Lupton to Albuquerque, New Mexico – Route 66

We bid farewell to Arizona and headed for Correo on this stretch from Lupton to Albuquerque, New Mexico on Route 66. Entering The Land of Enchantment, there are some remains of adverts painted on the rocks at Devil’s Cliff, Manuelito.

gallup

Gallup is the first major town in New Mexico, and we parked the van on Main and Coal Street to walk the few blocks of Historic Down Town.  Walking around here reminded me a little of San Fransisco because the streets follow the landscape and change in elevation.

Now Gallup is considered the Indian Capital of the world, and one can see why. Just about every shop window is full of Native jewellery, pottery, rugs, moccasins and curios. 

slideshow

However, there are still some icons of Route 66 here. 

icons slide show

El Rancho Hotel

Getting back into the van we drove to the other end of town. Here we found the famous El Rancho Hotel, which opened in 1937 and has links to Hollywood. 

With stars, the likes of Doris Day, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, Kirk Douglas, Errol Flynn, John Wayne,  Ronald Reagan, and a host of others that were filming Westerns in the area.  Each of the hotel rooms is named after the movie star who stayed in it.

Films shot in and around Gallup include the 1930’s edition of Billy the Kid. The Sea of Grass (1947). Four Faces West (1948). Only the Valiant and Ace in the Hole (1951). Escape from Fort Bravo (1953). And The Hallelujah Trail (1965), to name a few.

Once the Interstate opened, this magnificent building fell into disrepair. Until, in the 1980s, Armand Ortega, a businessman, purchased the property and restored it to its former glory.

EL RANCHO Slide show

CONTINENTAL DIVIDE 

The Continental Divide is, in fact, a watershed, where waters can either flow east to the Atlantic or west into the Pacific and have remained inhabited for over 11,000 years. If you fancy hiking it, the Continental Divide Trail starts in Mexico, follows the Divide across the US, then on into Canada. Continuing as the “Great Divide” Trail and ending at Kakwa Lake, British Columbia. A total of 3,800 miles. Good luck with that!!!

There are several more signs and buildings along the way. Opposite from the Continental Divide there is an old Whiting Brothers Motel sign.

Thoreau to Prewitt

This section of Route 66 has Roy T. Herman’s Garage and Service Station. One of the most former remaining gas stations along Route 66 in New Mexico. (Built 1935, and has been relocated twice). And the Tomahawk Bar built 1947, which serves as a trading post as well as a bar. 

Then at Bluewater (which is almost a ghost town), we saw the old Bluewater Motel sign.

grants

Grants was named the Carrot Capital of the US, and the town is quite pretty and clean.  They are making an effort to keep the town alive with the new, 2016, Route 66 drive-thru neon arch. Obviously a photo op! 

Here are some more signs from the bygone era.

grants underground mining museum

The underground mining museum had so many positive reviews we decided to take a look, and it did not disappoint.  A retired miner of 48 years, named Jack greeted us. He was friendly and helpful, telling us stories of what it was like to be a miner back in the day.  He even gave me a tumbled rock which sparkles with what looks like flakes of gold. 

• To read more about the mine

side trip – la ventana natural arch

Just off from Route 66, we drove to La Ventana Natural Arch, located in El Malpais National Conservation area. It’s about 17 miles to the parking lot, then a short easy hike to the arch which is New Mexico’s second-largest, and worth the detour.  You see the volcanic lava flow where the Indians used to hide. 

The Natural Arch is somewhere to come back to and explore more on another trip.

While here we did stop at the Sandstone Bluffs to get some breathtaking photos of the lava flows from above.  There never seems to be a shortage of fantastic diversity in Nature’s art gallery. 

scenic images – slide show

back on the mother road – Lupton to Albuquerque

For now, this was all we did here as the Mother Road was calling. 

The original R66 bypassed the small town of McCartys,  but at exit 96 there is an old Whiting Bros Service Station.

San Fidel, another small town en route where we found another early Whiting Brothers sign, cafe remains and the Acoma Curio Shop.

Villa de Cubero Trading Post established in 1937, was a 10 unit tourist court. The area attracted many artists and eccentrics, including Ernest Hemingway, who stayed for several weeks. It was also a favoured filming location for many movies.

Villa de Cubero Trading Post slide show

Budville Trading Company, established in 1928, closed its doors after being in operation for 66 years. The original owner “Bud” Rice was murdered in 1967 during a holdup, nicknaming the town Bloodville. Although his wife continued to run the service station and trading post with her second husband.  He too was also slain just a few feet away from the previous murder Not a very lucky lady!

The house next door is where the Rice family lived before Bud Rice’s brutal murder.

budville slide show

Further down the road is the old King’s Cafe which we don’t appear to have any pictures of, however here are some other gems for you!

random relics slide show – from LUPTON TO ALBUQUERQUE

laguna

Laguna has the infamous Dead Man’s Curve drive on the original alignment of Route 66 and follows an ancient Native trail running between the red sandstone cliffs, and the San Jose River.

Here we saw a rock which looked like a camel – hence its name Turtle Rock, yeah go figure! Just a short distance is Owl Rock, a rock formation which resembles from just the right angle, yes you guessed it, a large boulder. With some imaginative stretch of the mind, I suppose you could see an owl or something. (So we’ve been informed!)

Now, this is where things get interesting. At Correo (known as Suwanee) you can follow the old alignment of Route 66 south through Los Lunas. Or go to Albuquerque. We did both.

Lupton to Albuquerque via CORREO (option 1)

From Correo to Albuquerque there is only one real stop on the way at Rio Puerco. Here you can walk across the 1933 steel bridge now closed to motor vehicles.  Across from the bridge is the Enchanted Trails RV Park (formally the Hilltop Trading Post) and rent a vintage trailer for the night.

LUPTON TO ALBUQUERQUE VIA Los Lunas (option 2)

Being early in the day we decided to drive to Los Lunas and see if we could find the Mystery Stone on the Rio Puerco Valley side of Mystery Mountain. Also known as Los Lunas Decalogue Stone, the old sketching’s on the stone are supposed to represent the Ten Commandments. 

On arriving in the small town of Los Lunas just before the corner of Main Street and NM314 you’ll come across The Luna-Otero Mansion on the right-hand side of the road.

Now a restaurant, this majestic building, constructed in 1881 in the Victorian Southern Colonial style was once home to the Tranquilino family. Throughout the decades, the mansion has passed through many hands. Now it is established as a fine dining restaurant in the 1970s.  

However, it was at this time that one of the houses former residents made herself known. Josefita Manderfield Otero who’s nickname was Pepe, had spent many years caring for her magnificent home and gardens. She appears not to approve of the changes and now haunts the property. Other apparitions have also revealed themselves to the current employees.

Both the options from Lupton to Albuquerque have fascinating roadside attractions. Although it is longer, we enjoyed going via Los Lunas and discovering the Mystery Stone.

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