Day 10: August 3, 2012 On to Duke City

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Before checking out of the Blue Swallow, I took a little stroll around town and encountered a few celebrities. Doug Quarles, who is responsible for most of the murals around town, was in the process of moving his studio but still took time to chat a bit and let me get a picture. Mike Callen, at Tee Pee Curios, paused long enough for me to get a picture of him and my money before it went into the drawer. The chicken was also accommodating and held up the Rattlers flag so I could get a better view. Tucumcari High School's teams are the Rattlers and there is some sort of reunion taking place this weekend. That explains the flag and the RV. It doesn't explain the chicken. Though there is no reason for him to remember it, I have met Mike before. This was the first I've met Doug and, as far as I know, the chicken.

Doug Quarles is moving his studio to a couple of rooms at the Safari Motel. A fellow named Richard Tally has brought the place back to life and it has been getting some very good reviews. I stopped in to see Richard but he wasn't in. If he had been, I'd have included his picture with the other celebrities. The remaining pictures are examples of the many murals and repainted buildings that are helping to beautify Tucumcari. Quarles is responsible for or at least had a hand in most of them.

I always get a kick out of this pair of tiny tunnels and I have fond feelings for the Cuervo gas station which saved me from an imminent lack of fuel in 1999. In between are some of the remnants of Newkirk.

I decided I had time to check out the Route 66 Auto Museum in Santa Rosa today and it was time well spent. Both the car-on-a-stick and The Santa Rosa Kid (black '34 coupe) appear on promotional material. It might look like I posted two pictures of the same truck but the truth is that the museum really does have two 1956 Chevrolet Cameos. Front views are here and here. I don't know what year the red LaSalle was made but I know it's a beauty.

Moriarty's got beer. The first three pictures are from the Sierra Blanca Brewery. John gave me a tour and Tasha poured my beer. Good people and good brew. Molly's is a place where a different John and I stopped in 1999. Today there was entertainment outside from, according to the posted schedule, Kathy Liden.

My motel in Albuquerque was just a few blocks from Old Town so that's where I headed. There was something of a festival going on in and around the plaza. I even ate at the Church Street Cafe in the Casa de Ruiz which was built in the early 1700s. It's no secret that I'm not a fan of Mexican food but that's pretty much what you have here and my dinner was rather good.

The Monterey Motel's good reputation is well deserved. It is, as the sign declares, a non-smokers motel and often goes by that name. The rooms look like this and it's amenities include a nice looking pool. The lighted sign looks really good at night and I also grabbed a shot of the great sign at the El Don Motel down the street.

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