Day Four, Route 66 Family Tour: First Stop, Shamrock, Texas

As we leave Amarillo and cross Texas on I-40, running parallel to Old 66, the next stop is Shamrock, Texas, home of one of the most carefully-preserved relics from Route 66' heyday, the Tower Conoco and U-Drop Inn. Built in 1936, these fabulous examples of art deco architecture is right off the I-40 and definitely worth a stop.

Before crossing into Oklahoma, check out the ghost town of Texola. In the next post, we'll visit the wacky Sandhills Curiosity Shop, one of the most interesting stops on the Mother Road.

New Route 66 oil paintings show retro neon signs in unusual light

While most depictions of neon signs show them glowing at night, I discovered this view of some of these retro roadside beauties in the iconic Tucumcari, New Mexico sunlight. These original oil paintings were made to celebrate the beautiful imagery found during a Route 66 road trip. In any event, the first one, shown above, “Del's Route 66 Retro Neon Sign, Tucumcari”, rather small at 14" X 11", sold as soon as it was dry. I am currently working up some new ones; here's the latest, still available in my online store. “Apache Motel, Route 66 Retro Road Sign” is an 18" x 24" oil on canvas-wrapped panel.

Route 66 New Mexico And Texas Side Trips

Side trips during this leg of your Mother Road Adventure include Aliens at Roswell and Southwestern culture in Santa Fe. Not only will you be intrigued by the UFO Museum and its extensive Area 51 evidence and artifacts. Driving through oil and cattle country, you'll be charmed by magical little towns like Artesia, Texas, the enchanting sunsets in rugged New Mexico, and of course the entertaining roadside souvenir shops that dot the I-40 through New Mexico's Old 66 route.

More than just kitschy displays, the UFO Museum in Roswell has an extensive collection of evidence and documentation of the Area 51 incidents and other UFO sightings. With movie theatre screening U.F.O.-themed movies and documentaries and a gift shop, there are plenty of reasons why the Automobile Club calls this stop in Roswell a "gem".

Just as mysterious as Area 51, Roswell seems just like any other town as you enter it on from the highway, but there are plenty of unique gift shops and small attractions unlike any other that you've seen. The U.F.O. Museum And Research Center is an unassuming, but massive, collection of physical evidence, photographs, newspaper clippings and other documentation from the Area 51 incident and other U.F.O. sightings and encounters. Before getting back up to the I-40, and more Route 66 adventures, stop at Peppers Bar & Grill for a bite to eat.

Albuquerque is a historic, enchanting city of artists, adobes and artifacts. It has an old Mexican-style zocalo, or main square with shops and beautiful Southwest historic buildings. There are some great Old 66 roadside motel signs on this stretch of the Mother Road. When in Albuquerque, make time for a trip up to Sandia Peak on the Sandia Peak Tramway. You'll love the view and the meal from High Finance Restaurant at the top of Sandia Peak.

Day 4: Cadillacs Coming Out Of The Ground and 72oz. Steaks In Texas

On the Texas leg of your Route 66 adventure, you'll pass some of the best roadside attractions and some of the best rest stops on The Mother Road.

Amarillo may be known more for it's cowboys and cattle than for it's high art, but Cadillac Ranch is a roadside curiosity that blends a complex meaningful vision with the car culture that is the history of Old 66. The brainchild of helium millionaire Stanley Marsh and San Francisco Art Collective Ant Farm, who built this installation, up the road, but moved in 1997 to its current location, within view of the I-40 features Cadillacs of different years thrust into the earth nose first at exactly the same 45º angle. 

The landowner donated the land to the art group for this roadside art-ifact that encourages viewers to help preserve the art object by spraying graffiti on it. Hundreds of people walk up the dirt path from the service road to make their mark on this timeless piece of culture and history. Exit I-40 at Arnot Road and take frontage road 2.5 miles east.

It's More Than Hot Air: If They Eat It, It Will Be Free
Speaking of the helium millionaire, Stanley Marsh, the helium monument and Don Harrington Discovery Center are an easy-access complex of suburban museum, park and monument and is found entertaining by all members of the family. You can absorb a bit of Amarillo history and plenty of cosmology in the state of the art planetarium.

One of the legends that I have yet to explore is the Big Texan Steak Ranch where the 72oz. steak dinner is free if you can finish the whole thing, potatoes and salad while up on a stage just off I-40, exit 75.

At the next stop, we'll be in Shamrock Texas, known for it's perfectly preserved examples of Route 66 roadside architecture.