Tucumcari to Gallup

Day #2

Tucumcari to Gallup (311 miles)

Continuing west on Route 66, I stopped after about an hour to take a dip at the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa.  This swimming hole is always at a brisk 62 degrees.  It took me about 10 minutes to wade in, but once I acclimated, it felt great.  The Blue Hole is ideal for scuba divers and there were 2 people there for lessons, so it was really interesting to listen in on their conversation and ask them questions.

After Santa Rosa is really where I decided to stay on I-40 in order to get to Gallup.  Like Amarillo, I knew Albuquerque and Santa Fe really deserved their own trip, so I did not plan on stopping in either city.  Instead, my focus was on enjoying the landscape and getting to Gallup in time for dinner at Jerry’s Cafe.  I was excited to stay at Hotel El Rancho, the famous ‘hotel to the stars of old Hollywood’ and to anyone looking for the Old West experience.  It was built in 1936 by movie theater owner R.E. Griffith and has welcomed some of the greatest legends, John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Gregory Peck, and so many more.  Walking the halls where these actors once walked was so exciting. Jerry’s Cafe turns 50 this year and is a Route 66 mainstay.  They’re known for their green chile recipes, so I decided to be adventurous and try Cherelle’s Choice, a sopapilla stuffed with guacamole and pork carnitas grilled with onions and tomatoes, smothered with cheese, chile and sour cream.  It was delicious!  Luckily, the green chiles that day were not spicy at all.

   

  

Gallup marked the end of my Route 66 journey.  From here I would head north to Moab to visit some National Parks. 

Driving the Mother Road

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Years ago I read a book about Route 66 and since then, the idea of driving the Mother Road has always been in the back of my mind.  When I started planning my trip to Colorado and Utah, I realized I had the perfect opportunity to drive at least a part of this epic road.  I joined a Facebook group, bought the Rand McNally the Official Route 66 Centennial Map and a travel guide and began my research.

The part of Route 66 I traveled was short, Texola, Oklahoma, to Gallup, New Mexico, a mere 529 miles.  I broke the trip up into two days and to be honest, I didn’t drive the actual Route 66 the entire time.  There were moments I needed to make up time and the Interstate was faster.  There were also a few times I couldn’t find it or in one case, it ended and I had to backtrack to get back on I-40.  Regardless, it was a fantastic drive and I saw some really cool things.  I also learned a few things to adjust for the next time.

Day #1

Texola to Tucumcari (223 miles)

The Panhandle is probably the section I read the most about and had some really cool things to see.

Texola Oklahoma, a town of less than 50 people, is on the Texas-Oklahoma border.  I think the expression “blink and you’ll miss it” originated here.  The minimal traffic made it easy to stop and get a picture of the Rt. 66 emblem painted on the highway though.  I also made sure to stop at the Will Rogers Highway marker.  I didn’t realize that the entire highway was designated as the Will Rogers Highway, a way to memorialize Oklahoma’s favorite son after he died in 1935.

The first town you come to after entering Texas is Shamrock.  Shamrock is home to the Conoco Tower and U Drop Inn.  It was originally built to be three separate structures - service station, restaurant, and retail.  Today it operates as a visitor and community center.  You can also grab a classic diner lunch, Tuesday - Saturday.  It is such a beautiful example of art deco architecture.  Built in 1929, the nearby Magnolia Gas Station slowly lost business after the Conoco Station opened directly on Route 66 in 1936.

 

While you’re in Shamrock, don’t forget to grab a selfie at the Shamrock mural.  And if you have time visit the Blarney Stone monument.

From Shamrock,  head about 20 miles west to McLean.  Here you’ll find the first Phillips Petroleum Station built in Texas.  When I stopped at this landmark, I was immediately transported to the travels of the Joad family in The Grapes of Wrath.  In the book, Steinbeck includes a conversation with the station operator when the family stops for fuel.  I could easily picture that scene happening at this little station not just for the Joads, but for the thousands of families that traveled the Mother Road as they left Oklahoma and Arkansas for the green valleys of California.  Just down the road is the Cactus Inn Motel, which is still in operation.  McLean also has a barbed wire museum; unfortunately it’s closed on Sundays.  Driving down Route 66 through town, it’s hard to imagine that it was once a thriving community with over 20 auto-related businesses - dealerships, repair shops, gas stations etc.  It’s now a sleepy town of about 800 on the outskirts of Amarillo.

Groom is McLean’s smaller neighbor to the west.  I stretched my legs at The Leaning Tower of Texas.  Erected by a business man in the early 80s, it’s long been a topic of conversation.  Texas Highways did a story on it last year; be sure to check it out here.

Amarillo is the largest Texas city on Route 66.  Between the Big Texan, U.S. Route 66–Sixth Street Historic District, and Cadillac Ranch, I knew I wouldn't have enough time for me to truly explore Amarillo, so I decided to skip it on this pass.  I did stop for pictures at the Big Texan and made my way to Slug Bug Ranch.  

  

  

My main goal for day 1 was to grab a slice of pie at the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, the actual midpoint of the entire Will Rogers Highway.  They close at 4:00 on Sundays, so I knew I wanted to be there by 3:30 at the latest.  Imagine my surprise when I got there at 3:15 and the door was locked!  I called and gave my sob story and the manager was kind enough to let me in.  I grabbed my first souvenirs of the trip and a delicious slice of coconut cream pie.  The whole adventure was made even better when I realized a friend and her family were seated and enjoying their own pie.  What a fabulous surprise!

At this point in the day, I was ready to be in Tucumcari.  It’s only about an hour west of Midpoint, so I arrived and checked into my motel by 5:00.  I was lucky enough to snag a room at the Blue Swallow Motel.  I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I tell you staying at the Blue Swallow was one of the highlights of the trip.  It has been meticulously restored and the owners give you a tour upon check in and share all the history with you.  After being there only 5 minutes, it was easy to see why it’s always booked and highly recommended.  After dinner at SideKix On 66, I found a New Mexico beer at the grocery store and enjoyed a gorgeous evening sitting outside of my room.

  

  

I made sure to drive around and take in the dozens of murals and neon signs, since the museums and even some of the restaurants I wanted to try were closed for the day. 

Q is for Quanah

Quanah was the first stop on my road trip this summer.  It was early on Sunday morning, so I didn’t get to experience the town, but I did find one of the arrows that marks the life and times of the town's namesake, Quanah Parker.

I also found a marker commemorating a shootout between two law officers at the Quanah Depot.  The shootout happened in 1890 and was really the result of verbal sparring and someone’s feelings being hurt.

Quanah is just over 3 hours from Fort Worth, so I’m hopeful that I can visit again to explore a bit more of this town.

V is for Vega

Woo hoo!!!  I checked off one of the most challenging letters on my Rt. 66 trip.

Vega is a small community about 30 miles west of Amarillo.  It’s located on the original Route 66 and is often called the “Crossroads of America.”  Arriving on a Sunday afternoon, there wasn’t really anything open.  But I did find the restored Magnolia Station, which was the second gas station to be built in Vega in the early 20’s.  It was two stories which allowed the operator to live upstairs and always be available to customers stopping for gas and other supplies.

On the same lot as Magnolia is one of the Quanah Parker arrows.  The twenty-two foot arrows, located throughout the high plains of Texas, commemorates various places where the Comanches, and their last chief, Quanah Parker, hunted, traded, lived, traveled, and fought in the late 1800s.  There are over 70 arrows; here is a list of the counties you can find them in.  The  Vega arrow notes a Comanche camping spot as they traveled north to Tucumcari and Tecovas Springs.

Vega is also home to Dot’s Mini Museum and the Milburn-Price Culture Museum. 

S is for San Saba

My final destination for the day was San Saba.  I’ve always been interested in visiting this town of about 3000 for a couple of reasons.  Texas Monthly has done a few stories over the pecan capital of Texas over the years, most notably about the murder of a pecan matriarch.  Also, Tommy Lee Jones, one of my favorite actors, has a ranch in San Saba.  Unfortunately, I did not run into him.

Instead of a hotel, I opted for an Airbnb just north of San Saba in Richland Springs.  I stayed in a 1 bedroom house on a ranch.  It was absolutely gorgeous!  After picking up dinner from Pecan House Grill in town, I headed back to dine on the back porch.  What a view!  It included scimitar-horned oryx, sheep, and chickens.  If you need a place to stay in Central Texas, I highly recommend staying here.  Close by is the Regency Suspension Bridge.  It’s a one-lane suspension bridge over the Colorado River that spans 403 feet.  You can drive it or walk it;  I chose to drive it. It was a bit nerve-wracking so I probably went a little faster than I should have, but I was anxious to get to the other side.  Joke’s on me though . . . I had to turn around and drive back over it otherwise it would have taken me another 45 minutes to get to my final destination.

Before heading to Round Rock on Sunday, I took in the town of San Saba.  Most of the stores were closed, but I was able to take a morning walk at San Saba River Nature Park.  Afterwards I found the Wedding Oak Tree, which is rumored to be the location of both Indian and early settler weddings over the years.  It is actually noted as a historic tree in Texas.  I ended my time in the pecan capital with a visit to Wedding Oak Winery where I promptly joined the wine club.

 

E is for Early

Just outside of Brownwood is Early, a town of just a few thousand.  As you can imagine, there isn’t a lot to do in Early, but I did manage to find a winery to visit after lunch.  Skies Over Texas Winery has a great variety of wines to choose from and their tasting room is laid back and casual.  The perfect place to spend a Saturday afternoon.  I did a flight so I could try a few different options while I enjoyed the scenery and a good book.

B is for Brownwood

My quest to visit a Texas town for each letter of the alphabet continued in March 2026.  I had a conference in Round Rock that started at the end of my Spring Break, so I left a couple of days early to hit up a few towns.

Brownwood is a town of just under 20,000 people at the north end of the Texas Hill County.  I really wanted to visit because of Intermission, an independent bookstore housed in a movie theater originally built in the 1920s.  Visiting an independent bookstore is always fun, but this one was especially cool.  They did an amazing job of maintaining the history of the theater.  You can see the imprints of soldiers who laid their heads against the walls as they watched movies.  These WWII soldiers were based at nearby Camp Bowie, where they trained.  Camp Bowie was actually the largest military training camp in Texas, so you can just imagine the number of soldiers who came through Brownwood in the 1940s.  

Brownwood was also a railroad hub for the Southwest so be sure to visit the Lehnis Railroad Museum and Visitor Center.  You’ll be able to see so many different artifacts from this era.  The museum did a really great job of creating displays that give you a good understanding of the role the railroad had across the southwest region of the United States.  I especially enjoyed the exhibits that focused on the Harvey Hotels along the route.  If you don’t know about the Harvey Girls, check out the movie starring Judy Garland.  In keeping with the train theme, I decided to have lunch at Runaway Train Cafe.  It’s a small cafe in an older train dining car.  The food was typical diner fare, but it was a fun experience.