Driving and Dozing

My challenge whenever I drive long distances -- for me, that's anything over two hours -- is staying awake. I think it came from going on vacations with my parents when I was young, lying in the back seat (which I could do since I had no siblings), watching the power lines waving up and down as we passed them high on the poles, and listening to the soothing sounds of my mom and dad companionably chatting in the front seat. I dozed, feeling secure and happy. Unfortunately, I still tend to doze when I drive, though I have broken the habit of lying in the back seat.

Yesterday I got on the road after just three hours of sleep after spending nearly 21 hours at my (deceased) mom's house finishing up cleaning it out, packing what I needed for my trip and loading it into my car, packing the rest of what I will have shipped to me, and getting things cleaned out so the estate sale can happen this weekend. (No, I won't be there for that. Too emotional of an experience.) I got so little sleep because I was overtired, not because I didn't take the time to sleep.

I did pretty well staying awake most of the day. I had my CDs to sing along with (which I'll only do alone, as a public service). I had a nice semi-sunny, partly-cloudy day to drive by. I had no bad traffic to contend with. And I was excited to begin this adventure.

But twice for half an hour or so each, I found myself several times jerking out of an alpha state I'd sunk into. The problem is that I am only aware of being in the alpha state when I snap out of it. Scary stuff! I think I'm okay and boom! I come out of another one.

I have various methods of coping with that, and I will try them the INSTANT I feel sluggish today. I have more than 80% of my drive ahead of me and I am committed to being awake and alert through it all. It'll keep me and everyone else around me alive.

So...I only drove 300 miles yesterday, so I'm only 350 miles into my trip. Pics here are 1) near Flagstaff, Arizona, where the snow atop the peaks made for a stunning view, and 2) on Navajo land, not the most dramatic scene, but the only one I could (semi-safely) take from my car. (I pulled over to the side of the road to take the one near Flagstaff.)

I stopped just as it was nearing sunset in Gallup, New Mexico. I'd been shooting for Albuquerque but the extra 150-ish miles just weren't doable under conditions of three hours of sleep.

I'm glad I did. I stayed in a lovely, fairly new Hampton Inn, and the desk folks recommended El Sombrero for dinner based on my criteria: no gringo food, no national chains. I had huevos rancheros with green chili and was in heaven!

After -- finally -- a good night's sleep, I'm off again this morning. Right now! I was committed to leaving at 9:00 a.m., and it's that now. I'm looking forward to a full day of driving and staying bright-eyed and bushy-tailed! Wish me luck! I'll check in tomorrow.