The Doctor's Journey

Road to Ironman Arizona Musings

• By admin
• November 13, 2014
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My Crew!

Day #2 of road tripping with Team Nimble is in the books…finally. You may have picked up on the undertones from my previous post that extended periods with the Nimble Entourage are not necessarily my idea of a relaxing prelude to Ironman, but nonetheless Team Nimble is the best support crew one could ask for. I especially appreciate them for their unique ability of giving material to write about and providing unconditional love.

Check out those tan lines!

The day started with a quick run in the hotel workout room. With it still being dark and plenty of construction around us, my Luna running sandals weren’t ready to tackle what was being offered out there. Instead, I hopped on the sole working treadmill in the closet that passed as the hotel workout facility and “enjoyed” 30 minutes of Dog the Bounty Hunter while completing my morning run.

After breakfast at the hotel we then hit the Mother Road, Route 66 (aka I-40 heading west) where Mrs. Nimble and I took turn piloting the Nimble Mobile. While driving I had plenty of time to reflect on life, my upcoming race, the beautiful scenery and pretty much anything that distracted from Mrs. Nimble and Pops Nimble bickering, while Mamma Nimble did her best at earning her assigned nickname “Mrs. Obvious Observation.” Mamma Nimble likes to throw out pearls like, “This drive is long” and “The sun is out”. Taken in small doses this not such a big deal, but once the obvious comments hit heavy rotation, my autopilot response of two head nods and “I know Momma Nimble” kick in. My stints as navigator provide a much needed diversion as Ms. Nimble takes the wheel. While the parental Nimbles catches up on their senior naps, I’m allowed time to work on the blog and snap several pictures of gems along the way. I had frequently traveled these roads, but it hadn’t been for nearly 20 years, and I had forgotten what an awesome drive this was.

Near noon we rolled into Gallup, NM, and met up with Ms. Nimble’s dad for a quick bite at local landmark, Earl’s. The Nimble father-in-law is one cool dude (I was told he would read this, so had to write that) and I always enjoy chatting it up with him. As we sat for lunch, we were joined by the owner, Ralph, who quizzed me on everything from triathlon etiquette to Oklahoma politics. Real nice guy for the most part, but my biggest question was, “Can I trust a guy named Ralph who own a restaurant named Earl’s?” Seemed like false advertisement to me, but either way next time you in Gallup, NM, check him out; great food and the nicest people around!

Eat here!

As we left Gallup, I had to take a picture of the El Ranch Hotel. Apparently, back in the time of the cowboy westerns, Gallup and the surrounding areas were used to film several movies. With limited options for luxury accommodations, the El Rancho was the host hotel for the likes of John Wayne and Ronald Reagan. This kinda tells you how long it’s been since this place has been Hollywood relevant. I just think the El Rancho is such a cool building on historic Route 66, and that it would make the most awesome haunted house ever. I’ve never stayed there, but maybe some day and I’ll even ask for the John Wayne suite.

Would make a great haunted hotel, but it isn’t.

Before I knew it we were in Arizona and the Seguaro cacti were popping up everywhere. Combining the mountains of southern Arizona with a magical southwest sunset, I was provided the backdrop for some great roadside pictures. Another observation here, Mamma Nimble has yet to master the skill of taking a picture on an iPhone. Every time I task her with the role of Nimble Historian, she accidently discovers new features on my phone that I never even knew existed by her uncanny abilities to push every button on the phone. Gotta love Mamma Nimble!

Gotta love Mamma Nimble!

Stay tuned for my next installment of Ironman Arizona Week tomorrow. -Nimble