Lord Colliers Active Retirement Life

I left the motel early this morning knowing I had a long drive ahead to Flagstaff. I’ll admit, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I arrived the night before. The motel sat in a rough-looking part of downtown Albuquerque, and first impressions were mixed. But appearances can be deceptive. It turned out to be a fantastic little place run by genuinely kind people, and I’d happily recommend it.

Once I got out onto the open road, though, the landscape quickly took over my attention. It had been nearly ten years since I’d last driven through this part of New Mexico, and I’d forgotten just how dramatic it is — huge skies, endless desert, crisp 40-degree air, and distant mountains capped with snow. The scale of it is difficult to describe.

Grants and Gallup

My first stop of the day was Grants, a town that feels like a relic of another era. Route 66 was once clearly the lifeblood of the community, but many of the old motels and businesses now sit abandoned and crumbling.

Grants grew around uranium mining, which explains much of the town’s rise — and decline. Despite the urban decay, the people I met were incredibly friendly. On the way out of town, I stopped at a small antique and coffee shop where I ended up having tea and chatting with a young woman about her plans to work in horse training. One of those unexpected Route 66 moments that sticks with you.

The drive onward to Gallup was spectacular. Red rock cliffs, lava fields, and the climb toward the Continental Divide made the landscape feel almost prehistoric.

Gallup itself felt far more lively than Grants, though still deeply tied to Route 66 history. I stopped at the legendary El Rancho Hotel, where old Hollywood still lingers through photographs of stars like John Wayne, Henry Fonda, and Shirley Temple. 

The lobby felt frozen in another era, with dark wood interiors and walls crowded with fading film memorabilia.

I also encountered what may have been the largest pickle I’ve ever seen at a nearby gas station.

Into Arizona and the Petrified Forest

Just outside Gallup, I stopped at a Native American trading post before crossing into Arizona and heading toward Petrified Forest National Park.

The park exceeded expectations. A 26-mile road connects a series of viewpoints filled with fossilised trees that turned to stone millions of years ago. The colours inside the petrified wood — reds, oranges, and crystal-like patterns — are remarkable. Standing among them feels like stepping into another world.

From there I made a quick stop in Holbrook to see the iconic Wigwam Motel. The wigwam-shaped rooms are pure Route 66 Americana, although the nearby Dollar General slightly ruins the illusion.

Apart from that, Holbrook seemed mostly made up of souvenir shops selling petrified wood and an unusually large number of fake dinosaur statues.

Standing on the Corner

My final stop before Flagstaff was Winslow — and yes, I stood on the corner made famous by the Eagles song Take It Easy!

Unfortunately, I got a little more “standing on the corner” than I bargained for. An accident on Interstate 40 had caused a ten-mile traffic backup between Winslow and Flagstaff, so I ended up spending far longer there than planned while waiting for the road to clear.

Still, that unpredictability is part of the charm of U.S. Route 66. One moment you’re staring at prehistoric landscapes, the next you’re stranded in traffic in the Arizona desert. 

Route 66 has a way of reminding you that no matter how carefully you plan, the road always has ideas of its own!!!