Storm Floods Route 66 Near Church Rock

Above, driving on History Route 66 a week ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The strongest storm of this year's monsoon season hit Friday in the late afternoon and into Saturday morning dumped torrential rains along with thunder and lightning.

I was planning to bring the Jeep into Gallup this coming week to get another tire and get a lug replaced that the tire shop broke a week ago. But the storm flooded Historic Route 66 near the McGaffey exit of Interstate 40 near Church Rock. It always manages to get flooded at that spot during powerful storms. As the Jeep has limited speed (around 50 mph.), I don't drive it for very long on Interstate 40, just about two miles at most. Barricades have been erected keeping vehicle traffic out of that section of Route 66. 

Once Route 66 gets cleared out and reopens, then I can drive the Jeep into Gallup.

We May Lose Our Post Office

Above, the little post office serving Jamestown, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This morning, I went over to the post office at the Flying J and found it closed with no new mail in our post office boxes.

The p.o. mistress called off and the Flying J doesn't want to have Rihanna (who ran the post office until about a month ago) doing any back-up. 

I spoke with the manager and he said that they only get $10,000/year for the post office from the Postal Service and that doesn't cover the Flying J's costs.

Also, he said that it will probably be closed down in a month and we'll likely have to get our mail in Gallup. 

Unless the Postal Service forks over more cash, we'll lose our post office. If we have to go into Gallup for our mail, we're screwed unless they can have it moved to either Fort Wingate or Church Rock, where there are existing post offices. 

We'll have to wait and see what happens. 

Maybe we ought to hold a protest and block the road to the Flying J. 😄

"Land of Enchantment" Has A Long History

Above, Church Rock near Gallup. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The state of New Mexico is called "The Land of Enchantment". Some of us in the state sometimes refer to it instead as "The Land of Potholes" due to the many potholes that permeate the state's highways. But that's a topic for another time.

How did New Mexico become known as "The Land of Enchantment"?

The Albuquerque Journal has a brief history of how that moniker came to be.

They start it out with:

Enchant: to influence by or as if by charms and incantation, bewitch; to attract and move deeply; rouse to ecstatic admiration

These are definitions according to Merriam-Webster but the word has deeper meaning for New Mexicans.

For decades, the country’s 47th state has been known as the Land of Enchantment. It’s sometimes hard to explain the allure of New Mexico to new arrivals and those who have never been here, but alluring it is, despite often finding itself on the bottom of one list or another.

Its laid-back approach to life, its infinite vistas, stunning sunsets, multi-cultural communities who, daily, breathe life into their traditions, and its underlying rebellious spirit have been known to cast a spell on visitors and residents alike. To understand how New Mexico earned this title, we have to travel back more than 100 years to the height of the railroad because it’s the railroad that most likely first coined the phrase.

To read more, go here. 

A More Seasonal Week Ahead

Above, Church Rock from Red Rock Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The weird weather we had over the weekend appears to be over.

We had snow showers, rain, hail and sleet at times that were topped off with gusty winds. The coming week will be more seasonal with daytime temperatures into the 60s and above-freezing temperatures at night for Jamestown, New Mexico.

According to the National Weather Service:

Today

Sunny, with a high near 61. West wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight

Mostly clear, with a low around 32. West wind 10 to 20 mph.

Tuesday

Sunny, with a high near 63. West wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon.

Tuesday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. West wind 10 to 15 mph becoming south after midnight.

Wednesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. Windy, with a southwest wind 10 to 20 mph increasing to 20 to 30 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.

Wednesday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 36. Windy.

Thursday

Sunny, with a high near 65.

Thursday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Friday

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 62.

Friday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 34.

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 68.

Saturday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 39.

Sunday

Sunny, with a high near 72. 

Picked Up The Jeep

Above, heading home on Historic Route 66 near Church Rock. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This morning was spent doing laundry and going into Gallup to pick up the Jeep from the mechanic's shop.

It developed some fuel line issues (filters and fuel pump) and the repairs were done yesterday. But since it was late in the afternoon, I thought it would be a better idea to pick it up today.

Since the Jeep's maximum speed is around 50 m.p.h, I took Historic Route 66 most of the way home. I got on Interstate 40 at the Iyanbito bridge and found the traffic was backed up from the construction in the area near my exit.

That actually was fine with me. Shortly after getting on the freeway, the traffic was moving at around 45-50 m.p.h. With that speed, I was able to keep up with the rest of the traffic and not irritate drivers by driving slower than them. It was only a two mile drive on I-40.

I relaxed on the deck with a glass of ice tea and a stogie. It was a nice 72° outside. Spring has finally sprung!

Navajo Gaming's Casinos Expect To Reopen By Mid-June

Above, the main lobby of Twin Arrows Casino Resort. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whenever I drive across Arizona, I usually stop at Twin Arrows Casino Resort just outside of Flagstaff on Interstate 40 for coffee and, most often, a breakfast break (they have good food, by the way). But due to coronavirus, Twin Arrows and other Indian casinos in Arizona and New Mexico have been closed.

Twin Arrows is part of Navajo Gaming, which also has Fire Rock Casino in Church Rock, New Mexico, Northern Edge Casino in Upper Fruitland and Flowing Water in Hogback.. I used to go to Fire Rock for dinner before they changed their menu. I went for their linguini and clams dinner, but their menu change eliminated that. However, their chili chicken Alfredo is quite good.

The Gallup Independent reported yesterday that the casinos under Navajo Gaming's wing are expected to reopen by mid-June.

During the time the casinos have been closed, they have been undergoing a "deep biohazard cleaning."

It will be nice to see them open again.

Power Outage: Doing Today What I Couldn't Do Yesterday

Above, doing today what I couldn't do yesterday. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Thanks to the five-hours power outage we had yesterday, I am getting stuff done today what I intended to do yesterday.

The outage affected Jamestown, Iyanbito and Church Rock, New Mexico.

The power outage began while I was in the shower. That was no big deal. But afterwards, I had to shave in somewhat darkened conditions. I couldn't use the Mustang since the garage door opener for it was inoperable. So I used the Jeep. The garage door on the Jeep side of the garage is opened manually.

The only thing different I had to do, since there was no power to use the microwave to heat coffee, I migrated for a while to The Beast and used its generator to power my coffeemaker (five-cup) inside. What was left after having a couple of cups, was to bring the rest to the house and whenever I wanted to heat some up, use the stove. Since that's a propane stove, with no power the electronic burner lighting system wouldn't start the burners. So I had to go "old school" and use a match.

Today, I am just about done doing laundry. After that, I will likely take the Jeep out for a drive. 

Route 66 Decommissioned 34 Years Ago

Above, Roy's Motel on Route 66 in Amboy, California. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those history and travel buffs, this weeks marks an anniversary, 34 to be exact.

It was 34 years ago this week that Route 66, formerly known as the "Mother Road" was decommissioned. The rise of interstates, turnpikes and four-lane highways led more people to bypass the historic road. After the decommissioning, Route 66 was no longer maintained as a highway by the federal government.

According to Wikipedia, the date of the decommissioning was June 26, 1985.

Route 66 wound its way through eight states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

Above, a Route 66 sign in Church Rock, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

However, Route 66 is still popular with travelers who like to drive the historic route (where it still exists). Marker signs touting "Historic Route 66" have sprung up in different places along the route.

On occasion, when Interstate 40 in New Mexico is congested due to construction or an accident, I take Route 66 from Gallup to the Iyanbito bridge.

Dinner At Fire Rock Navajo Casino

Above, Cheii Grill at Fire Rock Casino. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, I spent most of the afternoon doing yard work. The weeds here grow pretty fast.

I mainly used a Ryobi string trimmer to cut the weeds down (I'll have to invest in a lawn mower to get the job done faster). After several hours of this (with breaks for the lithium battery to charge), my arms felt as if they'd fall off. So I was in no mood to cook dinner.

I decided to treat myself to a green chile chicken Alfredo at the Cheii Grill at Fire Rock Navajo Casino near Gallup. It is only about nine miles from home on Historic Route 66.

Above, the green chile chicken Alfredo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I got there and ordered. While waiting, I did some reading on my phone and really didn't notice the time pass. The waitress came over and apologized about the long delay in getting my order. It must've been about 40 minutes since I ordered.

Eventually, my order arrived. Although I miss the linguine and clams they had, the green chile chicken Alfredo is a delicious alternative.

Above, eastbound on Route 66 just east of Church Rock, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The waitress returned with my bill and said that she talked to the manager and because it took so long for my order, they discounted the meal. The total (including tax and a drink) came to $7.37. Normally, the meal alone (before tax) is $11.95. Not too shabby!

Above, last night's fire. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After paying the bill, I wandered around the casino for a little while. Although I had good luck playing roulette at Casino Royale aboard the Majesty of the Seas during our Cuba cruise, I wasn't in a gambling mood. So, I headed back home on Route 66 and upon arrival, fired up the fire pit.

Today's agenda is just paying bills and doing laundry. Then, once that's done, relaxing on the deck with a cigar and some Alien Amber Ale.

Superman Canyon Found

Above, the rock formations I was looking for. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A few weeks ago, I took a drive to the area of McKinley County north of the mesas that are across from Jamestown.

One of the routes was New Mexico Highway 566. A little north of Red Rock Park and Church Rock near Gallup, I saw some interesting rock formations at a bend in the road. I was wondering if they had a name and details on their formation. So I did a search. This area is about 15 miles from my home.

Above, Superman Canyon Road intersects with NM 566 about a half mile north of this spot. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While doing so, I found that the route on NM 566 goes through an area called "Superman Canyon". Looking through a slideshow of LocationsHub, the rock formations are included. The actual Superman Canyon is west of NM 566.

The area nearby was used in the 1978 Superman movie for the scenes of the death of Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). (See Filmed There's page on this.)

Above, the general area of Superman Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The road into Superman Canyon is Superman Canyon Road (Navajo Route 511), which appears to be inside of the Navajo Nation. The canyon itself is ten miles long and Superman Canyon Road does intersect with NM 566.

Well, while this is interesting movie location trivia, I still haven't found what the rock formations are. It is also interesting to find something that one wasn't even looking for.

Sunday Drive

Above, interesting rock formations a mile or so from Church Rock off Hwy. 566. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This morning, I decided to take a two-hour Sunday drive in a part of New Mexico I hadn't been to.

The route I took (see map below) began in Church Rock on Highway 566. I went north from there to to turn east on a Navajo road (N11-49) through Pinedale, Mariano Lake and Smith Lake, and then down Highway 371 to Thoreau to Interate 40. This is the area behind the mesas north of Jamestown.

Above, Church Rock from Highway 566. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Most of the scenery along N11-49 was primarily ranches. Much of the area is part of the Navajo Nation. One can tell which ranches were Navajo as each had a hogan on the property. Some had sheep. Some had horses. Some had cattle.

Above, grazing sheep near the intersection of Hwy. 566 and N11-49. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Mariano Lake looked more like a large pond. I didn't see any lake at Smith Lake. I was going to go up to Crownpoint (north on Highway 371), but decided not to. I'll save that for another trip. Crownpoint is noted for its monthly Indian blanket auction.

Above, a ranch up against sheer rock walls. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I got on Interstate 40 in Thoreau. I was feeling a little drowsy, so I stopped at Indian Village in Continental Divide for a sandwich and coffee. While having the coffee, I was wandering around their parking lot and saw a humorous sign. While looking at the sign, a large German shepherd started barking. Yes, he was one "bad ass" dog!

Above, a ranch and red rocks. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

From Continental Divide, I headed on home. It was a nice two-hour trek. The total miles driven were about 64.

Above, at Indian Village in Continental Divide. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Which To Believe?

Above, a view of Church Rock from Red Rock Park Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Sometimes one has to wonder which to believe.

The National Weather Service says that we have a 20% chance of snow showers on Monday night. Whereas, The Weather Channel indicates cloudy conditons with a 10% chance of precipitation.

Which one is to believe? I assumed that The Weather Channel receives their data from the NWS.

Also, The Weather Channel says we have a 10% chance of precipitation today. There's no mention of this with the NWS.

When I first moved to New Mexico, I relied solely on The Weather Channel for the area temperatures so that if it got to 32° or below, I would turn on the ceramic heater (for the fresh water tank) and the holding tank heaters on The Beast. They were pretty accurate. They usually agreed with my outdoor thermometer.

Since I am at 7,000 feet above sea level, and in somewhat a mountainous area, anything weather-wise can happen. And it usually does.

Red Rock Park Campground At RV Park Reviews

Above, The Beast at Red Rock Park Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My 49th RV park/campground review at RV Park Reviews has been posted. This makes me one review away from my 50th. This was on Red Rock Park Campground near Gallup, New Mexico (its actually in Church Rock, New Mexico).

In a nutshell:

I stayed for the Red Rock Balloon Rally. Unfortunately, snows and winds prevented the balloons from ascending. Even though I knew ahead of time that the balloon ascent was questionable, I decided to try out the RV park. I enjoyed my stay there. The site was spacious and the roads easy to navigate. I had water and electric at my site, but no sewer. The surrounding red rocks made for a nice scenic campground. We camped at Red Rock Park in a Motorhome.

To read more, go here. 

Red Rock Park Campground Walk

Above, the balloon ascension area is next to the campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I may not get a chance to do so tomorrow (if snows hit), I took a walk around the Red Rock Park Campground.

More RVs are pulling into the campground. I would hazard a guess that 1/4 of the campground is full. When I made my reservations on Monday, I was shown what sites were still available. There was just a handful available, so we will probably be near full capacity this weekend.

When I got back to The Beast, I decided to fire up the coffee maker. I discovered, to my dismay, I only had enough coffee for one pot. I should have checked it before going to the market earlier. At least I have plenty of instant coffee to tide me over.

Some photos taken during my walk:

Above, a balloonist just pulled in. He later moved to a site next to the asension area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, The Beast with the red rocks in the background. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a view of the balloon ascension area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, The Beast in the background. The sites are spacious here. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the earlier ballonist's gondola basket. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Church Rock Post Office building. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Drive To Red Rock Park

Above, the Church Rock, New Mexico Post Office at Red Rock Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For the heck of it, I took a little drive (about 9 miles) to Red Rock Park to see if I can reserve a campsite at their campground for the upcoming (a week from today) hot-air balloon festival. Some of the launches will take place near the campground, so it would be an ideal location to watch and photograph the balloons.

Above, the Red Rock Park campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Unfortunately, the staff is on their little Thanksgiving break and the office for reservations is closed. I did make inquiries at the Church Rock Post Office at Red Rock Park and they said a guy in a truck marked "City of Gallup" drives around collecting camping fees and to just find a campsite. The post office is a short walk from the campground.

I guess I will check back on Monday.

While in the post office, I did notice a plaque that said the post office opened in 1986 during Ronald Reagan's administration. It is a nice little post office, sort of on the rustic side. 

Route 66 In New Mexico

Above, the main lobby of the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, which is featured on the Route 66 guide. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of these days, I am going to take a road trip on Route 66 through New Mexico. I have been on "bits and pieces" of Route 66, but I haven't traveled extensively along the route.

There is a guide to what can be seen along the historic route, Route66Guide.com.

Above, the Route 66 sign in Church Rock, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

On the New Mexico portion of Route 66, it begins with:

Surprising New Mexico. Land of extremes and contrasts, capped by high mountains and home to extensive desert plateaus, small towns and large megacities, blending of Indian, Spanish and Mexican traditions, a territory of savory specialties and craft that Route 66 covers end-to-end over 400 miles. 

The considerably high mountain ranges forced Route 66 engineers to perform civil engineering feats. For travelers of the early twentieth century, some mountain passes in New Mexico became legendary and feared by motorists, who often found themselves stranded, abandoned by the stuttering engine of their cars - not as tough as the travelers themselves! 

Still today, cautious motorists - whether driving 4x4 vehicles or not - renounce to follow certain Route 66 sections, especially under heavy rains (e.g., from Texas, entering New Mexico through Glenrio, it is highly advisable to back up and head over to Interstate I-40). 

Historic land, colonized by the Spanish from the seventeenth century, it contains many ruins of previous civilizations. New Mexico combines their records and hosts many of the oldest buildings on the continent and / or country, especially in Santa Fe, the state capital, perched off the Interstate at over 7,000 ft. elevation. It is the oldest city in the West, which houses the oldest house (about 1200) and oldest church (1625) in the country, among other notable buildings classified as historic sites.

To read more, go here. 

Highlights of Route 66 New Mexico - In Photos

Above, a Route 66 sign in Church Rock, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Taking a road trip to trace the historic Route 66 has been a pastime for many people over the past several years. Many have done so and have posted their journeys in videos on YouTube and on photo websites.

Here's one photo website, Finding The Universe. It belongs to Laurence Norah, who traveled across New Mexico on Route 66 (before he hits a dead end).

Some of the places shown are near to me.

He wrote:

You should know the drill by now! This is part 3 of my series featuring my favourite images from our Route 66 adventure across the US in the summer of 2015. If you’re late to the party, fear not – you can still check out my Route 66 California highlights and Route 66 Arizona highlights. 

I have to admit, New Mexico was slightly vexing. I was very excited to visit, not least because I had been led to believe that the state has spectacular sunsets. We even had a whole song on our Route 66 playlist dedicated to the things. 

As it was, we were not fortunate with the weather, and didn’t get to see much of a sunset. This was sad, but a reason to return at least! As you’ll see from many of my pictures from this state, it was a bit grey. Ok, very grey. But the views were still excellent, and there were plenty of Route 66 related attractions to keep us happy. Let’s have a look at what we found!

To see his photos, go here. 

Roamin' Around

For something to do, I headed out to take some photos here and there.

Above and below, I first stopped to give the mare some carrot treats. Photos by Armand Vaquer.

Above, I then headed down Historic Route 66 down to the road leading to Red Rock Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, at the intersection of the road to Red Rock Park, is this historic marker. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, these must be the Chaco Cliffs the marker tells about. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Pyramid Rock above the community of Church Rock. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the road to Red Rock Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the reverse side of the historic marker. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

NMHSRA & NMJHRA State Finals Rodeo

Above, a calf is about to get roped. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Text and Photos by Armand Vaquer


Today, I headed back to Red Rock Park near Gallup for the NMHSRA & NMJHRA State Finals rodeo at the park's rodeo arena. I can't complain about the price as it was free to the public.

I was the perfect day for a rodeo as it was clear and warm (about 80°) outside.

Above, at the contestants' camp.

After I got there, I wandered around the West Campground where the contestants and their families (and horse) camped. I also wandered around the stables.

Above, the stables.

The morning's contestants were of junior high school age and I was impressed by the talents they displayed. High school contestants will perform later this afternoon. I may head back there to watch.

Above, a contestant having a snack.

The events began with the girls Barrel Racing. That was immediately followed by Chute Dogging, Girls Breakaway, Tie Down Roping, Boys Breakaway and other events.

I was entertained by the events until the sun and heat started getting to me. The arena was in a nice setting as it was surrounded by red rocks and Church Rock in the distance.

Here's some photos:

Above, the Stars & Stripes were brought out at the start of the rodeo.

Above, the Red Rock Park rodeo arena.

Above and below, the junior high girls barrel race.

Above, Church Rock.

Above, the junior high girls barrel race.

Above and below, the junior high boys chute dogging.

Above and below, junior high girls breakaway.

Above and below, junior high girls breakaway.

Above, junior high girls breakaway.

Above and below, junior high boys tie down roping.

Above, one of the vendors.

Above, a vintage Wild Bill Hickok lunch pail.

Above, a vintage Annie Oakley lunch pail.

Above, humor was evident.

Above, Pyramid Rock.