Cadillac Ranch

Continuing with our travels along Route 66 featuring iconic motel signs and other landmarks.

November and December 2012 saw us taking our first winter sojourn away from cold and snowy Toronto. We drove across from Toronto to (eventually) Los Angeles and back in the spring of 2013. We made many stops along the towns of Route 66 on interstate 40.

Winter 2013 and spring 2014 saw us do the same trip but we took interstate 10, further south from Route 66.

A trip to Chicago gave us another Route 66 photo op.

In earlier years we had taken many vacations in California which also led to some Route 66 icons.

I am enjoying doing these posts as I research the hotels and motels along the way and learn many new things.
Wikipedia is usually my source.

The Glancy - Clinton OK
Blue Swallow Motel - Tucumcari NM
Wigwam Motel - Rialto CA
Holbrook AZ
Cotton Boll - Canute OK
Route 66 Museum - Clinton OK
El Rancho Hotel - Gallup NM
Will Rogers Hotel - Claremore OK
Bono's Fruit Stand - Fontana CA
Kingman AZ
Erick OK
Santa Rosa NM - cars
Santa Rosa NM
Shamrock TX
Vega TX
Elk City OK
McLean TX

McLean TX
Gallup NM
Gallup NM
Tucumcari NM
Tucumcari NM
Glen Rio NM
Glen Rio NM

December 2012 - Cadillac Ranch TX

Standing along Route 66 west of Amarillo, Texas, Cadillac Ranch was invented and built by a group of art-hippies imported from San Francisco. They called themselves The Ant Farm, and their silent partner was Amarillo billionaire Stanley Marsh III. He wanted a piece of public art that would baffle the locals, and the hippies came up with a tribute to the evolution of the Cadillac tail fin. Ten Caddies were driven into one of Stanley Marsh III's fields, then half-buried, nose-down, in the dirt (supposedly at the same angle as the Great Pyramid of Giza). They faced west in a line, from the 1949 Club Sedan to the 1963 Sedan de Ville, their tail fins held high for all to see on the empty Texas panhandle.

That was in 1974.
Yet Cadillac Ranch is more popular than ever. It's become a ritual site for those who travel The Mother Road. The smell of spray paint hits you from a hundred yards away; the sound of voices chattering in French, German, and UK English makes this one of the most polyglot places between the UN and Las Vegas.

Ultimate Road Trip - Day 5

Awaking in Amarillo we decided to get on the road and find somewhere for breakfast. The temperatures are unseasonably warm for this time of year as well Texas is suffering from a severe water shortage.

There were some fun sights as we drove.

Great breakfast at my most favourite place to stop for breakfast or lunch in the States.

All fueled up as the waitress insisted on giving us coffee to go and I also bought a box for my collection!

We almost missed the stop for the Cadillac Ranch as there are no signs and DH just happened to notice them out of the corner of his eye!

Cadillac Ranch was invented and built by a group of art-hippies imported from San Francisco. They called themselves The Ant Farm, and their silent partner was Amarillo billionaire Stanley Marsh 3. He wanted a piece of public art that would baffle the locals, and the hippies came up with a tribute to the evolution of the Cadillac tail fin. Ten Caddies were driven into one of Stanley Marsh 3's fields, then half-buried, nose-down, in the dirt (supposedly at the same angle as the Great Pyramid of Giza). They faced west in a line, from the 1949 Club Sedan to the 1963 Sedan de Ville, their tail fins held high for all to see on the empty Texas panhandle.

Decades have passed. The Cadillacs have now been in the ground as art longer than they were on the road as cars. They are stripped to their battered frames, splattered in day-glo paint splooge, barely recognizable as automobiles.

Adrian TX The Magnolia Station was the second gas station to be built in Vega in the early 20's.

 A cute map of the area.

Adrian TX

We then crossed into New Mexico and our first stop was Tucumcari a town that contains many Route 66 signs.

It was time for lunch at Del's a fixture since 1954. It is nice to be able to get simple food like a BLT and a burrito.

After that we decided to get some miles in. New Mexico is very flat, dry and there are not many sights along the way until you get to Albuquerque.

The road around Albuquerque is through the mountains and the terrain begins to change as you climb.

We had planned to be off the road in Grants but decided to push on the extra hour to Gallup to give us a lazier day tomorrow. In fact when we checked into our hotel we realized that we had crossed into Mountain time so had gained another hour.

We checked into another Hampton Inn and asked for some recommendations for dinner. We went with the local "joynt favoured by the locals", Virgie's run by Navajo and serving Mexican and American food. Photo was taken the next morning as it was dark when we were there.