Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Leaving Tucumcari

Wednesday May 25, 2011
Enchanted Trails RV Park
Albuquerque, NM

Today was running day so we went out
to run around Tucumcari
and perhaps over to the “Historic Section”. 
I’m trying to get moving here
on ROUTE 66,
Tucumcari  Blvd the  main street.
But I’m definitely not getting “my kicks”
at the moment.
J

P1050015

Cut over off of 66 to some side streets
and passed this interesting private home

P1050025

Over into the “historic district” and
past the Oden Theater

P1050034

which is still showing movies

P1050035

but is for sale.

P1050036
Interested in going into business for yourself?
Looks like an excellent price  for this theater
and everything inside including the popcorn machine.
Sure hope somebody buys it. 
It’s a long way to the next town for a movie
assuming they even have a theater. 
Sadly Not much happening in
this part of the state without Route 66..

 
Do you think, in cases like this, the city should
buy the theater at this price to keep it alive and then
contract the running out like many National Parks do their “concessions”?

There are a number of interesting buildings
in the historic area
(loved the trim work here-click to enlarge)

P1050039 

including the “other” movie house which is out of business
Great looking building.  Really a shame.

P1050040

Looks like they may be restoring the train station
although it was hard to tell since it was before 8AM
and no one was working although just to
down the block to were a bunch of guys
in orange vests being talked to by a
buy with a bullhorn.  But they might
have been highway workers.
Hope not.

P1050042 

One thing Tucumcari does have for sure are some
excellent muralists as you’ve
already seen.
Here are some that we ran by today.

P1050029 

P1050030 

P1050031 

P1050041 

Finally, we ran back through the neighborhoods
to Winnona

P1050046

The loss of Route 66 and now
the economic recession have hit this
area very hard.  We are sure
hoping for the best for these
folks and what could be a darling little town.

P1050044 

Notice the shrine in this woman’s yard.
very common here.

P1050045 

Breakfast, shower, departure list check offs
and we’re on our way to Albuquerque.

It was a 185 mile trip
and I was VERY GLAD the 50mph winds
from yesterday were absent today.

As we drove down I-40 we saw
signs saying “Dangerous Crosswinds”
and “Gusty Winds May be Present”.


Although the winds were much less strong than yesterday,
we could really feel them hitting the side of rig.
Hold on tight, keep her in the lane.


For sure I would never drive this route in anything
more windy than we had today.  Wish we had
a wind speed indicator on Winnona so I’d know exactly
how strong those winds were.

WE pulled into Enchanted Trails RV Park & Trading Company
around 3pm.  It’s another desert campground.
Dirt and Trees.
Seems like all these places have some nice big
trees up toward the front of the park which is
the area shown on their websites but most
of the park is treeless or at best one
medium size tree for every 3 sites.
Ahhhh for our days of wooded parks.
J

P1050048

Here there is one picnic table for every other site,
sites are close together but it is
the least expensive thing around Albuquerque. 
$30 a night for 30 amp service.  50% discount for
Passport America for a max of 2 nights. 
20% discount for Good Sam on the other nights. 
So our bill for 4 nights was $84. 
Pretty good for this area.

They do have nice clean restrooms,
though the showers are old,
and a pool for cooling off in.
But poor Wifi and no cable.


Since we have an air card, don’t watch TV
and have a fine restroom ourselves,
we were only interested in proximity to
the Petroglyph National Monument,
The Pueblo Indian Culture Museum
and Old Town Albuquerque.
All of these are on the west side of
the city so this is a perfect spot.


We got pulled in and went to level up.
But the driver’s side rear jack won’t come down.
We banged and banged and put the jacks up and
down and banged some more.   Checked the fuse.


Not sure what to do about this.  I’m wondering
if, given the winds and dirt, I should have been
crawling under the coach each time we arrive and depart
to wipe off the jacks and spray WD40.

We have a Camping World right next door,
the only one in New Mexico,
but after doing some research, we found that they had
unanimously terrible recommendations for their service. 
So at the moment we aren’t sure
what we are going to do about this problem.

If you have any ideas or experience with this
please let us know.

We had the usual leftovers for travel day dinner.
Although these were left over kabobs so that was great!

I worked on reconciling our Mastercard before paying it.
While David went out to take pictures of all the
toy vintage RVs the owner has collected.

The park office is filled
with antique RV trailer models
and their cars.
Only a few class A’s, mostly trailers from the 40’s & 50’s.

(click on any you’d like to enlarge)


P1050395

P1050398

P1050399

P1050403

This one looks like a mini Winnebago friend
of Winnona and Wanda. 
J
They haven’t changed that big W in years.

P1050400

Aren’t they cute?
P1050401

P1050402

I think the guy in the back is getting out his grille. :-)

P1050405

These were just a few of the
literally hundreds all around the office on shelves.

Where does she get them all?

P1050404

 

P1050407

These folks look like they are having a good time
in the car passenger’s seat and the trailer doorways.

P1050408

Hmmm, who do you think had the best time
this evening??

The park owner not only has a collection of models
but has real life antique trailers in the campground.
David found out that there is a gathering of
a vintage trailer group here this week-end so
he’s quite excited.
Here are the ones permanently
on display in the campground.
P1050049 

David thought it was so cool that the car was a 41 Hudson.

P1050050 

I’ve never seen a Winnebago trailer
Do they still make them?

P1050055

Is Yellowstone still in business? 

P1050057 

P1050056 

P1050058 

P1050059

Closer view of the Commodore 6’s Trailer.

P1050060 

Which is so shiny you can see the photographer

P1050061A 

Seems like it ought to be called the Gold
rather than the Silver Streak

P1050052 

P1050053

That about wraps up this day.
Another good one!!!!!!!
Hope the wind will stay down for tomorrow
so we can get out and do things.
Check back and see if we make it.

2 comments:

  1. Looks like you're having a blast on Route 66. It is a shame to see all the glorious buildings form the past crumbling away.

    Loved the vintage trailers, at least somethings are preserved.

    Winnebago started in the trailer business and switched to motorhomes only in the mid sixties. That trailer is a really rare one!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Those miniature RV's are adorable! Love the retro full-size versions too!

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are the best part of this blog for me.
I LOVE hearing from you!