An Under-the-Radar Highway

Most of my driving takes me across US and some interstate highways with an occasional farm-to-market road. I feel, however, that the most underrated bi-ways are state highways. While there are a plethora of groups that celebrate the road of yesteryear, i.e. Route 66 and US 50, how many people out there commemorate TX 36 or OK 7? I would like to show how one state highway has given this roadie a new appreciation for the state road. Case-and-Point, let us look at New Mexico Highway 104, which goes from Las Vegas to Tucumcari.

It was day five of the two week excurision that started in Houston/Lubbock/Gallup. On the way from Santa Fe, I decided to trek north towards Glorietta and the Pecos valley. By early afternoon, after visiting Las Vegas for a few hours, I contemplated taking US 285 to Clines Corner then riding I-40 to Tucumcari. However, I felt adventurous and took University Avenue to where it intersected with I-25 and told myself, head down 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 and to the front, nothing but open land as gold as Uncle Scrooge's vault. The vast openess impressed my eyes, mind and soul. Of course, before I got into a groove, it was time to locate a road sign.

For the next thirty minutes or so, those golden fields, which looked like fresh wheat overpowered the eastern-central portion of New Mexico. I even located a roadside attraction.

However, 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 I continued to lose elevation, I discovered that I reached my favorite part of this country, the Plains. I had left the Canadian Escarpment

and entered the High Plains of New Mexico.

As I rolled on, I saw a sign for the Conchas Dam, which I did not follow (but it gives me another reason to come back). After another thirty minutes or so, I reached Tucumcari and reached my destination at the Motel Safari on Route 66.

NM 104 is one of the most beautiful roads I ever traveled on. I am very glad God brought me down this hidden gem. In your community, what is that hidden gem that people ought to know about?