Day 4: Tepees, Time Travel, and Tarmac Tumbles: Entering Arizona on Route 66
There is a distinct shift in the air when you cross into the American Southwest. The horizons stretch out infinitely wider, the dirt turns a deep crimson, and the roadside history becomes beautifully surreal. Yesterday’s run from the neon glow of Tucumcari, New Mexico, to the iconic tepees of Holbrook, Arizona, was a massive milestone for the trip—not just for the miles covered, but because our riding crew officially grew by two.
The Morning Log: Neon Farewells and a Tarmac Tumble
We woke up to a perfect morning at the Blue Swallow Motel. Before hitting the road, we grabbed coffee with the new owner, Rob, and his friendly Labrador, Marshall. Rob is a true keeper of the Route 66 flame; we spent an hour swapping stories about classic Harleys, the Rock Café lore, and the hidden gems along his own travels down the Mother Road.
Rob was kind enough to move his AMC Hornet out of the way so we could pull our bikes directly under the Blue Swallow’s famous neon canopy for a quick photoshoot. Dean and Rob got deep into a technical conversation about cameras, but the delay was worth it—we walked away with some of the best photos of the trip.
From there, we geared up and rode just up the road to fill the tanks at a local Circle K. Pulling into the station, Dean hit a brutal, hidden bump in the pavement and—well, let’s just say his bike may or may not have completely tipped over. Once we made sure both Dean and the bike were completely fine, a wave of nostalgia hit me. I distinctly remember filling up at this exact same Circle K years ago when Roger and I were running this very same track.
Back on the asphalt, our next fuel stop was Clines Corners. Walking into that massive gift shop brought back a flood of childhood memories; my family used to stop there every single summer with the camper on our way to summer camp.
The Albuquerque Airport Run: Expanding the Crew
Leaving Clines Corners, we bypassed the main interstate, taking the scenic route down through Sedillo Hill off I-40 and winding through the rugged rock faces of Tijeras Canyon. Our destination? The Albuquerque airport.
The squad officially expanded because Billy’s wife, Melissa, and their daughter, Bridgette, flew in to join us for this leg of the adventure!
After packing their luggage onto the rigs, we pulled into a nearby Dairy Queen. The dining room was closed, but since it was the only option around, we ordered a round of food and had ourselves a classic parking lot picnic right on the asphalt. Just as we finished eating and went to fire up the engines, a light rain started to fall. It wasn’t a downpour—just enough to get us a little damp—but it completely broke the desert heat and cooled the afternoon down beautifully.
Dead Ends and Roadblocks on the Continental Divide
As we pushed further west, we officially crossed the Continental Divide, stopping to take in the view. While we were there, we struck up a conversation with a great family from Las Vegas who were driving all the way up to Nashville to drop their kids off for college. Melissa ended up swapping contact info with them to trade local tips.
[ THE ROUTE 66 ROADBLOCK REPORT ]
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Status: Frustrating!
The Mother Road is full of ghosts, and sometimes those ghosts are guarded by modern orange barriers. We hunted down several historic stretches only to find a string of dead ends.
* Owl’s Creek Section: BLOCKED
* Red Rock Section: BLOCKED
* Dead Man’s Curve: BLOCKED
We weren’t thrilled about having to bypass these on the interstate, but that’s the reality of tracking a 100-year-old highway.
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We high-tailed it toward Petrified Forest National Park, hoping to catch the sweeping painted desert views before dark, but the road gods weren’t smiling on that one—we arrived just as the rangers were closing the main gates.
To make up for it, we made a quick detour by the historic El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, followed by a mandatory roadside oddity stop at Stewart’s Petrified Wood & Souvenirs. After grinding up a massive, steep gravel hill, we found exactly what we were looking for: three massive, live ostriches hanging out in the desert hills. You truly never know what you’re going to find out here.
Sleeping in a Concrete Tepee: Holbrook, AZ
We rolled into Holbrook after dark and checked into a bucket-list landmark: The Wigwam Motel.
[ ROAD CHEF REVIEW: BUTTERFIELD STAGE CO. STEAKHOUSE ]
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Location: Holbrook, Arizona
The Vibe: Authentic Western saloon atmosphere. The parking lot alone is a museum, packed with vintage classic cars and massive chunks of petrified wood.
The Highlights: Excellent steaks and incredible service. The highlight of the night was getting to tell Bridgette a hilarious story from her elementary school days that she had somehow never heard before.
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After dinner, we returned to our concrete tepee to finally unpack. Staying at the Wigwam was a massive, unforgettable milestone for Bridgette—it’s one of those classic pieces of Americana you see in pictures your whole life, but actually parking your Harley out front and sleeping inside one is a whole different ballgame.
The only real quirk? I went to take a shower before crawling into bed, only to discover the shower nozzle was mounted no more than four feet off the ground! It takes a little flexibility to wash the highway grime off when the shower head is at chest height, but hey—that’s part of the vintage charm.
Next Stop: The Grand Canyon via the red rocks of Sedona. Keep the rubber side down!