I Am a Motorcoach, Discovering the USA by Tread Winshield and Mirror…

. . . Bringing you a three-day western blog adventure through Albuquerque, New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado. So keep an eye out the next two days for parts two and three.

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

I was glad to find a place to park my 45-foot self in this popular town. The name of the candy establishment I parked in front of comes from some close association with the cast and crew of a phenomenon called “Breaking Bad”, which was filmed in Albuquerque. Consequently, many people visiting Old Town stop by to take nostalgic selfies here. I was ignorant of the phenomenon, but took one anyway.

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

ZIA NEWS: Originating with the people of the Zia Pueblo before being adopted as New Mexico’s state symbol, the Zia symbol is culturally sacred and regionally iconic. Uplied to the state flag in 1925, the symbol dresses New Mexico licence plates, is utilized in organizational logos, and is one of the most tatooed symbols in the state. The four sides of the four-line design represent
1 – The four winds/directions (north, south, east, west)
2 – The seasons of the year (spring, summer, fall, winter)
3 – The four stages of the day (morning, noon, evening, night)
4 – The four stages of life (childhood, youth, adulthood, elderly)
The center circle, symbolic of the constancy of love and life, binds them all together.

FOUNDING NEWS: From the province of Asturias, Spain, Francisco Cuervo Y Valdes founded Albuquerque in April of 1706. He sits immortalized in bronze upon his mighty steed at the southwest entry to Old Town Albuquerque.

ARCHITECTURAL NEWS: Spanish Mission, Pueblo, and Navajo are the primary architectural infuences resposible for the charm of Old Town Albuquerque. Banks, grocers, restaurants, retail outlets, and homes alike display the flat-roofed adobe cubistic motif, while Spanish detailing is ubiquitous as well.

While Spanish Mission influence can be seen in the town’s ornamentations, passageways, and layout, the only surviving building from the Spanish Colonial period is San Felipe de Neri Church. Built in 1793, it spans the north side of the town square.

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

Located at 615 Rio Grande Blvd (Historic Route 66), Camino 66 offers a treasury of Southwest decor items and the largest collection of Talavera (authentic Mexican pottery) outside of Mexico. Route 66 traveled through Albuquerque from 1926 to 1985, and the present 18-mile urban section of the route running through Albuquerque is the longest in the nation.

Quote Of The Day samples

“My purpose in performing is to communicate the joy I experience in living.” – John Denver

“You need to stop focusing on the darkness behind you. The past is the past. Nothing can change what we’ve done.”— Walter White, Breaking Bad