Day 14

Two weeks and I am still enjoying every minute of it!  I started my day on the 66 to Rio Puerco to see the 1933 Rio Puerco “Parker Through-truss Bridge.  This bridge sits in the middle of Route 66 and the interstate. Across the interstate was the Route 66 Casino with its big neon gas pump sign and the arrow with the arrow.

I drove many miles today and I saw a lot of great scenery.  I guess I should have walked because I didn’t drive much faster!  I saw trains, mountains, a large lava outcrop called “Owl Rock”.

Budville Trading Company in the middle of nowhere along with its little houses was about the only thing there except Mt Taylor. 

In Jerry’s book he talks about the Villa Cuero Trading Post and how it is still operating and that one of the mysteries of Route 66 was that Hemingway wrote “The Old Man And The Sea” there.

Down the road in San Fidel was the St Josephs’ Church and the old White Arrow Garage.  Many other abandoned buildings were also there.  On the outskirts were the remnants of Whiting Bros gas and motel.

From my route I could see the Santa Maria de Acoma Church so I drove that direction to get a closer look.  As I pulled in I was met by a dog.  She wagged her tail and approached the jeep.  Hesitant, I got out of the jeep and she seemed friendly, but as I got a closer look at her, she looked like she wasn’t being fed and she had recently had pups.  My heart broke.  So I poured out half a bag of Frannie’s food on the sidewalk and she scarfed it up.  I then got a bowl out of the camper and gave her some nice cold water.  I walked down to the road to take my picture and she greeted me as I walked back up.  So I gave her some doggie treats and a container of Caesars and she took the empty container and went to a shady area and put it down.  I moved her water to the shade and said my goodbye. Gosh I hated to leave her there but I am glad I was able to give her some love.

Grants  NM what a cool little place!  I saw the Sands Motel where Elvis once stayed and the Uranium Cafe (now called Badlands Burgers).  There was a nice park there so Frannie and I took a nice long walk.  I was watching kids on horses being guided around.  It was this little girls birthday and her guide was the son of the family who owned the horses.  He was cute and did a really good job with his horse.  Finally leaving town we passed Pat’s Bar, the South West Motel and various other old places.  There was this really cool sign that you could drive through so I did!

East of Prewitt there was the building which was once home to the Swap Meet 66 and West of Prewitt in Thoreau was Herman’s Garage and Red Mountain Market.

As the train roared by I stopped at a Trading Post at the Continental Divide. The ladies told me that supposedly the divide ran right where their store sits and there is a marker out in front.

My final destination today will be Gallup NM and tomorrow I will be headed to Arizona!  Some of the sites from Gallup include the 1937 El Rancho Hotel where the rooms are named after movie stars and the Rex Museum.  I found some other old buildings and some cool murals.  This town is jam packed full of Indian trading posts and folk art stores.

I am camping at the Red Rock Park outside Gallup tonight.  Enjoy the views I certainly am!