Trexler in Albuquerque with PNM's Doug Taylor
Another gorgeous morning. The only inclement weather on the trip so far was in Los Angeles - remember the the song "It Never Rains in California?" El Nino has not relaxed his grip, and it's obvious here in Albuquerque that rain in one place has meant drought in another. It's still quite hazy here with smoke from the forest fires burning in drought-stricken Mexico, a very long way south of here. The Waffle House
across the street from the Red Roof Inn tempted me once again - it might be a long time before I'd have a chance to enjoy another incredible pecan waffle! After breakfast, I took a short walk to the Public Service Company of New Mexico where Doug Taylor was unplugging my EV1 after a night of charging at the PNM Alternative Fuel Vehicles garage. Originally from New Jersey, Taylor loves Albuquerque and is here to stay. This fast growing city still has its small town Route 66 charm, with pleasant weather and options for lots of outdoor activities. My friend Doug Huth, who I visited in Phoenix earlier in my trip, recently moved from Albuquerque because of a great job opportunity. His beautiful home on the eastern side Albuquerque on the flanks of Sandia Peak has an incredible view and is a car collector's dream - Doug built a huge garage to house his classic auto collection which includes everything from a Nash to Edsels and Lincolns. I stopped by to make sure his babies were sleeping peacefully. He has reluctantly put the house up for sale and has a big job ahead to move his cars. 
I had been forewarned that Interstate 40 east of Albuquerque would provide my last elevation challenge before heading into the Great Plains. I planned my next charging stop accordingly knowing that the 2,000 ' climb would result in less driving range from the EV1's batteries. I stopped in Moriarty, 45 miles east of Albuquerque. My friend Steve Johnson is an avid pilot who needs no excuse to fly his restored Beechcraft military trainer, and he promised he'd meet up with me somewhere along my route. Steve was on his way from the San Francisco Bay area to Wichita, Kansas to look at a civilian version of his airplane. So far, Steve had flown 801 nautical miles and used 65 gallons of gasoline on the way to Wichita. By comparison, I had driven 1,157 miles from Los Angeles so far and used 0 gallons of gas.
After my brief meeting with Steve at Moriarty's small airport, I was off to the nearby Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative where Danny Tarr and his crew were ready ready with power for my 6.6kW MagneCharger. Danny had published a notice that I'd be visiting Moriarty for a charge, and there were non-stop visitors coming by to see my EV1. Thanks to Pat Ward at GMATV for giving me lots of EV1 brochures to hand out. I was beginning to lose count of how many times I had explained the features of the car! By now it was very obvious that everyone was impressed with how advanced the EV1 is - it has all the features that drivers expect from a modern car and more. Most folks seem genuinely surprised that it is actually in production and available to the public. The number one question is "when can we get it in our area?" GM is test marketing the car in select California and Arizona cities, but the day will come when electric cars and other Advanced Technology Vehicles will be available worldwide.
The EV1 was charged up and ready to hit the road again, so I headed off to west Texas. At the state border crossing, I stopped at a roadside viewpoint to photograph the Texas border sign with the light of my EV1's headlamps. I spent the night in the tiny community of Adrian. The owners of the Fabulous 40 Motel weren't sure if they had a 220 volt power source when I spoke to them a few weeks earlier, so I plugged in the small 110 volt "convenience charger" at the motel which provided a sufficient overnight charge to get me to my first stop the next day, Amarillo, Texas. Texas is known for its hospitality and great beef. I'll get plenty of both tomorrow.
