We needed Wide Open Spaces

Due to the intense driving on day two, we slept in on Day Three. Around 8:30 we rolled out of bed and made our way to the Big Texan Restaurant. I am slightly disappointed that we did not see this restaurant during the dinner hour. It looks like it would be a good time. We were greeted with a chipper “Howdy”. And we promptly complimented the young gun on his bolo and ranger badge. He was not amused. The Big Texan lives up to its name. The room, the food—everything is bigger in Texas. Our favorite Big Texan employee is hands down Jesse, the omelet maker. He thought we were pretty funny, and pretty pretty.
After breakfast we went and lounged by the Texas shaped pool. Then, we were off on our day. We made a stop at the Cadillac Ranch. There are ten Cadillacs nose down into the ground. It smells horribly of cow, but it’s well worth the intriguing roadside attraction. You can sign your name to the random cars with spray paint. Kate wrote “K8”. And I represented the Chi with “Go Cubs Go”.
We took a nice stroll through Vega, TX and said hello in the local True Value. Which, incidentally, is the oldest hardware store on the route. We wound up in Adrian, TX around 1:00 and enjoyed a piece of pie at the MidPoint Café. It is the halfway mark of the trip. Chicago and Santa Monica are both exactly 1139 miles away from this town. The pie was delicious and for all who wonder…pecan and their signature Chocolate Chip Pie.
After Adrian, we made a couple stops here and there to take some pictures on the towns along the way. We didn’t take the Old Route up to Santa Fe, because we wanted to get to Albuquerque and see Grandma. Tonight we’re staying with our “adopted” grandma, Arta Anderson. She took us to a fine diner on Route 66 in Old Town Albuquerque. Kate and I both enjoyed the Rt 66 burger which included bacon, cheese and green chilies. This green chili on a hamburger is a brilliant idea. After dinner, we’ve just enjoyed the rest of the evening swinging on the back porch with Grandma watching lightning light up the night sky. It’s been wonderful.

Total Day 3 Miles: 314.7
Day Three Photos