Attention: Some images had to be moved around, and additional information needed to be added to these 4-days as when I first blogged about this trip, it wasn’t in my head that exacting placement of details should be very precise as long as we had an idea of what was what. Well, here I am in November 2022 with COVID-19, repairing those bungles because I’ve got nothing better to do.

With the help of Google Maps, a lot of searching, tracing, and my old itinerary from this exact trip, I was able to piece together a day that little of existed in memory or even in this post as all that I posted back then was the road out of Estancia, New Mexico a few photos below. It turns out that we stayed at Budget Inn in Gallup and likely paid around $30 for the night. The place is still open, and according to Street View, the price 15 years later is now $35 per night. Interestingly, the Days Inn across the road has been forever removed from the map; across the street from that was a restaurant called Olympic Kitchen, it too is gone, but it has been replaced by an FBI office. This side of Days Inn on the opposite side of the street is a Family Dollar.

Traveling down Interstate 40, we’ve passed the old Pueblo of Laguna many a time, the white towering building out there is the San José de la Laguna Mission Church and Convento.

Left the interstate at Moriarty and went south passing through towns like Estancia.

It’s a dream to be out on these lonely roads of America, where the horizon stretches beyond our ability to see. Telephone poles converge to a point and disappear in the center of our vision. Sometimes, a rabbit or a pronghorn antelope sits roadside, either waiting for the moment to run or, at times, appearing to watch us. Cows and steers stand in disregard of passersby unless a cow is with a calf, then a guarded eye stares vigilantly, ready to protect the youngster. Drivers traveling in the opposite direction often tip a nod of the head or lift a finger off the steering wheel in a “finger wave,” acknowledging the other driver fortunate enough to be enjoying the beautiful solitude and quiet land expanding in all directions. This stretch of road is Highway 41, south of Estancia; we are on it because we haven’t been here before. It is often the case that our path to a destination is chosen by the roads we have yet to take.

Aside from the beer, most people have never heard of Corona, New Mexico, but they have their very own museum that we took a few minutes to visit.

Onto Highway 54 going south, looking for Ancho Road.

Found Ancho Road, which took us past the old rail depot in the ghost town of Ancho itself. This is not the depot.

Hi, inquisitive cow.

This is what remains of the Jicarilla store, post office, and assay office. Luckily for Caroline and me, we were able to see the building with a door and windows as, since our visit, others decided they had to either break them or steal them, as the old building is more of a shell than ever.

Continuing on the old gravel road, we came across a still, very well-preserved Brown’s Store in the ghost town of White Oak, New Mexico. It, too, is disappearing; I’m now guessing that parts are stolen by people who want authentic old pieces that would complement their own homes. Seems like bad karma to me.

Our next stop is Lavender Spring Ranch in Arabela, New Mexico.