Albuquerque New Mexico
Today’s ride included plenty of wide open spaces. We rode on the original Route 66 alignment, ‘new old’ Route 66 alignments, and yes, some I-40 sections where all old alignments are under the freeway. We have 80 miles to cover, and a goal to be at the hotel in time to clean up and attend the vigil Mass at San Felipe de Nero Church in Old Town. Let’s get going.
After riding a section on the 1926 alignment through the village of Anzac, we found our way back to newer Route 66. This newer bridge was put in service in 1934. The date medallion on the east bound side had been stolen, I was lucky to find this one on the other end!
This church is in the Santa Maria Mission. We are on old 1926 roads in this village
I arrived at this crossing just as the crossing gates came down and a coal train with 4 engines in front and 2 more in the rear roared by!
This old Whiting Bros gas station is slowing returning to nature. It’s on the 1934 alignment and there is an exit here on the I-40. The big sign was angled toward the freeway, so this is another business that survived the I-40 improvement, but was too small to compete with the larger operations on the Interstate.
Here is a small church in the village of San Fidel. St. Joseph seems to be the patron saint of many parishes in these parts!
Ruins of an old route 66 motel in San Fidel on the 1934 alignment.
There are many small villages, but mostly today’s ride was through wide open spaces with big sky views.
The Villa de Cubero Trading Post now features Mustang fuel. No time to check out the trading post, so I took the left turn leaving the 1934 alignment and riding a section of the 1926 alignment.
The old alignment winds through hills and boulder fields, with no traffic.
We rejoin the 1934 alignment at the Budville Trading post. The trees are taking over!
We entered the village of Paraje and found ourselves back on the old alignment. But about 5 miles of bike path have been added. Most of this morning’s ride has been on several Indian reservations, I would guess these paths are the result of obtaining federal grants and using tribal road enterprises to do the construction.
Here an old concrete culvert on the original alignment is visible from the bike path.
We enter the village of Old Laguna on the original alignment (now known as St. Joseph Road) and see a church. I go to see if it was unlocked so we could check it out. It was locked, and the parish office for this St. Joseph’s Church was also closed!
On the original alignment, we approach ‘Dead Man’s Curve’ with a 180 degree hairpin turn between sandstone cliffs on the right and the Rio Paguate on the left.
After the hairpin turn, lots of S turns follow the cliffs and Rio.
The road straightens out and we find Owl Rock. From this distance, you can’t see the graffiti, thank goodness!
At this corral we have a choice, get back on the I-40 or cross the bridge and ride 10 miles of 1926 alignment.
Not much of a choice, I took the 1926 alignment. It starts off with rough pavement that slowly deteriorates into gravel, and then finally is barely ridable sand and washboards. Still better than freeway riding!
I stopped here to let my hands take a break from the pounding and noted the color pallet.
The gravel ends with a paved bridge over the railway, a new bridge was being build right next to this one. My guess is the railroad is concerned about the integrity of this bridge, or another Federal grant on Native land, you decide!
We crossed the road for a van stop here. You can see the old alignment disappearing into grassland. On the horizon you can see the I-40.
Yes, no choice but to rejoin the freeway. Here you can see the sign that indicates bicycles are OK on the shoulder only!
One last chance to take an ‘explorer’ option and exit the freeway and avoid three miles of I-40. The cue sheet said look for a bridge and dirt road around the 137 milepost. I spotted the bridge and a barricade that looked easy to climb. I stopped here and found an even better section of barb wire fence that was missing the top two strands, and it was very easy to step over.
This gravel leads to the sandy underpass to continue on the north frontage road.
The first mile was pavement, the next mile broken pavement, and the last mile was steep downhill washboards that nearly bounced the bike lock out of my handlebar bag. The devil you know vs. the devil you don’t know!
Back on the frontage road (1934 alignment) this old steel bridge still stands. The Rio Puerco bridge was built in 1933 and was fabricated by the Kansas City Structural Steel Company and erected by E.D. Shufflebarger, an Albuquerque contractor. At 250 feet it is one of the longest in New Mexico, it was taken out of service in 1999.
Let’s ride across!
…and rejoin the frontage road for 5 miles of 5% climbing!
I love a downhill finish, 7 miles into the city of Albuquerque!
We enter town on the Old Route 66, this was the most colorful and unique monuments on the way in.
We cross the Rio Grande river and 2 tenths of a mile brings us to the Econolodge Old Town hotel.
The manager is so excited that PacTour is here, they put a couple of Hershey’s bars in our room key envelopes! Is he a Route 66 fan, or just happy that he sold a block of a dozen rooms, who knows, but the chocolate really hit the spot after today’s ride.
From the hotel, its just a 9 minute walk to Old Town Square and the San Filipe de Neri Church for the Vigil Mass at 4 pm. I arrived 20 minutes early and it was already filling up. It is a beautiful church and it was a wonderful Mass.
I decided to check out the Old Town Pizza Parlor restaurant for dinner. After I ordered a dozen or so members of the Albuquerque PD took over a couple of tables.
It’s always a good sign when the local PD or Fire Department arrives at your restaurant. My food arrived and yes it was delicious!
You might need a huge Calzone too after burning 1000’s of calories getting through this long post!
Get some sleep, we have another 80 miles tomorrow to Santa Fe! Breakfast in the lobby at 6:30 am.
Steve
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