Monday, March 10

First thing we did this morning was check out Tucamcari. Since it is right on old Route 66, they have a lot of businesses that were around during the road's glory days.


After that, hit Route 66 again, which is interesting in New Mexico - it is much less defined than it was in Oklahoma, as you can see by the interesting way I crossed under 40:


Then after missing the actual highway leading to Santa Fe, I decided on the spur of the moment to go there, so I took a very interesting state road north to meet up with the highway. Didn't really lose much time doing this, because you can drive highway speeds for most of the way on the state road too. Santa Fe is very pretty. I didn't stop and walk around, but I think it would be a great place to spend a couple of days - it's an artist community - many galleries and shops, and a beautiful church in the center:


On the way back from Santa Fe, there was a note on my Route 66 map about an old steep switchback - that you could only go see if you had a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Sounded like a dare to me, so I had to give it a shot. The drive to the bottom of the switchbacks wasn't that bad - just dirt and gravel road, well maintained actually. But when I got closer to the botom of the old switchback, it was a different story. They weren't kidding about needing a 4x4. I made a lame attmpt to head up the actual switchback route, but had to back down again, because the first hairpin turn was a little crazy, and I knew I wouldn't have room to turn around anywhere up this crazy road, so I decided it was best not to have to avoid backing off a cliff on my way down:


Not much of anything interesting after that...I wanted to make it to the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona before dark, so I again made the Jeep earn its keep (gotta love nearly deserted stretches of highway - I have seen maybe 1 police officer on Highway 40 this entire trip). We got to the park at 6:02 Pacific time - it closed at 6:00! So I watched the sun set there, chatted with a guy who is originally from Lafaytte, IN, now lives in San Diego, and was headed to Albuquerque for the National Bowling tournament or something, looked at the one piece of petrified wood they had outside the gates, and headed onward. I may go back in the morning, we'll see.

Wanted to stop in Holbrook, AZ to see its Route 66 sights. One in particular - the Wigwam motel. I'd read a lot about it. Wasn't planning on staying here, I wanted to get to Flagstaff tonight, but who can resist staying in a Wigwam? So I'm staying in a teepee tonight. Google it - or I'll post pictures later.

Ok, computer is about to die, and I'm sick of sitting in the McDonald's parking lot to steal wi-fi...so I'll try to update tomorrow. Besides - Rudy is already passed out in the back seat - I better get him to bed!