A road with a view

While there are a plethora of groups that celebrate the road of yesteryear, i.e. Route 66 and The Old Spanish Trail, how many people out there commemorate TX 70 or AZ 85? State highways offer a closer look to the soul of a community.

During a 2011 excursion to New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle, I fell in love with New Mexico 104, which runs from Las Vegas to Tucumcari.

 After leaving Santa Fe, Maybelline and I ventured northeast towards Las Vegas...NM.

 

I hit the I-25 frontage road north for a bit trekking the curvaceous roads by Glorietta and the Pecos valley. A tempted thought to go onto I-25 almost over took me until I accidentally found a pre-1937 stretch of Route 66.

 

By early afternoon, after enjoying some Mexican food

and sightseeing in Las Vegas for a few hours,

 

I had to make a choice on how to get to Tucumcari. After contemplating taking US 84 to Santa Rosa then cruising along the trafficsome I-40, I felt adventurous and decided to roam down University Avenue, which led right into NM 104.

As I left Las Vegas behind me I saw the edge of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, a part of the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains (I guess what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas) and to the front, nothing but open land. The vast openness impressed my eyes, mind and soul. For the next thirty minutes or so, I drove past golden rays of ranch land. As I got further southeast, the landscape slowly changed.

 

The elevation began to decrease in quick intervals and suddenly, I was heading down the mountain with curves so steep I had to drive at 20 miles per hour. Nonetheless, it was a gorgeous drive.

As elevation continued to decline, I witnessed a beautiful change. I left the Canadian Escarpment and entered the High Plains of New Mexico. As I rolled on, I passed Conchas Dam and continued until I reached Tucumcari.

As I look back, NM 104 is the most beautiful road I ever traveled on. I am very glad God brought me down this hidden gem.

What are some other local gems that travelers need to know about?