Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari, NM

gnagel · Dec 6, 2019

My first stop in New Mexico was Tucumcari. The historic Route 66 runs right through Tucumcari. When the interstate highway (Interstate 40) was built, it bypassed Tucumcari. This once very popular tourist stop has practically turned into a ghost town.

There are a few very nice motels on Route 66. The Blue Swallow Motel is one of those. A couple from Michigan had a great interest in everything Route 66 and bought this motel several years ago. They take great pride is keeping it the way it was--but very clean and with many of the more modern amenities. The same goes for a few of the other vintage motels--like the Roadrunner Motel.

The last time I stayed in Tucumcari was in 2012. That's when I captured the night shot (last picture in this thread) of the motel with the vintage automobile in the front. This time, the motel was closed for most of the month of November as the owners left town for their daughter's wedding. So, I stayed a couple of blocks down the street at the Roadrunner Motel--quite impressive as well.

I have several more images of Tucumcari...and I'll save those for a later thread.

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Thanks again for following along on my New Mexico road trip!

Glenn

PJM · Dec 6, 2019

Nice set! You must be singin' "Willin" (Little Feat) on your drive.

Derrel · Dec 6, 2019

That night shot with the Neon light in the old car is really great. All I know about Route 66 is from the movie Cars.

Jeff15 · Dec 7, 2019

This looks a good place..........

stapo49 · Dec 7, 2019

That last image is a classic! Great stuff.

gnagel · Dec 7, 2019

PJM said:
Nice set! You must be singin' "Willin" (Little Feat) on your drive.

Derrel said:
That night shot with the Neon light in the old car is really great. All I know about Route 66 is from the movie Cars.

Jeff15 said:
This looks a good place..........

stapo49 said:
That last image is a classic! Great stuff.

Thanks everyone!

Glenn

K9Kirk · Dec 7, 2019

Nice set! I love the nostalgia. Did you go inside to experience the "100% REFRIGERATED AIR?" lol! Cracks me up what used to pass for a 'big deal', it's so taken for granted now.
The last pic is the coolest by far and as Darrel mentioned, it reminds me of the movie, "Cars." I wish I had an RV (with motorcycle and Jeep) and a month to roam around Rt. 66.
Good work!

Grujanidas · Dec 8, 2019

Exelent set of images! My favorite one is taken during blue hour! I kindly suggest some of free tutorials done by Mike Kelly from f stopers about this kind of photography. [emoji106][emoji4]

Poslato sa MAR-LX1M pomoću Tapatoka

gnagel · Dec 8, 2019

K9Kirk said:
Nice set! I love the nostalgia. Did you go inside to experience the "100% REFRIGERATED AIR?" lol! Cracks me up what used to pass for a 'big deal', it's so taken for granted now.
The last pic is the coolest by far and as Darrel mentioned, it reminds me of the movie, "Cars." I wish I had an RV (with motorcycle and Jeep) and a month to roam around Rt. 66.
Good work!

Thanks! I spent a night in one of the rooms with the 100% refrigerated air. Although, I didn't get to fully experience it as the temps that night fell into the high 20's!

Grujanidas said:
Exelent set of images! My favorite one is taken during blue hour! I kindly suggest some of free tutorials done by Mike Kelly from f stopers about this kind of photography. [emoji106][emoji4]

Poslato sa MAR-LX1M pomoću Tapatoka

Thank you...I have viewed some of fstoppers tutorials before. I'll have to check that one out!

Glenn

AlanKlein · Dec 8, 2019

Route 66 Theme music from the old TV program. Loved that show. Back in the 1960's. When I visited the Southwest last year and made a slide show of the trip for home viewing, I play that theme song in the background in the beginning to set the mood.