I saw him up ahead, walking along the shoulder of the highway leaving Mesa, Arizona, backpack and trash bag full of clothes. As I zipped by with a list of reasons not to stop, I saw the small cardboard sign: “GALLUP, NM.”

Yesterday, after a short stop at Allsup's in Santa Rosa, NM for, well, you know why I stop at Allsup's...I headed south on 54 to Las Cruces.

I saw it from the interstate, the old, neglected, neon, motel sign sitting along old Route 66. I had to exit and go back. The old motel was as neglected as the sign. This place hasn’t had a patron in ages...

“I’m hungry,” I said to myself after getting my tires fixed in Shamrock, TX. Hmmm...Wynoka is only a few hours away.So with German food and bier on my mind, I texted Dieter to see if he had room. He replied with some obscure text I didn’t understand so decided to call.

I’ve had a wobble when I get over 65 since I started, but I’ve not really worried about it as I’m generally going slower than that on the back roads. Well it got worse coming out of Brownfield, TX, so decided to find a place.

As I was cruising through rural Missouri, from Appleton City to Golden City, with Cooky's Cafe on my mind, I saw a building off the road and wanted a photo. I liked the way the shadows were hitting the porch and loved it's pristine condition.

A week ago Tuesday started out simply enough...we woke up early and hit the road north to Marceline, MO to tour the Walsworth Publishing plant, then lunch at Tall Paul's in Bucklin, MO with Meghan Viers Jolliffe, Joe Cupp, and Beverly Cupp. From there, Jonathan and I would wander rural Missouri so he could get a glimpse of life out here.

I find I lack a certain discipline on the road. The brunt, of which, is paid for by my digestive system...well, and my liver.

Motels are always iffy. One must keep the expectations low and hope for vacancy...

I got pulled over today. After a fun morning teaching Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Bridge at he Panhandle Press Association convention in Amarillo,Texas I was home bound. Heading over to Oklahoma City on I-40 then north on I-35 was the quickest route, but who wants that when one can take the back roads and see abandoned airports and rural America?

How about another Kooky’s Road Trip? This time, a short one, to Amarillo, TX.

Day Seven: I needed a cup of Joe to keep me homeward bound. I stopped in this tiny town and am at the only place in town, having good coffee and talking with the old timers. I love this stuff.

Day Six: I love waking up without an alarm. There’s a reason it’s called “alarm” and I can’t think of any good ones.

Day Three: Another morning waking up in a cheap hotel along the way with bad coffee. I love this. Yesterday was NOT without event, although nothing worth raising the blood pressure...

Day Two: I’m awake and chasing down a cup of coffee somewhere in Idaho, based on the box of free potatoes in the lobby of the Amber Inn Motel.

There was a wreck last night on I-84, just outside Nampa, ID. It was one of those bad ones where you can see flashing lights up ahead, and plenty of them.

Day One: This car and I are the same age. It has 53,900 original miles on it. I think I have more miles on me than she has!