Day Nine - Tucumcari to Albuquerque

I left the Blue Swallow Motel with a bit of sadness in my heart. It was so wonderful to sleep in another era. But I had a big day this day and I needed to get started! But I would miss my “fully refrigerated” room!

 

First up was the Route 66 Auto Museum in Santa Rosa. This museum is enshrined in the I-would-have-gone-into-this-museum-if-Rich-were-with-me but-since-he-isn't-I-used-the-bathroom-bought-a-postcard-and-hit-the-road Hall of Fame. And I did just that. And had a nice lady take my picture on this somewhat cool couch.

 

Any of you who know me well are aware of my fear of Blue Holes. As a kid I was terrified of the Blue Hole in Castalia, Ohio. I had nightmares that I was in it and no one knew where I was. Apparently I was drowning-proof in these dreams, which was handy. But the place scared the hell out of me. My college friend Sara shared the same fear and even wrote a creepy dirge about it when she was a kid. “Blue Hole, Blue Hole, Nobody knows how deep it is, nobody knows how deep it is, Blue Hole.” Terrifying isn't it? Anyway, I decided to face my fear and visit the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa. Imagine my shock when I saw how they had taken this place of horror and despair and turned it into a rockin' little water park! I was thrilled. Take that, Blue Hole!

I got to Albuquerque earlier than necessary so I decided to hie my way to the National Museum of Nuclear Energy. Because who wouldn't? I looked around and decided to award it a place in the IWHGITMIRWWMBSHIIUTBBAPAHTR Hall of Fame. Great gift shop! Clean bathrooms! I assume there is educational content in there somewhere, too. But I'll never know!

I went and killed some time in a book store, had a sandwich and then checked into the hotel.

Then went to pick up my travel companion for the next 4 days – KATHLEEN!!!

 

Kathleen is a Betsy-Tacy friend from Phoenix who has been bit by the travel bug HARD! She is going to be my guide to the Southwest – the Tonto to my Lone Ranger, the Sacajawea to my Lewis and Clark, the Ratso Rizzo to my Joe Buck. It is going to be fun to have another travel companion and since she has the most positive attitude since Effie Trinket, I just know we are going to have a great time! (Spoiler – we do!) 

First of all, Kathleen claims she never watches TV. Now she hikes a lot. If you don't know what that is, it means she goes to the edge of civilization and walks into the wilderness FOR FUN! I know, it sounds crazy to me, too. But it is enough to make me believe her about the horrible “no tv” thing. However, when I mention that we could go on a BREAKING BAD tour before dinner, she squealed like a bobby-soxer at a Pat Boone concert.  

 

So we went to Jesse and Jane's apartment...

and to Jesse's house...

and most importantly the hotel where Windy used to work the parking lot! We did not, however make it to The Candy Lady candy store which sells the blue rock candy that was the actual stand-in for Walter White's finest creation. So no meth for us!

 

For dinner, we went to the Route 66 diner which was adorable. I wanted Kathleen to get a feel for the Route a little, even though I am still a little routed out, but damned if it didn't just charm the heck out of me.

The place looked like 1950 inside and out. And they had chicken pot pie as the blue plate special. 

 

 

It was like they knew I was coming!

The neon was spectacular outside. There were a few other establishments in the neighborhood that added to the vibe.

 

And this is the picture that was over our table. If you don't recognize it, it is the Blue Swallow Motel. I ended the day, right where I started out!

Kathleen is a wonderful travel companion. She doesn't make me hike. She lets me turn on stupid sitcom reruns on the hotel tv, even though she has no idea who these people are, and she likes to read before bed. Perfect!

And thus another great day on Route 66 draws to a close.