Get some pics on Route 66
Sep. 1—For several weeks before Willie Lambert and I set off to see long-forgotten portions of Route 66, I allowed my imagination about the planned trip to run wild.
I envisioned something akin to an Indiana Jones sequel, in which Willie and I toted machetes through the Northern New Mexico "jungle," fending off large snakes and fleeing rolling round boulders. This imagined journey culminated in Willie and me reaching a clearing with a rusting "Route 66" sign in the middle, with Willie turning to me and flashing a cocksure Harrison Ford half-smile.
As it turned out, Willie's guided journey didn't involve hours of trudging in early August heat or facing down wild animals. Most of our seven-hour trip took place in the comfort of Willie's truck.
For those unfamiliar, Willie has collected numerous binders filled with photos and information related to the spur of Route 66 that passed through Santa Fe until the road was re-routed in 1937. By taking pictures of the same spots periodically, Willie has chronicled the modern history of what's left of the highway, showing how nature has continued to reclaim what once was dubbed the "Mother Road."
Willie periodically delivers presentations about his research in Santa Fe, his binders at the ready. He also gives tours similar to the experience I'm about to describe; if you're interested, contact him at nmrt66info@gmail.com.
Our first exit as we headed north on Interstate 25 toward Romeroville was to see a memorial to the Battle of Glorieta Pass near where the original Route 66 traced a path. There are no signs to direct people to the memorial, which features a raised stone area shaped like a body that pays tribute to the unknown person who died in the Civil War. Paintings depict scenes from the battle, as well as the Union and Confederate flags — a rare case of the "Stars & Bars" existing in a public place without controversy.
The memorial hasn't been maintained in some time. A plastic-protected edition of The Santa Fe New Mexican from 1999 features a story explaining the memorial was built as a labor of love by Alfonso G. Sanchez, a former district attorney.
From there, Willie and I followed the current roads that trace the path of old Route 66 whenever possible, backtracking to larger roads when necessary. At one point our progress was interrupted by a closed-down trestle surrounded by overgrowth, its arches still glinting. Farther north, we came upon the first of many "private property" signs that forced us to turn back. I snapped a photo of a surreal scene: a cow laconically gazing at Willie and me while standing on a buckled former stretch of old Route 66 that didn't appear to have seen a vehicle for many years.
After stopping at several tiny churches, Willie and I turned around at Romeroville. On the way back to Santa Fe on Interstate 25, Willie pointed out two curios most passersby likely have never spotted: a building made of stone between the two spans of the interstate, and a rocky, weather-beaten stretch of old Route 66 that briefly runs parallel to I-25.
Willie says there have been sporadic efforts to digitize the information he has collected, but none has gained traction. As a result, Willie's collected information exists in only two places: his binders and his brain.
Willie is an affable guide, excitedly pointing out historical markers, interesting architecture, ruins, or just beautiful sights. He delves into the rich history of what he's showing his passengers without becoming verbose. Take a trip with him, and you'll never see the stretch between Santa Fe and Romeroville the same way again.
