Route 66 Caravan

America's Biggest Road Trip!

Route 66 Caravan Road Log:
May 11, 2003
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California Route 66

Arizona Route 66

New Mexico Route 66

Texas Route 66

Oklahoma Route 66

Kansas Route 66

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Illinois Route 66
2003 Route 66 Caravan Schedule

Western New Mexico's Route 66
During the hey-day of Route 66 this section of the Mother Road through Gallup and on to Grants was perhaps one of the most memorable sections. This was the New Mexico of legend, the mysterious land of enchantment. The country is mountainous and colorful. It is here that Route 66 crosses the continental divide, and Native American culture is evident everywhere. Trading Posts abound. To the eastern traveler this was the real west.

Bluewater

Family Vacation Stop 1956

 There are many great examples of Route 66 in western New Mexico. Unfortunately we couldn't stop at them all. I did want to stop at Bluewater. I wanted to show my traveling companions where my family had stopped while on vacation back in 1956 (see picture at left). Yes that little tyke in the photo is me. Unfortunately we couldn't find the exact place that picture was taken.
 

Bluewater Truck Stop

There are many relics of the past glory of Route 66 at Bluewater. The Bluewater Truck Stop has been closed for awhile. The Bluewater Motel and a small garage have stopped serving the Route 66 traveler some time ago.
 
Old Bluewater Garage

Bluewater Motel Sign

 

Grants, New Mexico
Franciscan Lodge Motel A few miles east from Bluewater on Route 66 you will come to the Route 66 town of Grants. Grants, New Mexico, was founded with the railroad. The town got its name from the three Grant brothers, Santa Fe contractors, who maintained the site of Grant's Camp.
 
  The post office was established in 1882 with the name of Grants and the town followed suit and changed the name of Grant's Camp to plain old Grants in 1936 - just a couple years later. Grants is a true Route 66 town and has vintage motels backed right up to the Santa Fe tracks. At night you can fall asleep listening to the sounds of the trains rolling by. To me that is a soothing sound and brings back childhood memories of traveling along Route 66.

Sands Motel Sign
 
 

Grants Nightclub Sign

West Theater in Grants

We saw many examples of the hey-day of Route 66 in Grants.

 

West 66
Previous Log
Go West down the Mother Road

Road Log pages read like a book:

Follow the Route 66 Caravan
down the Mother Road ~
select the Route 66 direction
you would like to go.

East 66
San Fidel
Go East on the Mother Road

 

 

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