Route 66 - Day #11
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Today started out at the Cadillac Ranch on the west side of Amarillo. However, before we could get to the buried Cadillacs, we had to stop for a photo of the Second Amendment Cowboy giant.
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Cadillac Ranch is probably one of the most recognizable stops on all of Route 66.
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From ChatGPT:
Cadillac Ranch is one of Route 66’s most iconic roadside attractions, created in 1974 by the art group Ant Farm. Ten vintage Cadillacs are buried nose-first in a Texas field, their tailfins forming a striking visual line. Visitors are encouraged to add graffiti, making it an ever-changing public art piece that celebrates car culture, creativity, and the rebellious spirit of the Mother Road.
The bright sunshine this morning really made the spray paint colors pop.
This close-up really demonstrates just how thick the paint has been applied to these cars.
All because miscreants like this one insist on defacing them with graffiti!
Our next stop was a visit to the Milburn-Price Culture Museum in Vega, TX.
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Each guest is allowed to use their old printing press to create a Centennial Celebration postcard.
The postcard reads, “Route 66 Celebrating 100 years 1926-2026.”
We even got to pet the museum mascot, Uncle Billy - a bearded dragon.
NOT a real Texan!!!
Museum exterior wall.
Zero idea why??? And we didn’t ask.
Vega was not going to be outdone in the “world’s largest” category, so they have the world’s largest branding iron.
The number of windmills we have seen in the Texas pan handle is staggering! Here behind the museum they have a mural painted on a windmill blade.
This particular windmill blade was set up so that you could walk inside of it. I climbed the steps and went down as far as I could fit. Not for those with claustrophobia! The blade appears to be mainly made of fiberglass - at least that is what my uninitiated observation was.
At the museum, they insisted we walk the two blocks to downtown and visit Mama Jo’s for a piece of pie. They told us we wouldn’t be disappointed….
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… they were correct! Mama Jo’s chocolate peanut butter pie was excellent! This is only half a piece - they split one piece for the two of us to share.
Mural on the side of Mama Jo’s pie shop.
Our next stop was in Adrian, TX at the MidPoint of Route 66!
In a way, it is hard to believe the adventure is already half over. But, on the other hand, when we think of all we have seen already - and that there is the same distance yet to travel - it is incredible.
I’m guessing this sign is more photographed than either the starting or ending point signs. EVERYBODY doing the route stops for this same exact photo!
We have heard that the entire route is 2,448 miles, so I’m not sure how this math works out. However, I suspect the total distance is entirely determined by which orientation of the route you follow. There are many times along the trip where you have to choose between different alignments based upon the years. For example, we will commonly see signs showing one direction for the pre-1939 alignment vs the post-1939 alignment, etc….
Dream Maker Station is the gift shop at the half way point. The MidPoint Cafe is also located here, but it is closed on Monday & Tuesday and we were here on a Tuesday.
Right at the state line from Texas to New Mexico is the ghost town of Glenrio. Like many towns along Route 66, the construction of Interstate 40 bypassed these towns and turned many into ghost towns. For some reason, this particular one has become a sought after stopping point to photograph the ruins and the graffiti tags. It seems to have become emblematic of what the interstate system did to so much of small town America.
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From ChatGPT:
Glenrio sits directly on the state line between Texas and New Mexico, making it a unique stop along Route 66. Once a lively service town with gas stations, diners, and motels, it thrived on cross-state travelers and favorable fuel taxes. When Interstate 40 bypassed the town in the 1970s, businesses quickly closed. Today, crumbling buildings, rusted signs, and abandoned structures remain, offering a haunting snapshot of Route 66’s rise and decline on the high plains.
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Our first “real” stop in New Mexico was at Russels Travel Center where they have an antique car museum that actually has quite a few nice cars as well as toys and memorabilia from over the years. If you were just traveling by on the interstate you would never have a clue that this little gem even existed. We only knew about through our research for this trip.
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Lunch today was at Del’s Restaurant. We are making a point of hitting some of the more “famous” diners on the route.
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Tucumcari, NM is not only home to Del’s, but also to several well known Route 66 motels with classic neon signs.
From ChatGPT:
The Palomino Motel in Tucumcari was opened in 1953.
It originally featured 20 rooms arranged in a classic U-shape layout, with attached garages—an unusual amenity at the time for Route 66 travelers.
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When it comes to Route 66 classic motels and their neon, none are more popular than The Blue Swallow.
From ChatGPT:
Blue Swallow Motel is a beautifully restored 1940s Route 66 landmark in Tucumcari, known for its glowing neon sign and vintage garages. Family-run hospitality, period details, and meticulous preservation make it a favorite stop for travelers seeking an authentic mid-century motor court experience.
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The Motel Safari opened in 1959.
Also in Tucumcari is the unmistakable Tee Pee Curios.
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From ChatGPT:
Route 66 Monument is a striking roadside sculpture dedicated in 1997 to celebrate the “Mother Road” and Tucumcari’s role in its history. Designed by artist Tom Coffin, it features a chrome 1950s-style tailfin rising from a sandstone base shaped like a winding highway. Located by the convention center, it symbolizes classic car culture and the golden age of Route 66 travel.
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When traveling Route 66 - should you elect to stay on as much of the old road surface as possible - you will commonly find yourself on 100 year old road that parallels Interstate 40 just literally feet away. Also, the old route tends to “bounce” back and forth crossing from the north side of the interstate to the south and vice-versa. This underpass is one of those times when the old Route 66 was on the south side of the interstate and we had to pass under the interstate to return to the north side.
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Arriving in Santa Rosa, NM for the night, we happened upon another Route 66 Auto Museum and decided to take a look.
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Although not quite as nice as the prior car museum we visited earlier in the trip, this one still had some nice cars. This 1957 Chevy has actually been outfitted with a Corvette engine. It is for sale for $150,000.
Unlike the previous car museum, it appears many of these have been significantly modified. To the purist, this would likely be unacceptable, but for us, they still looked quite nice.
This is a 1957 Chevy for $95,000.
Another 1957 Chevy for $125,000.
Our final stop for the day was at The Blue Hole. This is a naturally spring fed hole in the desert that is 81 feet deep and maintains a temperature of 61F year round. This is a favorite for scuba divers to explore and use as training. People also like diving in from the rock ledge across from us.
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A view down into The Blue Hole from the diving platform. The water did look inviting on this day where the temps got up to about 88F.
