Route 66 in western New Mexico.
There is a fine stretch of surviving Mother Road in the western part of the state.
On the drive from Albuquerque to the Arizona state line I crossed over the Continental Divide in a white out.
I drove through the El Malpais park – read more here.Those are ancient lava flows in the park in a few of the photos. Also by Inscription Rock – read more here
The two bigger cities in the western part of the state are Grants and Gallup. At one time there was a uranium mining boom in Grants – hence the “Uranium Cafe”. Both Grants and Gallup seem to be struggling and struck me as sad places. What a contrast to Santa Fe and Taos.
Gallup had a monument to the Navajo Code Talkers from World War II – read more here about the code talkers. What a fantastic bit of WWII history.
The drive through the western part of the state offered much more dramatic vistas than in the eastern plains. It was a very enjoyable drive (and especially when I could get off I-40).
