.
These desert towns in New Mexico abide in what was called The Land of
Enchantment. I don’t see that on the
signs anymore.
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| Historic El Rancho Hotel |
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| Historic El Rancho Hotel |
It gets cold in Gallup at 6500 feet, and the wind is often
strong. I can testify to wind, cold, and
rain, but nothing close to the storm of 1932-33. degrees
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| Biggest storm ever in Gallup, 1932, 33, -25 degrees |
Gallup was a good town to visit, and leaving it on Route 66
was a pleasant ride all the way to Grants.
It’s all open desert to Grants with none of the Route 66 hype that I experienced
along most or the route behind me. There
was, however, a swap meet which uses the customary “66” in its name.
As I rode the main street of Grants, which is Route 66, I saw
almost no mention of the old road’s history or charm, no buildings carry the
torch. Unlike other Route 66 towns, much
of Grants is boarded up, and its only thriving section is at an I-40 exit. There is, however a café with real New
Mexican enchiladas as I remember them for their hot green chili, that will burn
the insides of most Californians. You can click on any picture to make it bigger. And you can scroll through the pictures by using the arrow keys. Press Escape to return.
You can see my progress on an interactive map, prepared by
Michael Angerman, at:
Zoom and scroll to see where I’ve been.
I said Wow three times, looking at the photos. You've earned it. Now from elevation 7250 ft,, I hope it's downhill all the way to Chicago.
ReplyDeleteYes Keiko, its all downhill to Lake Michigan, except for climbimg up to Gallup, then up to Santa Fe, then up to a hundred little hills in the Ozarks. I guess you could say there are many divides out there to separate falling raindrops.
ReplyDeleteInteresting phenomenon.
Deleteis it Sisyphaen
ReplyDeleteshe rolls herself uphill
the mountains themselves
stands up
and takes notice
(Such a journey long arduous with its little rewards... some spicy New Enchiladas but the journey itself, I know, is the Enchantment. (Why is the word not on the signs anymore? It should say this way to enchantment!..)
By the way Sharon we will at least wave to Keiko in Yokohama on our journey this time... not sure the time will open to actually meet, but we are trying... she is not tooo far from where we will be.)
Meanwhile I am looking forward to Santa Fe the capital of Enchantment! I have been writing about it and looking forward to you there soon... in May and us in September...)
Hope the road is easy with the wind behind you and the rewards increasing!
Such a journey it has surely been, up to Santa Fe in a foot of snow, two days there visiting old friends, now at a Benedictine monastery where I just returned from lunch in silence with the monks.
DeleteI have been out of touch via internet, but soon I’ll try to post some pictures and insights—something for those mountains to look at while they’re standing, and hopefully not Sisyphean, though it seems so at times.
Oh exciting you have been in Santa Fe already!!
ReplyDeleteThe mountains are watching!
And my tanka about them needs one tiny edit
is it Sisyphaen
she rolls herself uphill
the mountains themselves
stand up
and take notice
I LOVE the Shadow Shot! I've been gradually getting to keeping up with you on your journey, but it seems I am peeking in, observing and commenting to myself, marveling at the GUSTo with which you GALLOP on and then leaving my comments to dangle in my mind till a moment came along and called me back in. So, here I am. I've been here all along, just a silent witness to the trip down Route 66 Lane.
ReplyDeleteIt's okay Junnie, to pop in and out of these missives called "blog." I laughed at "gusto with which you gallop." If you knew the lack of gusto, and the mere desire to it over with that I feel sometimes, well, it makes for a good night's sleep.
Delete