since we gained an hour today, bedtime will be arriving sooner than usual too....