2019 WB Day 11 - Santa Fe Trail

The eleventh day started with breakfast at Kix on 66, an original diner in Tucumcari.

The road west was predominantly off the interstate, straddling both sides with access over and under the i40 at different locations.

In Cuervo we discover a town literally divided by the new super highway with one side almost a ghost town.

And while the other is also still struggling to stay alive, the cacti weren't giving up the ghost just yet.

More evidence of the bypass comes through Newick where remnants no doubt hide hundreds of stories from the old days.

Anna welcomed us to their family's personal car collection at the Auto 66 Museum in Santa Rosa.

She and husband 'Bozo' have a wonderful collection of cars on display associated with their thriving mechanical and repair business across the street.

They've just finished a 1948 Buick resto-mod for an English friend and it's a magnificent example of old and new.

Euan even found an fire truck of the same vintage and make as the ladder fire truck he's driven back home in charity events for nearly three decades.

We deviated onto the earliest alignment of Route 66 and head north towards Santa Fe.

A side trip into Las Vegas, not to be confused with the glitzy version in Nevada, provided lunch at one of the many heritage Spanish Colonial style buildings originally developed with a grant from the Mexican Government.

The highest point on the 2400 plus miles of the mother road is at Glorieta pass - 7400 ft. We did drop to a more manageable 7,200 - no wonder there are a few headaches up here in the thin air!

The Adobe architecture is sublime, a city ordinance sees strict guidelines on building style to protect the heritage of the area which also boasts the oldest building in USA.

The miraculous staircase, built with no nails is also a must visit attraction.

Over dinner at the La Casa Sena restaurant it was noted we could easily have been in another country... and the short walk back to the boutique Luxx Hotel where we're staying only highlights that point. It certainly capped the day off nicely.