Fresh off the plane and on our way south. When I offered Jutta the opportunity to drive the car, she jumped at the chance. On a previous visit back in 2005, she also took the wheel with me out on a road trip, the first time in more than 20 years since she’d driven last. I thought she might be too jet-lagged to be sharp about things, but I guess the thought of driving once more in America was the jolt of energy that cleared away that fog.

To not fatigue Jutta or have her gimp hip sitting too long in the car, we stayed in Socorro, New Mexico, for the night. This was not her first time here. During the winter of 2007, we dragged her out for New Year’s Day to Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge on an icy morning for her to witness the lift-off of some 30,000 snow geese at the break of dawn. She also ate here at El Camino Family Restaurant, as we always eat here, some days even multiple times a day.

After dinner, we had pie and coffee while kicking back at the diner. That’s the American way.