J. D. Carpenter’s American Odyssey

DAY 18 — DODGE CITY, KANSAS: When Karen and I met Andres Lima, the horse trainer, on Day 11 of our trip, he encouraged us to return to Dodge City on July 15 for a special day of racing, so we did just that. In fact, we rented the same room (221) of the same [...]

J. D. Carpenter’s American Odyssey

DAY 17 — GUYMON, OKLAHOMA: Roadside attractions Karen and I visited along Route 66:
1. The Museum Club (Flagstaff, Arizona)

2. The Twin Arrows (Winona, Arizona)

3. Jack Rabbit Trading Post (Joseph City, Arizona)

4. Wigwam Motel (Holbrook, Arizona)

5. Laguna Reservation (Cubero, New Mexico)

6. Budville Trading Company (Budville, New Mexico)

7. Ghost Town (Glenrio, New Mexico/Texas)

8. Midpoint Cafe (Adrian, Texas)

9. [...]

J. D. Carpenter’s American Odyssey

DAY 16 — GRANTS, NEW MEXICO: Crazy Bill’s Saloon turned out to be just as crazy on the inside as it is on the outside. Cramped and noisy (the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway tracks are right across the road) and, like any bar, full of stories: a man with a blond ponytail and bad [...]

J. D. Carpenter’s American Odyssey

DAY 13, 14, 15 — FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: From Silverthorne, Colorado, we travelled south on the most harrowing, hair-raising roads we’ve encountered. Sheer drops to our right, impatient tractor tractors tail-gating us. At one point, I was negotiating a turn near Ouray (pronounced You-ray) at about five miles an hour and still in fear of plunging [...]

J. D. Carpenter’s American Odyssey

DAY 12 – SILVERTHORNE, COLORADO: We made it to Arapahoe Park in Aurora, Colorado (a suburb of Denver), in time for the second race, wagered two dollars to win on a filly named My Cielo, and watched her finish second. Frog Eyes, the next horse we bet – also to win – also finished second. [...]

J. D. Carpenter’s American Odyssey

DAY 11 — HOLCOMB, KANSAS: About noon, we stopped at the Thirsty Dawg in Holcomb for a refreshment. An aging biker named Blackie invited us to join him at his table. Seated with him were his grandson (approx. 10 years old) and a balding man in his forties named Scott. We told them we had [...]

J. D. Carpenter’s American Odyssey

DAY 10 – DODGE CITY: At eight o’clock this morning, Karen and I were talking to a man named Andres Lima, whose seven-year-old bay gelding, Fedellin, was cantering down the stretch behind us at Dodge City Downs, a modest quarter horse track south of town. Andres, who campaigns his horses in Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado, [...]