Route 66 Day Twelve

Today is Monday, July 4, and we are going to continue our adventures with the hope that in this dry West we will be able to find a city willing to fire off fireworks to celebrate. 

Today we began by eating a hotel breakfast, going grocery shopping and are on the road by 9:00 a.m.  We continue our quest by heading east on the pre-1937 alignment for Route 66 through Canoncito, Glorieta, and Pecos where we ran into these pink ranch fences (our second set of pink fences--perhaps there was a sale on paint at the local Farm and Fleet). 

Today we are visiting the Pecos National Historical Park which has Hopi pueblos, a Catholic mission (whose sordid history is sad to read), and a 1 & ½ mile hike.  To our amazement, we were allowed to enter the kivas, so we did.  So Denice joined me on this invasion as it appeared to be legal and there were no wild dogs. 

All the off roading that I did onto abandoned properties and hiking around ancient pueblos in the hot sun, I never saw one snake.  I am actually disappointed although considering how fast I was running because of the dog pack, I can imagine how fast I would have moved if I had encountered a rattler. 

A second kiva proves irresistible. 

We finished the Pecos with a rare appearance before the camera.  You can imagine the conversation.  Let me take your picture now.  Why?  Just give me the camera.  You don't know how to set it.  Set it for me.  OK, dammit.  Smile.  Jeeeezzzusss. 

Then is was on to Rowe, Gise, Ilfed, and Sands where we found another roadside shrine.  One of my things is concrete angels in cemeteries but the West is not big on statuary.  I had to settle for this little guy who now looks pretty darn psycho to me.  Stare into my big blank eyes!!!!

Inexplicably, the entire shrine was guarded by this guy.

It was about this time that we realized we had spent a lot of time in the Pecos (not that we are complaining) but if we want to sleep in a big city and see fireworks we need to get a move on.  So we were through Serafina, Tecolote, La Manga (where everyone reads backwards), Romeoville, Los Montoyas, Apache Springs, Dilla, and Vegas Junction. Most of it looked like this:

We decoded to stop in Santa Rosa at the Sun ‘n Sand Motel and Restaurant for lunch.  Along the route, most of the meals we got served were fine but this one was a disappointment.  During the lunch, we eavesdropped on the couple next to us who were discussing with one of the owners the fact that his daughter's graduation party was a success because nobody got into a fistfight.  Ah, the West!

We went to the Route 66 Auto Museum where for $10 you can wander amongst restored automobiles that routinely sell for $35,000.  They are gorgeous.

Everyone was excited to be there. 

When we got to Cuervo, we discover the real deal for ghost towns. 

The ruins continued in Newkirk. 

Not sure why someone hung these cool skulls on the door of the church and not sure why I did not take them as a found object but even I have limits.  No voodoo curse is gonna' get this boy. 

After Montoya we were into Tucumcari where we thought we would stop for the night but, despite the looks of the Blue Swallow Motel which looked marvelous, the town looked dead and we assumed there would be no fireworks.

In old San Jon, the grassland along the freeway was on fire and a fire crew was there hosing it down.  While we are miles away from the Los Alamos fire at this point, it was really, really, really scary to see this going on. 

We were running on the frontage road when we came around a curve a big steer was alongside the road grazing in the grass and I was too chicken to stop and take a picture (city boy!).  This big boy had big horns and I was unsure what that would do to the van let alone me if I got out of the car. 

We were in Endee on a dirt road when we saw deer for the first time. 

Glenrio is a ghost town that straddles the state line between New Mexico and Texas.  After exploring Glenrio, because of time, we just jumped on I-40 and headed for Amarillo hoping for fireworks.  This took us past Gruhlkey, Adrian, Landegrin, Vega, Wildorado, Bushland and into Soncy.

At this point we tossed a coin because we were right at The Cadillac Ranch as the sun was going down.  Denice really urged me to take advantage of the light and the fact that I might never get back here again so the van turned right.  The Cadillacs that make up the ranch barely look like anything anymore plus it is evident (as I spent time there) that most people come to the site to spray paint the cars rather than take pictures. 

Of course, if they did not, the pictures would be completely different. 

When common sense ruled and the mayor of Amarillo decide not to have fireworks in the middle of a tinderbox, we checked into Denice's favorite place to stay:  Baymont.  By this time it was 9:30 p.m. but the desk clerk said the sushi restaurant next door was open till 10. 

At Hayachi Sushi, which said it was open but all the chairs up on the tables, we tried to retreat but a screaming woman came charging out of the back and let us stay. We had Phoenix, Amarillo and Firecracker (how cute) rolls.

While we were eating, Kenny G’s version of Winter Wonderland came on and Denice and I both started laughing because we were thinking of Christmas Story:  the family spending Christmas in the Chinese restaurant (rah, rah, rah, rah, rah—no, la, la, la, la, la). 

Miles today: 371

Total miles for the trip: 3,819

View all the photos from this trip at http://www.flickr.com/photos/gniebuhr/

Route 66 Day Eleven

This day was Sunday, July 3rd, and Denice and I worshipped in our own way on The Mother Road.  Denice knelled in front of a wash machine for awhile and then we grabbed breakfast in the hotel and were on the road by 9:30 a.m.

Our initial goal was a special museum but we had not gone more than a few miles down the road and up popped the Cedar Crest Flea Market.  I managed to score an electric guitar body, clarinet and three tools for $28. 

The road to the museum was closed due to forest fire danger from the same one that is burning at Los Alamos as were are in the state.  The good news was the blockade was right at the entrance to Tinkertown Museum (http://tinkertown.com/).  Tinkertown was the hobby of a man named Ross Ward who began to build a play land out of cement and bottles. 

He kept adding things, making things and whittling things from wood, and buying old stuff to add to the mix.  His inspiration was The House on the Rock in Wisconsin.  He eventually built dioramas that traveled around the country as exhibits but ended up here at this own museum.

In February of 1998, at age 57, Ross was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and passed away November 13, 2002. Even while suffered through this horrible disease, he worked on an art car that is now parked in a garage on the land.  The museum is a hoot to visit and well worth getting off Route 66 to see.  Plus, there was a personal message for me:

On the way back to Albuquerque to get back on The Mother Road, we made a stop at the Tijeras Art Fair where we viewed the art and listened to the music. 

In the city, we ran down Central Blvd., and found a big Paul Bunyan statute.  Then it was on to the University of New Mexico and the Frontier Restaurant for lunch. 

Albuquerque is rich in signs but unfortunately we were not able to get out at night and see the neon.  However, they are still pretty cool. 

Now we turned north on The Mother Road towards Santa Fe.  In Berralillo, we stopped at an antique store that was having a 25% sale.  I starred at a doctor's bag that would have cost me $41 after the discount so I eventually passed but I did walk out of the store with a zillion really cool milagros that are designed to be strung on necklaces.  Total cost was $11. 

Our choice for a hotel was the Inn at Santa Fe at the outer edge of town.  We then drove downtown for a walkabout.  Our dinner choice was the Tabla de los Santos at The Lodge Hotel for an elegant meal outside (some thing we don't get to do to much in Milwaukee). 

Miles today: 143

Total miles on the trip: 3,478

View all the photos from this trip at http://www.flickr.com/photos/gniebuhr/

Route 66 Day Ten

Day 10 of our Route 66 journey was Saturday, July 2nd, and we woke in Holbrook, Arizona.  After a hearty breakfast of hotel lobby food (I cannot imagine what this is doing to my cholesterol and diabetes), we headed into town to see the dinosaurs at the Rainbow Rock Shop.  According to the guide books, the guy who owns this store put these up to attract customers and is sometimes not to pleased that they attract tourists like me.  However, we got there before he was open and safely took the photo. 

We also got to the famed No Tell Motel before everyone was up as well.

Everywhere we go there are reminders of the current state of the economy in the US and the fact that a lot of Mother Road history is just that. 

In Sun Valley, we came across The Painted Desert Indian Center which has dinosaurs out front to advertise its wares.  Denice and I both hesitate to go to places that may (or may not) be real Native American stories, but I could not resist the creatures. 

Meanwhile in the air conditioned store, Denice was discovering that the place was legitimate.  She bought a watch and I bought a ring crafted by a woman who is now 96 and no longer able to make jewelry.  My ring was some twisted snakes on the stone and I really like the image.  Everything about this store was high class and I cannot recommend it enough as an experience.

From Navajo we went through Chambers where another ghost car appeared. 

In Sanders we stumbled upon a roadside flea market and a sign indicating it was exactly 100 degrees.  I bought a hand held fish spear while Denice bought an $8 piece of bead jewelry which is stunning.

Through Houck (where I kept saying, "What the Houck?") and into Allentown.  Denice was constantly navigating on this trip using the my instructions from various web sites, the EZ guide and our Garman GPS.  Sometimes we would be confronted by things like this

with little or no signage to help and we had to make a choice.  No matter which direction we went, we always got back on track if we got lost and we never ran out of amazing discoveries alongside these old highways.  How about a car graveyard in a dry river bed?

Lupton provided a mountain backdrop for all of its semi-abandoned glory.  At one point we stopped to photograph an old abandoned bus only to have a guy and his dog get out of it.  We were constantly confronted by scenes of abandonment that proved to be someone's home. 

And now for something completely different:  my favorite state in the Union, New Mexico.

Did you notice something different about the photo above?  Look on the right side of the cliff and you will see something we have not seen for days--a cloud. 

This is where we stumbled upon a horse herd who, no matter how many times we said "Here, horsey" or did that kissy sound with our lips, they stayed well away from us. 

In Manuelito, we passed a revival tent.

In Gallup we found a sedan on a stick. 

We tried to eat lunch at the famed El Rancho Motel but we were told there was going to be a half-hour wait so we went back to place we had past called Virgie’s for lunch.

In downtown Gallup we past a permanent flea market store so we had to stop.  I bought an old fashion bicycle knickknack and a vintage nutcracker.  The owner asked me if I knew about the big downtown flea market--and my ears perked up.  We did drive over there and found it to be typical of most of the flea markets--overstock items from failed businesses.  But I did manage to find two different dealers of skulls!! Score one horse and two white tail deer skulls for a total of $30. 

Miles past as we went through Zuni, McCune, Iyanbito, Coolidge, Continental  Divide, Thoreau, Prewitt and into Bluewater.  Somewhere on this portion we passed the Route 66 Swap Meet which had been advertised as a treasure trove and sure looked like it from outside the fence where we were because it was closed.  Not permanently closed--just closed when we were there.  This was typical of many businesses on The Mother Road and we could not figure out why they didn't want our money. 

In Bluewater we discovered the Bluewater Motel remains.

Toltec and Milan went past before we reached Grants which proved to have many signs of interest.  Then it was through San Fidel and into Villa De Cubero were Ernest Hemmingway wrote The Old Man and the Sea.

It was here that I decided to invade some old brick buildings by the side of the road.  I have to say that I am normally pretty cautious about things like making sure the place is really abandoned, checking out the conditions of floors so I don't fall threw and trying to be alert to things like snakes!  However, here I was surprised by a pack of dogs who I would have expected to make their presence known as soon as I got near.  Anyway, a quick retreat saved my ass and after the initial panic I came to believe the dogs might have been more curious than aggressive which might have saved me from getting bit on the ass.  Either way, here are two of the photos:

Then it was Budville, Paraje, New Laguna, Laguna (not that we could tell the difference), Mesita, Correo, Suwann, South Garcia, Rio Puerco, Sandia, Los Lunas, Peralta, Bosque Farms, Isleta Pueblo (where all photography is banned), Isleta, Los Pallidas, Pajarito, Armijo and into Albuquerque.  It was pretty late at night for us at that point so we were not choosy about where to stay and just grabbed a Days Inn.

Maybe we should have been a bit more choosy as while we were across the street eating at a local family restaurant we saw the cops pull up to our hotel lobby.  Multiple cops, lots of flashing lights, etc.  Luckily, all were gone when we were done with dinner and we never found out what happened. 

Total miles: 310

Total miles for the trip: 3,335

To view all the photos from this trip, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/gniebuhr/