The Road Goes On Forever (Continued)
Well, not really. But this trip is indeed a longish one.
US 70 – in the past called the “Broadway of America” – is still around, albeit no longer coast-to-coast (it now ends where it meets US 60 in Globe, Arizona). Still: parts of US 70 are indeed a drop-dead gorgeous drive.
US 70 is particularly scenic through New Mexico. The photo above was taken between Clovis and Roswell – and that’s probably the least scenic part of the road in the state.
Much of the rest of the highway west of Roswell is incredibly beautiful. Since I don’t want anyone to accuse me of “stolen religion” (smile), I won’t claim this trip is a religious pilgrimage – even though the road does pass the entrance to The Inn of the Mountain Gods. (Sidebar: I’ve stopped there to see the place, but I’ve not yet stayed. It’s a gorgeous inn, at around 7000’ elevation in Ponderosa pine country. Staying there for a weekend or longer one day is on my “try to do this if you can” list.)
One of the most beautiful stretches on US 70 in New Mexico is the Tularosa basin. The following just seemed apropos while crossing it after an early start. And traversing the Tularosa basin during a red-tinged sunrise while listening to this was . . . nice.
Y’all take care. I’ll check in while traveling as circumstances and time permit.
PS: Skippy, don’t say anything. (smile)
Category: Pointless blather, Who knows
Nice. But does the party ever end?
Hondo, you’re a Peter Gabriel fan? Cool! I also enjoy old-school Genesis.
The heart of America still lives along these old roadways, bypassed forever by faster throughways. Route 66 comes to mind, 31W still has the old motels and 50’s tourist traps. Old US12 (Michigan Avenue) still connects Detroit to Chicago, albeit made desert by I94. Memories of truckers and tourists past.
The last time I drove this road it was so dark, no street lights, no cars. I pulled over and stood outside and it was like being in the stars
I did that on Rt. 55 southeast from Chicago. The night sky was a clear as you can get. No farmhouse lights, except at the horizon. No moon.
I stopped the car on the side of the road and got out and sat on the hood fora a few minutes, and a pair of shooting stars streaked their way down the night sky.
Good times.
A fabulous image.
The Road Goes Ever On
The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
Let others follow it who can!
Let them a journey new begin,
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet.
The Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 6
Or, the earlier version, from the Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 1:
The beauty of that poem of J.R.R. Tolkien’s is that we all can relate to one of the various versions of it which he put through his works.
Hondo,
How are those generator sales going?
MCPO
I love those long roads through the wildness of West Texas and New Mexico – when I’ve had plenty of sleep.
Some beautiful spots there – if you can stay out of Santa Fe and Taos.
Don’t tell me you can hear the hum.
Not to mention when you go through the Tularosa Basin you pass White Sands and several old West historical sites (including where Pat Garrett was killed just the other side of the Organs.) That used to be my road to work to El Paso.
You skirted by Ruidoso between Roswell and Alamogordo. What a jewel of a place!
The title made me think of Robert Earl Keen…
“The road goes on forever but the party never ends.”
Great song, Robert Earl Keen is awesome.
Hondo of all my years traveling the highways pursuing the “gold buckle” dream my favorite time of the day was just as the sun was going down and putting Bob Seger Greatest Hits in the CD player. Starts off with “Roll Me Away” followed by “Night Moves” and by time darkness fall across the plains “Turn the Page” starts.
I’ve done well as a dad because my teenagers appreciate dad’s little ritual when on family road trips.
Hondo, wish I’d known you were going to be out that way as I might have been able to steer you to some lesser-traveled highways even more scenic. We moved to Ruidoso from the Texas Hill Country back in 2005 to take care of my wife’s aging parents. They were gone by 2010 but we lingered on for another three years, finally induced to move by drought, deadly forest fires and the remoteness from specialty medical care.
Safe travels, Hondo!
I’m familiar with the eastern end of US 70, having traveled almost to its end in Atlantic, NC. I have had to stay on NC 12 to catch the ferry and so turned NE for Cedar Island.
Hondo, if you ever get a chance, I highly recommend you use Farmington (NM) as a start point, and just drive in any direction.
North along 550, you go through Durango, Silverton, and the Million Dollar Highway.
South along 371, takes you to Chaco Canyon with the incredible Pueblo that are still in remarkable shape.
West along 64 towards Shiprock. Nuff said.
Or east along 64 past Bloomfield, through Terra Amarillo and Tres Piedras, and instead of turning right to go to Taos, turn left instead arena go into Questa and Red River.
All good.
Tierra Amarilla.
Fucking autocorrect.
Drove my truck across The Million Dollar. Used to run Wolf Creek Pass quite often. Uh, don’t do it in the winter.
And of course, no trip to NM would be complete without a trip to Sadie’s or the Pioneer Cafe in Albuquerque.
Green Chile apple pie. Try it. Seriously.
Pioneer? Meant Frontier, near UNM, iirc.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking.
I don’t think the problem is with your drinking…
*ducks*
The land of billy the kid, beautiful country, Ruidoso, Lincoln, Capitan th birth place of Smokey the Bear
We maybe moving to Cloudcroft next year I really can’t do the heat here in Tucson anymore
It hit 98 here at the house yesterday I’m done with the “blast furnace”
The Tularosa valley this time of year is amazing also High Rolls the apples are ripe
Getting crowded in Cloudcroft – I hear tell over 2000 people live there now. Used to be nice in the winter when only about 600 folks were around.
Move north to the Upper Midwest. Plenty of cooler weather in the fall and snow in the winter.
I’ve been lucky enough to travel a bunch of these roads that interstates have passed.
Hwy 66, Hwy 70, US 95 from Yuma to Lewiston, ID and north, US 1 from Houlton, ME to Key West.
Lot’s of great country to see if you slow down and take a look.
Geez, 281/183 that runs through the heatland of the plains, 54 from Tucumcari through Liberal, KS (Hey, there’s Dorithy’s house from The Wizard Of Oz!)US 2 across the Northern Plains from MI to WA
Great roads