Day 7 Santa Fe to Winslow, AZ
We left Santa Fe right after breakfast, heading ultimately for Winslow, AZ. We had a reservation at La Posada, a reportedly famous historic hotel built by a man named Fred Harvey.* I had read about La Posada over the years and was enticed, not the least, by the promise of the Burlington Northern - Santa Fe railroad tracks running "just outside your window" as one reviewer put it.
El Rancho Hotel
We traveled south out of Santa Fe pointing toward Gallup, NM. where we re-filled the gas tank. Next to the gas station was the historic El Rancho Hotel
The El Rancho Hotel has been the home for numerous Movie Stars while filming in the area including John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Errol Flynn, Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck, Humphrey Bogart and numerous others.
In addition to Movie Stars, numerous Political Figures have stayed at the El Rancho including two Presidents: President Reagan and President Eisenhower.
El Rancho was advertised on various billboards approaching Gallup as a historic gem, a destination of the famous of a bygone era: John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Errol Flynn, and even politicians like Reagan and Eisenhower.
The billboards piqued my curiosity but I was still a bit apprehensive about going in and asking to look around. I forced myself, remembering "we're only here once." Approaching the front desk, I settled on, "We’d like to stay here on our return trip, so do you mind if we look around?"
"Of course not," was the reply, so Brett and I wandered upstairs. Maids were making up some rooms and we peeked in smiling and saying we were thinking of staying here. Everyone was most gracious.
My assessment? Wonderful, but perhaps not for the modern upscale traveler. Authentic history buffs, yes. Clean, safe and comfortable, just not updated to modern ways. But nicely maintained and truly historic.
Route 66 to Winslow
From Gallup we got back on US 40, which closely parallels, and at times coincides with historic Route 66. We finally rolled into Winslow. I was excited about Winslow. In addition to La Posada was my liking for the Eagles’, "Take It Easy," which begins with the words, "Standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona… "
I figured that a particular "corner" in Winslow would be memorialized and I was correct. It stood out with sign and a lone eagle perched on a window sill. That was it – a bit of a letdown.
We rolled slowly through the in-town Route 66, inching our way eastward anticipating at any moment an abundance of quaint southwest architecture properly fitting for a spot so immortalized in song. But quaint never appeared. Instead the style was a bit on the strip-mall-like side.
The Magnificent La Posada
Brett labeled it, "Down and out." I too was disappointed and as we pulled into the paved La Posada lot we both had apprehensions. It didn’t help that directly across the street was an empty warehouse looking structure with open-air windows. A group of teenage boys stood beneath one of the windows tossing their backpacks through before hoisting themselves up and in, head and shoulders and finally their feet, disappearing inside.
Though the boys appeared young the idea that came to my mind was "Crack den." I kept the thought to myself lest we repeat our Ames, Iowa experience. See 2011 Wisconsin to Rockies
The hotel looked fine from the lot but I feared the worst. A couple was walking toward us heading for their car.
I risked a question, "How’s the hotel?"
"Great," they said.
I was doubtful.
Within minutes, our fears were allayed. Brett and I wandered the inside first marveling at the exquisite restoration of authentic southwest architecture. The room was even better, spacious, pristine, magnificently restored. Perfect.
Restaurant and bar. Perfect. The back lawn and garden? Perfect. And the BNSF railroad tracks at the edge of the back lawn – a train watcher’s dream.
We walked around inside and outside for an hour finally admitting that the hotel was so marvelous that we both agreed that La Posada was the kind of place that was, in itself, a desirable destination.
Our dinner was wonderful with a window looking out at the railroad tracks where the promise was that the Amtrak Southwest Chief would be stopping around 10 PM. We strolled around the grounds for an hour after dinner, then sat on the patio chatting with the restaurant manager as BNSF freight trains rumbled by. I was in heaven.
Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind
As we talked an unusual looking passenger train pulled in, not the normal Amtrak look.
We were told by a reputable source that this train was filled entirely with BNSF "bigwigs." With few exceptions, the window shades were drawn and no passengers peered out at us or at La Posada. Nor did anyone get off. The train remained stationary, going on an hour now. Of the few glimpses into the windows we could see exercise equipment. Gymnasium car I supposed.
Still no visible passengers. I suspected there were none on board. We were assured otherwise and we were also assured that seeing this train stop like this was extremely rare and therefore most exciting.
Not really. Aliens from outer space was my guess. Like the famous Roswell UFO Incident, circa 1970s, this was the 2011 Winslow Alien Train Incident, witnessed by just three people, a NJ man and his daughter plus an unknown mysterious man who has never come forward.
But we’ll never know the truth because Brett and I finally gave up and went inside to sleep.
After a restful night and stop for breakfast in Williams, AZ, 100 miles west, it was back on the road pointing for the California desert, a 400 plus mile section, of the day’s 550 total.
We were home before dark.
El Rancho Hotel
We traveled south out of Santa Fe pointing toward Gallup, NM. where we re-filled the gas tank. Next to the gas station was the historic El Rancho Hotel
The El Rancho Hotel has been the home for numerous Movie Stars while filming in the area including John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Errol Flynn, Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck, Humphrey Bogart and numerous others.
In addition to Movie Stars, numerous Political Figures have stayed at the El Rancho including two Presidents: President Reagan and President Eisenhower.
El Rancho was advertised on various billboards approaching Gallup as a historic gem, a destination of the famous of a bygone era: John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Errol Flynn, and even politicians like Reagan and Eisenhower.
The billboards piqued my curiosity but I was still a bit apprehensive about going in and asking to look around. I forced myself, remembering "we're only here once." Approaching the front desk, I settled on, "We’d like to stay here on our return trip, so do you mind if we look around?"
"Of course not," was the reply, so Brett and I wandered upstairs. Maids were making up some rooms and we peeked in smiling and saying we were thinking of staying here. Everyone was most gracious.
My assessment? Wonderful, but perhaps not for the modern upscale traveler. Authentic history buffs, yes. Clean, safe and comfortable, just not updated to modern ways. But nicely maintained and truly historic.
Route 66 to Winslow
From Gallup we got back on US 40, which closely parallels, and at times coincides with historic Route 66. We finally rolled into Winslow. I was excited about Winslow. In addition to La Posada was my liking for the Eagles’, "Take It Easy," which begins with the words, "Standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona… "
I figured that a particular "corner" in Winslow would be memorialized and I was correct. It stood out with sign and a lone eagle perched on a window sill. That was it – a bit of a letdown.
We rolled slowly through the in-town Route 66, inching our way eastward anticipating at any moment an abundance of quaint southwest architecture properly fitting for a spot so immortalized in song. But quaint never appeared. Instead the style was a bit on the strip-mall-like side.
The Magnificent La Posada
Brett labeled it, "Down and out." I too was disappointed and as we pulled into the paved La Posada lot we both had apprehensions. It didn’t help that directly across the street was an empty warehouse looking structure with open-air windows. A group of teenage boys stood beneath one of the windows tossing their backpacks through before hoisting themselves up and in, head and shoulders and finally their feet, disappearing inside.
Though the boys appeared young the idea that came to my mind was "Crack den." I kept the thought to myself lest we repeat our Ames, Iowa experience. See 2011 Wisconsin to Rockies
The hotel looked fine from the lot but I feared the worst. A couple was walking toward us heading for their car.
I risked a question, "How’s the hotel?"
"Great," they said.
I was doubtful.
Within minutes, our fears were allayed. Brett and I wandered the inside first marveling at the exquisite restoration of authentic southwest architecture. The room was even better, spacious, pristine, magnificently restored. Perfect.
Restaurant and bar. Perfect. The back lawn and garden? Perfect. And the BNSF railroad tracks at the edge of the back lawn – a train watcher’s dream.
We walked around inside and outside for an hour finally admitting that the hotel was so marvelous that we both agreed that La Posada was the kind of place that was, in itself, a desirable destination.
Our dinner was wonderful with a window looking out at the railroad tracks where the promise was that the Amtrak Southwest Chief would be stopping around 10 PM. We strolled around the grounds for an hour after dinner, then sat on the patio chatting with the restaurant manager as BNSF freight trains rumbled by. I was in heaven.
Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind
As we talked an unusual looking passenger train pulled in, not the normal Amtrak look.
We were told by a reputable source that this train was filled entirely with BNSF "bigwigs." With few exceptions, the window shades were drawn and no passengers peered out at us or at La Posada. Nor did anyone get off. The train remained stationary, going on an hour now. Of the few glimpses into the windows we could see exercise equipment. Gymnasium car I supposed.
Still no visible passengers. I suspected there were none on board. We were assured otherwise and we were also assured that seeing this train stop like this was extremely rare and therefore most exciting.
Not really. Aliens from outer space was my guess. Like the famous Roswell UFO Incident, circa 1970s, this was the 2011 Winslow Alien Train Incident, witnessed by just three people, a NJ man and his daughter plus an unknown mysterious man who has never come forward.
But we’ll never know the truth because Brett and I finally gave up and went inside to sleep.
After a restful night and stop for breakfast in Williams, AZ, 100 miles west, it was back on the road pointing for the California desert, a 400 plus mile section, of the day’s 550 total.
We were home before dark.
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