I pulled out at 0605 MDT, well before breakfast, and picked up I-40 east to the Juan Tabo exit. That put me on NM-333/Old 66 east to Moriarty. As I entered the pass, the sun, no longer hidden by the Sandias, was blinding. I was in no rush, so took my time. Did you know that Corvair Clubs existed? One adopted a stretch of Old 66. A bit farther along, the highway must pass through a horsey area, evidenced by Dressage Road.
I note a haze or fog low in the valley north of the road. Moriarty, elevation 6200, is a decent-sized town with a huge solar farm. I turn south on NM-41, so the sun is no longer in my eyes. This country is flat, with mountains to the west. At Estancia, I join the Salt Missions ScenicByway – I think I've been on another part of it on my visits to the Salinas Missions Nat'l Monument. There are signs to watch for water on road, needed because this ditchless road is actually a bit lower than much of the surrounding land.
After 30 miles, I switch onto a 'virgin' stretch of US-60. To the south are mesas and to the north mountains. The road passes some large playas, so I stop to take a picture or two.
To the right I see the first of many long BNSF freights heading west. Encino hosts the junction of US-60 and US-285 – it has no services. Vaughn has a triple highway and double railroad crossing. It has motels of varied ages, a couple of gas stations, an old Santa FE RR station, and no surviving cafes.
Heading west and ignoring the 55 MPH speed limit, I top a hill and see a dead-straight hiway, with a clump of distant trees; 11 miles later, I pass that clump of trees. Yeso, NM, is a ghost town along the road. It's ruined buildings appear to be photogenic so I stop to take a shot.
Once a hotel, antique store, gun shop - now a ruin
Ft. Sumner, my main stop of the day! First building I see is Esther's Diner; it serves me an excellent breakfast burrito (green). The real reason to stop is NOT Billy the Kid's grave; I drive right past it to the Bosque Redondo Memorial at Fort Sumner State Historic Site. What happened here? Just the forced relocation of about 500 Mescalero Apaches and 10,000 Navajo, rounded up and marched to an inhospitable piece of ground. Starvation, forced labor to build adobe soldier barracks, etc., took their toll. Finally, the Apaches escaped and headed for their mountain hideouts. The Navajo were finally granted their own reservation in their homeland, seen as worthless by the whites. It's a very powerful display; the museum thoughtfully provides discrete boxes of Kleenex for those in need.
The view as you arrive
Restored barracks foundations for the guards, originals were made by Navajo prisoners
The scene as you return from walking the trail - the museum to the left, and swallows in the eaves.
I'm back on US-60, passing abandoned towns and delayed by construction. I think about stopping at Cannon AFB for a commissary visit, decide not to. Another option is to revisit the Blackwater Draw archaeological site (think Clovis points), but the memory of the biting bugs dissuades me. I pull into Clovis at 12:45 hoping to find a local museum to visit to kill some time. There's a Public Library! They'll know something! And they do: there's no county museum and all the Buddy Holly/Norman Petty sites are closed. One of the librarians is wearing a Federal sack coat – yup, they're BOTH reenactors! We had a nice chat about events past & future.
Got to my Holiday Inn Express about 1400 and checked right in. Supper was my last taste of “green,” at Leal in Clovis.
Tomorrow is a long one, about 420 miles, lose n hour on time zone, and a visit to the Panhandle Plains Museum.
For the day: 250.5 miles, for the trip 1525.1.
Time driving today: about 5 hours.
Average gas mileage to date: 42.5 mpg
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