Tucumcari to Emporia

Have you ever heard of either of those towns?  We have now stayed in both of them.  Tucumcari, New Mexico is right off I-40 near the eastern side of New Mexico.  The scenery is still very western and beautiful there.  The name Tucumcari (two-come-carry) is supposed an Indian name that came from a love story gone bad with the chief's daughter.  It sounded a little suspicious to me, but it probably does have something to do with the Native Americans.  This picture is the Tucumcari Mountain which was right by our motel.  The temperature was 65 when we left there this morning.

Shortly after getting on the road this morning, we crossed into Texas and once again began seeing miles and miles of grasslands without much besides a few cattle.  We did pass a huge cattle feedlot which covered acres and acres with thousands of cows.

Texas farms not only cattle but also wind.  We passed a wind farm today that had an old-style windmill right next to the huge new ones.  Interesting to see the old with the new.  There wasn't much else to take pictures of in Texas.  

We were in Texas just a short time because we drove across the panhandle and then into Oklahoma. Again we crossed the panhandle and were quickly into Kansas.  We passed through the town of Greensburg.  It was hit by a killer tornado on May 4, 2007 that destroyed 95% of the town and the remaining 5% was heavily damaged.  They still haven't recovered.  This picture is their hospital which is in portable buildings and RVs.

The new hospital is just being started.  They are excavating the foundation.  The old one was destroyed.
This is the downtown area looking out to the residential streets.

The trees are stripped and broken.  That is a piece of metal stuck in the tree.

Only the steps are left standing of this building.

We bought a book there about the tornado called "Out of the Debris to Thank God".  It gives a compelling account of the people of the area during the tornado.  Their strong faith in God has sustained them throughout this tragedy.  This was an EF-5 tornado that was 1.7 miles wide and it was on the ground for 22 miles.  I read several chapters to Tom as we drove and we were both very touched.  I'll loan the book out to anyone after we get home.

We have stopped for the night in Emporia, Kansas.  During the last 100 miles, the temperature was falling fast.  It was 44 when we got here.  Tom did not bring a coat on this trip and this was the first time he needed one.  I had a down coat that Kristen is sending home with me so I dug it out.  We just received a call from Eric that they received 8 inches of snow today.  That is where we will be tomorrow-we hope.