Amarillo to Santa Fe...
Leaving Tucumcari we assumed gas stations would be at every exit. Trouble is exits on the interstate are about 35 miles apart and even then you can't necessarily find a gas station since some exits just serve remote residences. BUT luckily Newkirk, NM has both a gas station, a post office and a very sad men's room (still not as bad as that one cited earlier in MS.)
Once again based on audience feedback we produced a well rehearsed musical introduction to our next destination.
Overnight in Amarillo we had severe thunderstorms, with hail around us but nothing except hard rain in Amarillo. We headed west on I-40 and honestly there is not a lot to see or do on this stretch of highway. Original Route 66 parallels for several miles, you pass by the famous Cadillac Ranch.
We certainly meant to get our pictures taken next to the diagonal Cadillac wrecks half buried in the field but the overnight rains made the field a mud fest and after we saw other foolish people returning to their cars caked in Texas mud we decided to forgo the walk and drive on.
The land goes on forever in some places not even a tree is visible. Upon entering NM we check off state 23 on our list. The next sizable city after Amarillo is Tucumcari, NM. My childhood memories of Tucumcari were quite different from the Tucumcari we encountered. In the summer of 1959 when my family vacationed from Wichita to LA we considered Tucumcari our first over night stop from Wichita. It was easy to find a unique motel or curio shop or other diversions for an overnight stop, plenty of choices all priced right for the family vacationer. In 2015 Tucumcari offers a convenient exit from I-40 which did not exist in 1959 but not sure why anyone would exit there today. The city looks tired, used up and vacant. We planned on getting gas here but really didn't see a viable place to gas up at 11:00am on Saturday morning. Pretty sure it was quite different in 1959. What happened, Tucumcari?
Leaving Tucumcari we assumed gas stations would be at every exit. Trouble is exits on the interstate are about 35 miles apart and even then you can't necessarily find a gas station since some exits just serve remote residences. BUT luckily Newkirk, NM has both a gas station, a post office and a very sad men's room (still not as bad as that one cited earlier in MS.)
The post office was the best part of Newkirk. Well actually the gas station which still had analog pumps and did not accept credit cards forced you to see the attendant who just told you to pump gas and come in to pay. All were extremely friendly and impressed we had driven from Boston. We were puzzled where the other human residents of Newkirk were since there were no dwellings for miles around.
Music video alert
We arrived in Santa Fe to temps in the 40's, gray skies and occasional flurries. We got a great deal on a local landmark hotel for the night, the La Fonda which is an historic hotel at the end/begininng of the Santa Fe trail just diagonal from the Plaza.
Santa Fe has the best New Mexican food and we ate enchiladas. The best margarita is served at Thunderbird's, order the house on the rocks for $7.00.
Tomorrow we head north of Santa Fe to Durango, CO.
Look for our special feature .....Dollar General....why?
Look for our special feature .....Dollar General....why?
Again you discuss food but no pictures! Let's see those enchiladas.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to find Indian food so you can evaluate it for me.
DeleteCheck Day 20
DeleteWish I could have spent the day with you guys in Santa Fe - your personal tour guide. Did you walk around the Plaza? Have coffee in the Frency Pastry Shop in your hotel? Canyon Road?? More time in SFe would have been nice. It's a little piece of heaven.
ReplyDeletethat cowboy is standing on the shoulders of giants.
ReplyDeleteIt's Texas it needs all the help it can get.
DeleteYou made a wise decision to not walk out in that muddy field to get your picture taken with those cars. Eating Mexican food again, huh? You guys must love Mexican food. Those long drives with nothing to see sounds pretty boring. Colorado is going to be much better. It's a wonder you found a gas station. You'll notice gas prices get higher the further you drive this way.
ReplyDeleteFrom the looks of the videos, you guys should really take your act on the r……
ReplyDeleteNever-mind.
It's been fun stalking you guys. Or following. Whatever.
And now your comment count is higher. You're welcome.
Yep, Santa Fe is pretty awesome. However, I had one of the best homemade Mexican meals of my life in Tucumcari, right on the main drag. Cheap, too. I would have told you guys to go there, but by the time I checked you were already gone. You're Welcome!
ReplyDeleteI must have missed the music video earlier. WHAT?!
ReplyDelete