“Damn, how else can I get a package delivered?...FedEx?”
I do a search, and sure enough, there was a FedEx in Amarillo that was open on Sunday. Going inside to talk beforehand, I learn some of the rules about shipping a gun.
“It has to be shipped to a dealer, we cannot ship to an individual.”
“Even if it's to my home address?”
“Nope. And you have to pack it yourself, we can't do it for you. And of course it has to be unloaded.”
Then, of course, I'm going to go unload it, because I was about to pay extra for the weight of 32 bullets.
Going back to my car, I unload the gun, stuff it in the box they gave me, and use some plastic bags I've been saving (they're like currency when you're homeless) to keep the gun from sliding around. I'm very lucky enough to have a close friend who's dad is a gun dealer. I ask, and he says I can ship it to him.
Going back inside I ask, “Can I ship the bullets separately?” I figure I might as well get rid of ALL the contraband. “Nope, it's considered hazardous material. We can't ship bullets or batteries.”
“...”
She shows me a number on my receipt of a FedEx branch that might be able to ship the bullets for me. I decide it's not worth the trouble: I have a hard time believing I can get in trouble just for having 9mm bullets in my trunk even in California and New York.
And so, I continue westward until I reach the Cadillac Ranch:
For those who haven't been, know that it's kinda hard to find. I figured it would be just off the road, there'd be a sign, lots of people around: this is not the case. No sign, the entrance is off a frontage road, and there was no one else there until I started to leave. The only real signal you're passing it is a dumpster spray painted with graffiti outside the fence: yes, it's fenced it. The hardest part of seeing it is that it's about a quarter mile walk from the entrance to where the Cadillacs are actually buried, and as you can see in the picture, the fog from the previous day was remaining thick, so it was difficult to spot from the road.
There's not a lot to say about the old place. It's a work of art consisting of 10 buried Cadillacs in the middle of a completely empty field, aside from some spray cans that litter the ground: visitors are encouraged to paint on the Cadillacs themselves, making it an ever changing piece.
It's very windy in the American flatlands, so I look for a quick 10 minutes and leave, headed for the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Now do yourself a favor and go Google “Blue Hole”. Don't worry, I'll wait.
If you found what I found, you learned a blue hole is basically a vertical cave filled with water. Scuba divers use them for training and they're very beautiful from the images I've seen, so it's a surprise when I get to Santa Rosa and find this:
It's a platform for a life guard to sit on. To the right of this picture is also a water slide: this is a community water park. It doesn't seem like a particularly deep water park either as I can see where someone threw what appears to be another life guard platform into the water.
I'm not sure where I went wrong. Maybe the further out area really is a Blue Hole and I just can't tell from such a low elevation, but either way, I feel as though I've been duped. In all fairness, it looks like an awesome community water park: definitely better than the average community pool.
I can't be too upset though. I take some pictures and happily go about my way, because, entering New Mexico, the sun came out for the very first time. I didn't even realize it until it happened, but I hadn't seen direct sunlight for my entire trip until this day, and I was hyped about it.
New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment...I think. It was on their sign as I crossed the border so I figured that's what it means. And it really does deserve that name.
The land here is like nothing I've ever seen. I record a lot of footage just driving and pull over several times to take pictures to the point I tell myself I can't do it anymore so that I can make it to my next stop on time: Albuquerque.
Albuquerque is known for 2 important things in U.S. History.
1) It's where Bugs Bunny always should've taken a left. If he'd worn pants, maybe he could've carried a compass and wouldn't have gotten this wrong so often.
2) It's the city where the TV series Breaking Bad took place. Being one of my favorite shows, I decide to visit a few of the sets.
This, as many of you will recognize, is Walter White's house. The actual address is 3828 Piermont Drive Northeast (in case you were wondering). When I arrive, the woman pictured (the owner) is talking to a group of young men who'd come to see it as well. I walk up to her as they're leaving.
“Where are you from?”
“South Carolina.”
“That's right, I thought I recognized that license plate.”
“You're the owner?”
“Yes I am.”
“I've seen you on TV before...”
I was about to say, “It seems like you enjoy having people visit the house,” because when I saw her on TV it did. But right now, she looks exhausted. I would hate to have so many people coming by my house all the time; maybe it's getting to her. So instead of saying that, I freeze up, and she says:
“All over the place, yeah, lots of different stations.”
“Do you mind if I take pictures?”
“Not at all, as long as you stay off the property.”
“Thank you.”
I can only imagine how many pizzas she's had thrown on the roof.
I accidentally found one of the other places while going to Walt's house. I hadn't intended on visiting it, but my car is filthy, so I decide it's worth it to go through this car wash:
The real name of this place is Octopus Car Wash and they do a surprisingly good job; I figured a business like this might take advantage of its fame by slacking off, but they don't at all. It's only 8.99$ for inside and out. I tell them to forget about the inside (packed with stuff), but the outside looks great and it only takes about 7 minutes. The woman at the cash register reminds me of Skyler with her mannerisms: I think she's doing it on purpose. I'm sure I'm not the first person to come through this car wash because it was on Breaking Bad. Inside they have signed posters, key chains for sell, and signs saying, “Yes, this is the car wash that was on Breaking Bad!”
After getting my car washed, I'm hungry. I look for Garduna's, but my GPS says, “Closed Permanently.” I don't know how you can have a restaurant that was on Breaking Bad go out of business so soon after the series was on, but it's not a big deal, because Garduna's wasn't the only restaurant on the show:
This is Los Pollos Hermanos, in real life called Twisters. It's not a chicken place, it's a Mexican joint. It's kinda like a Taco Bell, but way classier: real plates and silverware, fresher food. I get the Huevos Rancheros; it's really good. Waiting for my food, I look outside and see something I never saw on the show. Next door is...some sort of petting zoo? I see an ostrich...
…and a llama...
...and from the outside I can hear all sorts of clucking. Los Pollos also has posters and signs saying, “Yes, this is where Breaking Bad was filmed!” On the way out I take a picture of a painting they've kept on the wall:
Leaving Albuquerque, who's interstates are near suicide by the way, I end a surprisingly uneventful day to have been in a town most famous for its meth.
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