AMERICA’S MAIN STREET
4-6 August. Few roads in America have captured the imagination quite like Route 66. Established in 1926, the legendary highway stretched nearly 2,500 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, carrying generations of travellers westward through the heart of America. It became a symbol of freedom, adventure and the open road, immortalized in songs, movies and the classic roadside motels, diners, gas stations and neon signs that sprang up along its route.
Although Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985, much of the original road remains, preserved through towns and stretches of highway that proudly celebrate its history. Driving a section of it today feels like stepping into a little piece of Americana — and somewhere around the halfway point, you really start to appreciate just how enormous this legendary journey was.
CADILLAC RANCH
Joining Route 66 in Amarillo, turning West we stopped at a quirky roadside attraction — Cadillac Ranch.
Ten vintage Cadillacs stand nose-down in the West Texas soil, covered in thousands of layers of spray paint. Created in 1974 by the art group Ant Farm, the cars have become an iconic symbol of Route 66, roadside adventure and the freedom to leave your mark.
Finding half empty cans we added our own little splash of colour before continuing west.
MID POINT
Our next quick stop was Adrian, Texas, marking the halfway point — 1,138 miles in each direction.
It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come.
From leaving Vancouver almost two years ago, through Mexico, Central and South America, across countless borders, mountains, deserts and oceans — and now we’re making our way back west across the United States.
We stopped here for an hour, chatted with the store owner, snapped a few photos before continuing on.
TUCUMCARI
We made a quick stop in Tucumcari, spending about an hour wandering around.
A classic Route 66 town, Tucumcari is filled with old neon signs, vintage motels and plenty of roadside Americana. It was a fun little glimpse for the kids to look back in time…
SANTA ROSA – NEW MEXICO
We spent the night camped just outside of town in a state park that was once on the shores of Santa Rosa Lake. Clearly, it was once a very big lake, but now, likely due to the changing climate, it’s little more than a muddy, swollen river. The boat ramp is at a scary steep angle, ending 20 feet before the waterline, and looks completely unused.
The park/campground had just one other occupant — the ranger. The bathrooms and showers were clean, but the water ran at one temperature: hot! Disappointing when there was no chance of cooling off. Usually, camp showers are cold.
Their rules were still stringent. We paid the minimum, which gave us a camping spot in the gravel lot. No picnic tables, no trees for shade. Just an uninviting, dusty parking lot.
When we arrived, the sun was still high, so sneakily we parked at a $75/night spot that had a table and shelter. Prepared to be moved along, we were surprised when night fell and we didn’t get the boot.
THE BLUE HOLE
The next morning we headed over to the Blue Hole, a natural opening into an underground water system that had become a popular place for swimming. The water was absolutely glacier cold, but in the early morning heat, the kids — and eventually I — went swimming. They were in their element, jumping in, swimming around and chasing the crawfish that lived along the edges.
It’s only about 80 feet across, but drops straight down more than 80 feet. The water is incredibly clear and stays at a year-round 16°C. The sun doesn’t get much of a chance to warm even the surface because of the flow rate. The sign said roughly 3,000 gallons per minute pours through, which works out to an astonishing 4.3 million gallons every day! That’s enough to completely replace the water in the pool every six hours. Pretty impressive, especially considering there was no visible current.
Apparently, the Blue Hole formed when groundwater slowly dissolved the limestone, creating caves and cavities underground. Eventually, the roof collapsed, exposing the groundwater and creating the sinkhole we see today.
There are underwater passages beneath the pool that divers can explore with a guide. Some extend well beyond the main 81-foot pool, although access to the deeper passages is now gated off following several fatalities.
Charley and Jaxon jumped in several times. I eventually joined them for a quick dive and swim to the steps. The water was shockingly cold — glacier cold. So cold that when I climbed out, I couldn’t even feel the heat of the sun!
Next stop Pecos National Historical Park, and Los Alamos where we learn all about the Manhattan Project…