We're really doing it, guys. We're really doing it.

From the Oregon Trail: (Written on the 14th?)

Plateaus are magnificent. As we drove along beside miles and miles of sculpted ridges I wondered how these geologic structures could be possible. Earthquake? Enormous ancient rivers? Hopi Indians who hired Mexicans for their cheap labor?

We are on our third day of travel with 8 states already under our belts. We stopped last night in Oklahoma City and were really quite impressed with the place. The hotel we stayed at was afforded to us by my benevolent mother and was really quiet nice. Importantly, it provided free wireless internet which we took advantage of this morning until nearly noon. Before heading out of town we drove around a bit and spent some time at the memorial of the Oklahoma City Bombing. It was very beautiful and moving.

To jump back to the previous day; we drove. We stayed the night with Tim Dixon in Oxford, Mississippi. Tim showed us around the town since Rebecca had not been there before. I must say, Tim is a good host and will show you a good time if you are stopping in North Mississippi. A note on Oxford: the 2008 Presidential debate is being held there. The significance of this city as the location of the debate is important because of the deep seeded racism and segregation that is still prevalent there. So why Oxford? Lots of old money. There are more than a half dozen billionaires residing within the city limits of Oxford (says our host). You would never know it except for the near absence of black people. Good luck to the debaters especially the black ones.

I have never that I can remember experienced openness around me like out here driving in the Southwest. The walls of red striped rock rise up on both sides of us. Formations seem miles away yet creep up strikingly close. I can imagine looking up to the ledge of any one of these plateaus and seeing a small band of indian warriors surveying the land before them praying stoney faced for a successful hunt.
Tonight we will end our day's trek in Albuquerque, and begin again in the morning heading for none other than the Grand Canyon itself.