Amarillo to Albuquerque

Thursday October 11

After breakfast in the hotel which had been set up as a 50’s/60’s diner we left Amarillo.

Anne, Jeff and Glen ... breakfast time

Terri, Glen and Geoff.. Breakfast anyone?

Lloyd and Judy... Breakfast

The breakfast room at the Amarillo Hotel

The first stop of the morning was a short distance out of Amarillo to the Cadillac Ranch where 10 Cadillac’s lay embedded in the middle of a field. Here everyone was able to try their hand at graffiti which was approved and encouraged. Armed with cans of spray paint everyone ‘left their mark”. With so many layers of paint I wonder how long it will be before our efforts will be covered by another group of people such as ourselves.

 

Shirley added her contribution.

How can a Ford comment be written on a GM car!!

Ten dead Cadillacs!

The boys... men dressed in black

As the country side changed once again to plains which gradually started to dry out we approached Adrian and the halfway point of Route 66.

The plains with the old Mother Road not too far away.

Morning tea stop at Adrian.

We were served coffee and cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven for $5.00 at the 1139 mile mark between the start and the finish of the ‘Mother Road”.

Adrian...we are halfway

Route 66 - the halfway mark

After leaving Texas behind us we crossed the border into New Mexico and the sixth state in which Route 66 had taken us.

We enter New Mexico

The next stop saw us in Tucumcari which just off of the free-way and very much in essence of the old Route 66 including the famous Blue Swallow Motel with is renowned for famous visitors such as Elvis Presley. All along the highway were the signs of days gone by and remnants of times of past.

The Blue Swallow Motel

Back on the road and every stretch of the highway saw a change in scenery, but the old Route 66 not too far away.

The new highway following the old.

Travelling in New Mexico

The next stop was in Santa Rosa for lunch before a visit to the Route 66 Auto Museum which was basically one man’s collection of a different cars and memorabilia.

Lloyd and Judy - Santa Rosa Route 66 Auto Museum

Anne and Jeff- Santa Rosa Route 66 Auto Museum

Graham and Shirley - Santa Rosa Route 66 Auto Museum

One of the cars at the Route 66 Auto Museum

  

Although the rest of the day was spent travelling to Albuquerque on free-way, the old road was not far away and travelled parallel on and off for a great deal of the way. However there were times where it disappeared but would then suddenly appear again but still you knew that it wasn’t too far way although we were not actually travelling on it.

The countryside was quite dry and flat and at times once again very much like the dryer parts of northern South Australia and our remote cattle country (which was also cattle country with real cowboys seen rounding up cattle). However as we approached Albuquerque the rolling plains were replaced by mountains rising from the distance which were created by volcanic activity in the area.

Approaching Albuquerque

Albuquerque

Prior to checking in for the night the remainder of the afternoon was spent at Albuquerque’s Old Town which was the site of the original settlement of the city.

Old Town Albuquerque

Graham, Shirley and Lloyd - Old Town Albuquerque

The Bear finally gets his own tee-shirt

Tomorrow and tomorrow night will be spent in Albuquerque so tomorrow is a free day and means that we won’t have to get up at 5.30 to ensure bags are at the door in time to hit the road. The main decision is to what are we going to do on our free day.