Jewel and I had our first real argument this morning. Today I was scheduled to go to the Torrance County Detention Center in Estancia, New Mexico. I decided to make the drive first thing this morning and to take the “back way”. That’s taking Hwy. 47 to Hwy. 60 and going east toward Willard. Then you pick up Hwy. 41 through Mountainair and then Estancia, turn east on Alan Ayers Rd. The detention center is right there. So, I fed the baddogs, told them to behave (that’s an inside joke between me and the dogs), and got in the car. I pulled Jewel out of her case and set the Detention Center address. Jewel popped up the boring route. (Note that I didn’t trim out Corona — just for Sandy.)
However, that was not the way I wanted to travel. I could not convince Jewel to show me the back way. So, I set out driving west on Meadowlake. When I made a left on Manzano Expressway, Jewel began squawking: “Recalculate. Turn right.” I didn’t heed her. I drove all the way south on Manzano Expressway until it intersected Hwy. 47, with Jewel squawking at me every 1/2 mile, “Turn right.” “Make U-Turn.” I’m not doing it, Jewel! Finally, when we were below Rio Communities, south of Belen, Jewel sighed (I swear I heard her), and told me to drive 19 miles to Route 60. YES! The way I chose is 1.1 miles shorter than the boring route and winds through mountains, past the Abo ruins, through the charming town of Mountainair (not far from the 7 MSN Ranch). It took me the same amount of time that traveling my normal route across Albuquerque and through Tijeras Canyon would take. More importantly, I fed my soul.
Perhaps on the next trip Jewel will listen to me.
