Day 9: New Mexico Side Trip

DAY 9

We took a side trip today away from Route 66, departing from Santa Rosa, New Mexico to visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park. On the way south, we passed through Roswell, New Mexico.

Here you see a Flying Saucer has crashed into a building which is now occupied with little green alien men.

The town is covered in artwork like this.

 And this.

And even this.

This was the post office box in Roswell.

More Little Green Alien Men.

Finally, we made it to Carlsbad Caverns!

No photos can do justice the enormity of these caverns. They are absolutely enormous.

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Some parts were hundreds of feet deep, like looking over the edge of a very tall building. I'm afraid of heights.

Well, that was our little side trip. We went back through Roswell on our way back up to Route 66 in Santa Rosa. This whole side trip took an entire day. Back to Route 66 tomorrow. Check back for more pictures and video.

-Travis

Day 8: Half Way Point

DAY 8

We woke up in Elk City, Oklahoma and visited the National Route 66 Museum.

Dad was excited to see that one of the first exhibits on display in the museum was a vintage teardrop trailer, and its paint job just so happened to match the paint job on Ragtop.

Dad posing with a Kachina Doll, one of my dad's favorite things. He has a large collection of Kachina dolls at home in Oregon.

In McLean, Texas my dad insisted on visiting the "Devil's Rope Barbed Wire Museum," a tribute to one of the innovations that tamed the wild west.

In Shamrock, Texas is the "Do-Drop-In" Conoco tower. It's one of the most recognizable landmarks of Route 66, and is featured in the Pixar movie "Cars."

We stopped for Lunch at the Big Texan Steakhouse.

The most kitchy Texas themed restaurant in Texas. Home of the original 72 ounce steak. But the food was delicious so it does live up to the hype.

In Adrian, Texas is the ROUTE 66 HALF WAY POINT! WE MADE IT!  

We were too late to eat at the "Half Way Cafe" though which is a landmark.

We are exactly halfway between Los Angeles and Chicago!

Suddenly we are in New Mexico. The terrain has changed! Beautiful.

In Tucumcari, NM we visited the Blue Swallow Motel. Now this is the town that the movie "Cars" is really based on. Everything is super retro with big neon signs for everything. The Blue Swallow Hotel still boasts "100% Refrigerated Air" in all its retro style rooms.

Now onto Roswell, New Mexico to find a place to camp before Nightfall. That's when all the Aliens come out and start abducting people.

-Travis

That's all for Day 8. To see more of what we've already done. Check out my dad's latest video below.

Day 7: More Oklahoma

Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial.

Day 7

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, we got a late start to our day back on the Oklahoma stretch of Route 66. 

So here's another picture from Saint Jo, Texas instead.

I woke up to some Texas sized Bug bites. My dad thinks they were chiggers. 

Back in Oklahoma City, we took a brief moment to visit the memorial for the Oklahoma City Bombing. 

Oklahoma has some of the longest uninterrupted stretches of Route 66, which I think is a Euphemism for "Absolutely Nothing". Because of our late start, we drove much of the day and there wasn't much to see. Vast open fields. 

At night we passed this gem. See, there was literally nothing to see in Oklahoma today. But don't worry there will be more tomorrow: we're taking a side trip to Carlsbad Caverns, also going to the National Route 66 Museum. 

If there's anything you'd like more pictures of along our trip, we are taking recommendations! Put your comment and suggestions below.

-Travis

Day 6: A Preview of Texas

Day 6!

The Oklahoma branch of Route 66 eventually crosses into Texas after some of the longest uninterrupted stretches of the road. We weren't expecting to make it to Texas until tomorrow, but my dad had already planned a side trip to a small Texas border town to visit the cemetery of his mother, my grandmother. 

We started the day with an oil check in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

We passed a few landmarks like the Oasis Motel...

And the Rose Bowl in Tulsa.

My dad came across this cool place to take a photo in front of a mural. 

Next we made it to a kinda touristy stop along Route 66 called "POPS" they have over 650 flavors of carbonates sodas. 

Every flavor you can imagine. From Bacon, to chocolate bacon, to pickles, to cucumber, to marionberry, ranch dressing soda, buffalo wing soda...

I think the grossest were "Pimple pop" and "Kitty Piddle".

Eventually we made it across the border into Texas and by some MIRACLE. The rain suddenly stopped and the sun came out, it was lovely!

We stopped for dinner at "Smokehouse" Barbecue where my dad has gone before with family.

Everything really is bigger in Texas!

We found the cemetery before night. 

My grandmother, and great Aunt Ina. Miss them and love them dearly.

And their parents Adeline and Edward. My dad's family goes back 5 more generations in this plot.

My dad says hello, and good bye. 

Now back to Oklahoma City at night to begin tomorrow where we left off on Route 66.

Thanks for reading! Check back every day.

-For Imogene and Ina