Texas and New Mexico - Route 66

AUGUST 29, 2010 - DAY 25 - AMARILLO, TX TO GALLUP, NM

We start off the morning realizing that Texas doesn't post signs for Route 66 like the other states do, at least not to the same extent. Had we realized it we would have taken a much more direct route to the Cadillac Ranch rather than make a big circle.

We get there the same time that a tour bus has arrived with Landscape Architecture students from LSU. They are having fun climbing upon the cars and making their mark with cans of spray paint. It's almost more fun watching them than just being here.

When we arrive in Adrian, Texas we are at the midway point, exactly 1139 miles from Santa Monica and Chicago. And Glenrio, TX is nothing but a dead end on the Route, just a ghost town. Next thing we know we are crossing into New Mexico.

When we get to Tucumcari, NM we stop at the Blue Swallow Motel, another of the highlights along the Route. Inside one of the carports they have painted characters from the movie "Cars".

Our day started with what looked to be storm clouds but we have stayed dry. However there was standing water puddles here and there along the way. As we follow the road, the best we can, we see areas that are almost washed away from flash flooding that took place yesterday or early this morning when we come upon an under crossing that is now nothing but red dirt. Thankfully it is dry and we manage to ride through it and to the other side. As we continue on I see another under crossing that is nothing but red mud before we merge back onto the interstate. I don't like riding across the dirt as it is but there is no way I will ride across the mud, even if Angel does see such things as an "adventure".

We stop in Santa Rose, NM at Joseph's Bar and Grill for lunch. I am not all that impressed with the food but it is just fine. There is an USMC tank out on a low-boy trailer and I take some pictures for my son. Then we are off on the road again.

We stop at the infamous Clines Corners and enjoy the shopping simply because there are so many things there, from cheap and junky to the more classy and expensive. My contribution to the economy is the purchase of a pebble with the Route 66 emblem stamped on one side, for $6.00. It reminds me of spending money on a "Pet Rock", so I buy it just for the absurdity.

Unfortunately, when we go to leave we forget about the fact that we are supposed to find the next section of the Route and jump onto the interstate instead, realizing it after we are down the road. As stated before, we won't backtrack. We never see signs from Clines Corners or beyond for Santa Fe so we miss it completely and the next thing we know we are in Albuquerque, where the road from Santa Fe crosses I-40, so we exit.

We follow the road and maps, stopping every now and again because we feel lost, only to discover we are in the right place. But this city is big and the road meanders more than we can know. We see the signs to the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History and detour a couple of blocks just for the photo op.

When we continue on we ride into downtown Albuquerque, which has been fixed up nicely and with a focus on Route 66. But we don't stay and instead follow the signs for the 1920-1937 road. We criss-cross the Rio Grande three times, not to mention roads and such as well. As we once again cross I-25 to the west of town we follow highway 6 north west. For the 30+ miles we are out in the middle of nowhere I know we are heading west / northwest and should come across I-40 eventually, especially since truckers are driving past us. At one point, out there in the middle of nowhere, a light rain falls providing us with a rainbow off to our right.

We have lost track by now how many days we have ridden into the sunset, arriving at our destination after dark and tonight is no exception. But going across this latter part of New Mexico we have also battled strong winds which have just been beating us up. We are thrilled to finally make Gallup and arrive at the El Rancho Hotel.

This hotel is an historic landmark and is maintained as it was in the golden days of Hollywood, from the names of the rooms to the use of real keys, to the lobby furniture and that in the rooms. But we have been riding so long and hard today (the longest thus far) that when we get off the bikes we are rummy, hardly able to even walk. But we somehow get our gear upstairs then grab dinner in the restaurant. After we eat we sit in the upstairs lobby only to find ourselves trying not to nod off in the warmth of the night, so we drag our sorry selves to our "Jimmy Stewart" room to crash instead.

Today's stats: 479 miles and 13 hours