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

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

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

which is still showing movies

but is for sale.

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)

 

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

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.

 

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

 

 

 

 

Finally, we ran back through the neighborhoods
to Winnona

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.

 

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

 

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

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)

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

Aren’t they cute?

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

These were just a few of the
literally hundreds all around the office on shelves.
Where does she get them all?

 

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

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.
 

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

 

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

Is Yellowstone still in business? 

 

 

 

Closer view of the Commodore 6’s Trailer.

 

Which is so shiny you can see the photographer

 

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

 

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.