2024 EB Day 8 - Overs & Unders

Leaving Santa Fe, we descended from one of the highest points on America's original federal highway, up around 7000 ft.

Rejoining the post-1937 route running east west across New Mexico…

…there’s plenty of indication of the life that once was, each time we slipped off the freeway in search of old stuff.

Ironically due to roadworks (with far less orange cones mind you!) an 8 mile line of trucks and cars made the old route look positively fast!

Santa Rosa is like many small towns that once boasted roaring trades.

Broken signs and empty buildings, either side of a main road wider than most New Zealand highways, provide an insight to their past.

Bozo’s collection of cars and trucks is eclectic and he downtooled to chat about some of his builds, including the ‘57 Chev. Now that is a top shelf resto complete with LS3 and upgraded suspension.

Mark and Sharee took time out to rest in his special Chevy trunk!

While across the street, our Kiwi lads looked over his wrecks, waiting to be reinstated with life.

Bozo’s own life has been full for 78 years, beginning right here at the Chevrolet dealership, as a six year old, building model cars and then at 12 switching to real ones. Now, he ‘…owns the whole thing’!

We dropped over and under the i40 retracing the old road for miles.

There’s not much left of Newick…

… or Cuervo for that matter.

A town literally split in half by the modern interstate. On the south side, derelict remnants scattered amongst homes still occupied, while on the north, a few commercial outfits doing what they can to stay in business.

The bright neon lights of Tucumcari beckon but before that something even older than the road.

The Dinosaur museum and its curator Axel, is always intriguing.

Even if you’re not into paleontology, the curator’s passion is infectious…

…opening up his unusual world to our group.

Our final stop is home for the night at one of the iconic motels of the original route.

It’s a great example of neon, on a strip that boasts plenty.

Robert & Dawn are great hosts and burn the midnight oil to keep the dream alive…

…even a fire pit to keep guests up late!