On The Road: Tucumcari and Route 66

The road to the Southwest was paved with mosquitoes, humidity that made my clothes stick to me, and no way of cooling down because my AC compressor took a shit in Florida. I drove through the Florida Panhandle, Alabama, Mississippi, Lousiana and Texas before I felt any relief from the endless moisture that suffocated me in the South.

I was on a mad dash to get away and feel the cold winds of the desert night, and I found that in New Mexico, one of my favorite stops on my trip so far.

Tucumcari, New Mexico, is a town with the ruins of the 1950s Americana. It’s right on Route 66, and was one of the coolest places I’ve photographed. Tucumcari’s patch of Route 66 looks like it has been left undisturbed, leaving behind buildings and old signs from motels, drive Ins, restaurants and all kinds of interesting subjects in a beautiful display of decay.

On the first day, I finally got some relief from the humidity, as Tucumcari was a dry heat I could finally stand. I drove down E. Route 66 Blvd and starting stopping at these old signs that were worn down, and some signs that were just in an empty lot without any building left.

I plan on going back, and maybe even driving Route 66 from the Santa Monica Pier to Chicago, because I can only imagine the Americana I’ll see. It’s an amazing part of this country’s road trip culture and history, and it is worth visiting, especially if you are a photographer interested in Americana.

Thanks Tucumcari, you were a real gem.