Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
295
Moments
Route 66 Revisited: Rediscovering New
Mexico's Stretch of the Mother Road
The highway that once stretched from Chicago to California was hailed as the
road to freedom. During the Great Depression, it was the way west for farmers
escaping Dust Bowl poverty out on the plains. If you found yourself in a rut in
the late 1940s and 1950s, all you had to do was hop in the car and head west
on Route 66. Built in the late 1920s and paved in 1937, it was the lifeblood of
communities in eight states. Nowadays, however, US 66 is as elusive as the
fantasies that once carried hundreds of thousands west in search of a better
life. Replaced by other roads, covered up by interstates (mostly I-40), and just
plain out of use, Route 66 still exists in New Mexico, but you'll have to do a little
searching and take some extra time to find it.
Motorists driving west from Texas can take a spin (make that a slow spin) on
a 20-mile gravel stretch of the original highway running from Glenrio (Texas) to
San Jon. From San Jon to Tucumcari, you can enjoy nearly 24 continuous paved
miles of vintage 66. In Tucumcari, the historic route sliced through the center
of town along what is now Route 66 Boulevard. Santa Rosa's Historic Route 66
is that city's 4-mile claim to the Mother Road. In Albuquerque, US 66 follows
Central Avenue for 18 miles, from the 1936 State Fairgrounds, past original
1930s motels and the historic Nob Hill district, on west through downtown.
One of the best spots to pretend you are a 1950s road warrior crossing the
desert is along NM 124, which winds 25 miles from Mesita to Acoma in north-
western New Mexico. You can next pick up old Route 66 in Grants, along the
6-mile Santa Fe Avenue. In Gallup, a 9-mile segment of US 66 is lined with res-
taurants and hotels reminiscent of the city's days as a Western film capital from
1929 to 1964. Just outside Gallup, the historic route continues west to the Ari-
zona border as NM 118.
For more information about Route 66, contact the
Grants/Cíbola County
Chamber of Commerce
(
&
800/748-2142
) or the
New Mexico Department
of Tourism
(
&
800/545-2040
).
10
Also in the area is
Santa Rosa Lake State Park
(
&
575/472-3110
), with year-round
camping, featuring 75 sites (about a third with electric hookups) as well as grills, boating,
fishing, and hiking trails. Swimming in the lake is permitted but not encouraged because
of the lake's uneven bottom and lack of beaches; children would be safer swimming in
Park Lake in Santa Rosa.
TWO GOOD PLACES TO EAT IN THE AREA
Del's Family Restaurant
AMERICAN/NEW MEXICAN The big cow atop Del's
neon sign is not only a Route 66 landmark, but it also points to the fine steaks inside.
It's a casual, diner-style eatery with lots of plants. Breakfast brings big plates of dishes
such as scrambled eggs and pancakes. At lunch, sample sandwiches and salads. The roast
beef is a big seller here at dinnertime, served with a scoop of mashed potatoes and a trip
