Route 66 Road Trip - Day 2

Day 2

Lake Havasu, AZ to Albuquerque, NM

• 595 Miles
  
• 11 hours, 10 minutes
  
• 6 Stops
  

Today’s theme was ‘unexpected surprises.’  Some were amazing (the Meteor Crater), some were hilarious (using the Gallop Hampton Inn overhang for cover while putting our luggage in trash bags during a freak rainstorm) and some were unfortunate (HORRIBLE traffic coming into Albuquerque only to find out the AC was broken in our swanky hotel and we were rebooked at a dive in the sketchy part of town where they charged us extra for the dog).   Needless to say, Dad and I were exhausted by the time we reached Albuquerque.  Julia (second cousin once removed) & her fiancé, Matt, forgave us for being an hour late for dinner at Chama River Brewery and we had a wonderful to end to our whirlwind of a day with a delicious meal and great company!

The Many Positions of Paughey
The Traveling Pup

We broke up our day with a few detours:

1. London Bridge – Before embarking on our LONG day we made sure to cross London Bridge.
   
2. Seligman, AZ for an authentic Route 66 breakfast at the Road Kill Café next door to the Route 66 Motel.  This adorable town (pop. 456, but they do have an airport) is the epitome of a Route 66 town.  Everything was Route 66 themed.  From the trinket shops to restaurants, this town was using being on the historic highway to their full advantage.
   
3. Flagstaff, AZ where we got lost trying to find a much needed Starbucks.
   
4. Meteor Crater in Winslow, AZ.  Unfortunately dogs weren’t allowed inside but my dad, being the wonderful man that he is, stayed with Paughey and stretched their legs out in the parking lot while I ran in to see the best preserved meteor crater on Earth.  And, as the docent said, “the Grand Canyon is a big hole but this is an impressive hole.”
   
5. Winslow, AZ – “Well, I'm a standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona and such a fine sight to see. It's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin' down to take a look at me.” (Take It Easy by the Eagles if you didn’t already know)  It’s a Toyota, not a Ford, but close enough!
   
6. Petrified Forest, AZ between Hollbrook & Navajo – This detour took us about an hour off track but it was well worth it.  The remains of this prehistoric forest were unlike anything I have ever seen!  I recommend this detour to anyone traveling between Flagstaff and Albuquerque.
   
7. Gallup, NM – This detour was unplanned but necessary.  A surprise rainstorm forced us to veer off course to protect the cargo!

TRAFFIC!  New Mexico needs a new system for doing road work, such as making a detour or not doing it during rush hour. 

Our ‘unexpected surprises’ made day two a memorable one.  Although it was exhausting, it ended on a high note and, after a good night’s sleep, Dad, Paughey and I will (hopefully) be ready for another day!

Random Sites by the Roadside