29th April Old Road, Dodgy Camera and Arizona

Wild life count today, one gopher...

There's never a snake when you want one...

Right lets sort this El Camino Real sorted.  It began around 1598 when the Spanish Colonialists started venturing up the Rio Grande from what is now Mexico to the far north of their influence in northern New Mexico. The route covered 1600 miles  - hey another adventure possibility - and developed as the main trading route between Mexico and New Mexico - and remember New Mexico didn't become  a territory of America until 1850 nor a US State until 1912 - one for the pub quiz. Route 66 followed part of this route, especially from Santa Fe to Albuquerque and weird as I am I found it fascinating to follow in all the historical footsteps - or really should say trotters as it appears that when travellers set off on this route they took all their food with them, including livestock and the column moved as fast as a pig could trot.

And it's that slow pace of  travel which makes the endeavours of the pioneers who crossed this land or the early migrants who used the route 66 all the more amazing.

I rode nearly 200 miles today over the harshest terrain I've experienced so far on this trip, leaving Gallup, New Mexico and  crossing into Arizona

 - and another time zone, so now 8 hours behind the UK - the land quickly became desert scrub.  It was far more arid and there were no obvious signs of water - it just went on and on and with the temperature at 30deg C and the wind still reminding me of it's presence it was a long hot, uncomfortable and demanding ride.

Chief Navigation Officer Frog at his station...

How must it have been covering those 200 miles in a wagon at 10 miles a day or an old truck at say 25 mph.

And then after a few hours for me but 2 to 10 days for them you see mountains beginning to appear in the distance with the possibility of water yes, but how to get through them....

 

 No, that's not the Phantom Road Runner, something has got into the camera  ... sorry!

One thing they wouldn't have had to put up with though is the plethora of signs telling them about all the genuine Indian goods they could buy. I need to be very careful here because I don’t want to offend anyone but if the only experience visitors have of the Native American tradition is gained from their observation along this main artery it will be a pretty tacky one. What with Geronimo’s, Yellow Horse and the like all trying to sell you rubber tomahawks or genuine Indian insulated coffee mugs.

 

 

Now here's the rub,  the guys running some of these "trading posts" must be on the bones of their bums to use a financial term and then along comes a group of Mission Indians in an air conditioned super-coach that must have cost more than these guys would see in a generation! What's that all about?

 

  



 One sign said" Want to wake up in a genuine Indian Hogan" the traditional house of the Navajo. Don't know if that was an invitation or wise counsel in regard to limiting my drink intake at the local bars.

Maybe I should think about coming back here on Sunday ...

A "must stop" in this area is, according to the books The Jack Rabbit Trading Post. In it's heyday - what does that mean - I will be told no doubt - ads for it started appearing 87 miles, yes 87 miles before you got to it. So needed to have a look. Well, here it is...

 

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Scenes from one stop I made.....

 

Then, just as it really is getting unbearable the dry scrub started being replaced by small trees and bushes and the wooded slopes of the San Francisco Peaks heralded my approach to Flagstaff, Arizona or perhaps Sedona, not on Route 66 I know, but a beautiful peaceful place......

 

 

 Night all....