New Mexico

I enjoyed the stretch of gravel road, far from the interstate, and the paved section after that which took me into Tucumcari. Tucumcari was a popular tourist spot back in the 66 heydays, with many large dinosaur statues around town (some bones had been unearthed in the area), along with Mexican restaurants and Western and Indian attractions (curios shops and the like).  The Blue Swallow Motel was a 66 classic that is a going concern to this day (must be the “100% Refrigerated Air”).  Tucumcari is just off the interstate, so has remained fairly healthy.

                                               

   

The interstate was built on top of much of the old road between Tucumcari and Albuquerque, so I saw few things of much interest.  I was impressed when the highway descended, fairly steeply, for some distance down into the Pecos River valley, approaching the town of Santa Rosa.  I learned that I had fallen off the high table-land down the Mescalero Escarpment, named after the Apaches that used to hang out around there.

Beyond Santa Rosa the land is open prairie until you near Albuquerque (Abq), at which time Route 66 departs from I-40 and wanders through a beautiful cut in the Sandia Mountains, opening to the east end of Central Avenue, the old main street through Abq.  That is a lengthy drive down into the city, and along the way there are many motels and cafes that look like 40s-50s vintage establishments, still in business.

My host for the night in Rio Rancho, north of Abq, was James Sloan, another WMA classmate with whom I’ve kept in touch over the decades.  We had a lovely New Mexican dinner and much reminiscing.  In the morning I found my way back to US66 and headed for Arizona.

Much of the old road between Abq and Gallup is open and in good repair.  Quite a bit of it is alongside I-40.  At one point I came over a rise and stopped to admire the vista, thinking of the folks from back east, seeing such vistas for the first time.  Some stretches wind through hills of pinon and juniper.  I agreed with Michael Wallis that a lovely section is in the vicinity of the Laguna Pueblo.                

                 

 Before Gallup I crossed the Continental Divide.  Gallup was not too interesting, so I grabbed some quick lunch and moved on.  I ignored a sign instructing a return to I-40, and enjoyed the old road for a few miles.  And then I enjoyed it back the other way.

                                              

 

   Soon after this misadventure, I cruised on the Super Slab into Arizona.