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Friday, May 13, 2011

DAY 117: CARLSBAD, NEW MEXICO & US 180 EAST./ Narrative Only

NARRATIVE ONLY:

GOOGLE Blog has been down for nearly 2 days. We had NO signal from VERIZON on US 180 in Texas; so, we drove to CARLSBAD, NEW MEXICO, which has much more vehicular traffic heading East than the Texas route we had selected to follow. We will head East on US 180 for about 150 miles...then dip South East back into Texas, eventually reaching WACO, TEXAS where we will head East on US 84.

SPIA, SAM & ME are all fine. We stayed last night in a motel in CARLSBAD, leaving at daybreak this morning, May 13, 2011.

We drove out 5 miles, parked, unloaded SAM and walked BACK to CARLSBAD and return to SPIA...but did not stop...SAM & ME - Y E S SAM & ME - continued walking another 5 miles East on US 180 and returned to SPIA.

First time SAM has been off her carrier since TEHACHAPI, CALIFORNIA...over 1,000 miles ago. She bounced off her carrier, turned on her electrical systems, and announced "GOOD TO GO"...and Oh My, how SAM did go. All systems are functioning perfectly. Structurally, SAM is in great shape. I "pushed" her up a 3% 5-mile hill with NO trouble...even with a moderate head wind.

When asked to use her electric motor, she responded without a hitch.

SAM's Solar Panels, with all this Sun, are keeping her battery packs fully charged as I alternate between the battery packs to keep both up to snuff.

WE ARE WALKING FASTER when walking together. Checking the mile post on US 180, we are walking about 4.3 miles per hour.

Also, since I have a point-of-stability; i.e., I am holding/steering SAM, it gives me a "balance" point, which helps me walk more efficiently without pain or strain.

It is now 1:00 pm. We started walking at 7:00 am. We have walked 20 miles so far. We are parked for lunch, having loaded SAM back aboard SPIA and driven to a new parking place, where SAM is off-loaded, solar panels charging away, waiting for me to finish this Blog update and chomp the rest of yesterday's SUBWAY Black Forest Ham & Turkey sandwich chased by a two-blue-line-cold 18 oz Coors Light Beer.

Next town is HOBBS, NEW MEXICO, about 35 miles East. We will NOT reach HOBBS tonight, but will by tomorrow noon or so.

Hope first indications are indicative of the rest of the re-routing choice I have made...primarily to keep Blog updates flowing to all...have 3 bars on VERIZON Signal at the moment.

Seems strange to be back in NEW MEXICO, but as with most things...one can be reasonably certain that they will change ... and change again.

SPECIAL NOTE: For whomever sent a comment signed "Anominous" (sp?): I did not upload it...and for the future, I have decided not to do so unless there is an
a proper ID. If you wish to resend your comment, I will be pleased to comment on each point - and there were many - ...a couple quite disturbing.

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