We got Our Kicks.... on Route 66

During the summer a group of women followed the Route 66 pulling vintage trailers and having a boatload of fun.  I followed their journey on Facebook knowing that I would follow in their tracks at a later date.  While in Chicago we visited the starting point of Route 66 but we we headed to New England leaving the Route 66 trail in the dust, but we always knew we would find the trail again.

We picked up the Route 66 trail in Oklahoma and followed along the southwest through Arizona before heading up to Utah.

Our first stop was in Clinton, Oklahoma where we stopped at the Route 66 Museum.  We stopped at another Museum along Route 66 but this was our favorite.

 

We watched for signs and noticed that the highway follows along I-40 which makes it easy to follow along.  Zip off, follow along, back on to the interstate...We make our way along the highway at a snails pace. 

One of our zip off the interstate revealed this iconic gas station....though not open for operation, it was a great photo op in Shamrock Oklahoma.

One stop that we were sure that we would see was Cadillac Ranch.... ,  Most people have heard of it.  We were determined to see it, fortunately it is right off of the highway so if you miss the exit just get off at the next one and circle back.

Can you imagine how many layers of paint it on the old relics?

 Clearly, everything available to be marked.......is! 

                                                         Probably the most ignored sign in Texas!

We took a couple of grocery bags with us as we walked among the Cadillac tombstones and gathered some of the discarded cans.  It is so nice to have everything you need in your little home as you go down the road.

Plenty of cows......but where are the oil rigs?

We asked along the way about a Route 66 Diner and many people recommended a diner in Albuquerque that we added to our must do list.

We don't eat out a lot during our travels but this was one exception. Though I don't remember a lot about the breakfast (except how hungry we were for the pancakes) We were so busy enjoying all thee memorabilia.  The building started out as a local gas station and garage and was later converted to the diner of present.  

 

It was like having breakfast in a museum.  It was worth the stop!!

After breakfast we headed into Old Town Albuquerque.  Not exactly my thing.... since I'm not much of a shopper, but it was hard for me to drive on by and not check it out.   Who knows when I will be in the area again.

We were here on Sunday morning so we did not go into San Felipe de Neri Church as we did not want to disturb the worshipers.  (We did peek in and it is beautiful)

Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, sits in the high desert. Its modern Downtown core contrasts with Old Town, dating to the city’s 1706 founding as a Spanish colony. Old Town is filled with historic adobe buildings, such as San Felipe de Neri Church, and shops selling Native American handicrafts.

 




We wondered through the streets and shops and I particularly enjoyed the architecture and the hidden courtyards.  In the New Mexico heat, they are a cool respite.

A beautiful community out side of the city.

There is much to see and we saw so little.  I am looking forward to spending much more time in the area and exploring more sights and the culture of the area.  My eyes have been opened to how much there is that I haven't experienced that it stir the hunger for my wondering rather than satisfies the wonderlust.

What a Great Big Beautiful World we live in.....