We had two choices: destination or journey; State Highway 25 or National Scenic Byway; boring or enchanting.
Duh!
We took the Turquoise Trail, one of eight National Scenic Byways in the state of New Mexico alone, and never looked back. It was along this trail we found The Land of Enchantment to mean much more than magnificent mountain vistas, stunning sunsets, and high desert terrain.
Duh!
We took the Turquoise Trail, one of eight National Scenic Byways in the state of New Mexico alone, and never looked back. It was along this trail we found The Land of Enchantment to mean much more than magnificent mountain vistas, stunning sunsets, and high desert terrain.
Somewhere along New Mexico's Turquoise Trail.
New Mexico has a past, same as every other state – geological, archeological, and cultural – that speaks to her unique spirit. Our journey into that past began, literally, with a blast from the past courtesy of a singing highway.
Singing highway?
Singing highway?
Surely you’ve heard of Route 66.
At the intersection of history and enchanting.
We picked up the Turquoise Trail in Albuquerque courtesy of the Mother Road. Our introduction to this scenic byway was as classic and memorable as the ’57 Chevy.
For 15 seconds or so, as we rumbled along this small section of Route 66, sans '57 Chevy (so sad!!!), the tune America the Beautiful floated up from the pavement as our tires made contact with a musical rumble strip. What will they think of next?
A little bit of sleuthing after the fact revealed the highway hijinx to be part of National Geographic’s television series about changing social behaviors. And while not the first hijinx of its kind, it was our first encounter with a singing highway. Enchanting!
Each of the small towns along the 65-mile Turquoise Trail (Tijeres, Cedar Crest, Sandia Park, Golden, Madrid, and Cerrillos) similarly offered a unique window into the past, a rich blend of Native American spirituality, Spanish explorers, brave pioneers and fortune hunters.
There were museums, churches, a national park, traces of ancient pueblos, and a former mining town turned ghost town turned funky artist colony, enough options to offer something historically interesting for just about everyone.
“Let’s stop here, Jimmy!”
Blink and we'd have passed the tiny town of Madrid (MADrid), the halfway mark on the historic trail connecting Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
For 15 seconds or so, as we rumbled along this small section of Route 66, sans '57 Chevy (so sad!!!), the tune America the Beautiful floated up from the pavement as our tires made contact with a musical rumble strip. What will they think of next?
A little bit of sleuthing after the fact revealed the highway hijinx to be part of National Geographic’s television series about changing social behaviors. And while not the first hijinx of its kind, it was our first encounter with a singing highway. Enchanting!
Each of the small towns along the 65-mile Turquoise Trail (Tijeres, Cedar Crest, Sandia Park, Golden, Madrid, and Cerrillos) similarly offered a unique window into the past, a rich blend of Native American spirituality, Spanish explorers, brave pioneers and fortune hunters.
There were museums, churches, a national park, traces of ancient pueblos, and a former mining town turned ghost town turned funky artist colony, enough options to offer something historically interesting for just about everyone.
“Let’s stop here, Jimmy!”
Blink and we'd have passed the tiny town of Madrid (MADrid), the halfway mark on the historic trail connecting Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Main Street, USA. Doesn't every town have one?
There was obviously some colorful history behind the old Victorian houses and clapboard storefronts lining Madrid's main street (quite possibly Madrid's only street), officially NM 14.
This building is called Ghost Town Trading Post.
Serendipity being a long-time friend, we found we'd parked in front of Maggie’s Diner; which apparently wasn’t really a Diner despite the large letters suggesting otherwise. I had no idea her claim to fame.
 Marisa Tomei played Maggie, the owner of the Diner. |  WHY NOT?! |
Ever see the movie, Wild Hogs?
Maggie's Diner was a prop built in Madrid for this 2007 Disney movie about four middle-aged friends from Cincinnati (Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy) looking to rev up their suburban routines with a freewheeling motorcycle trip west. Of course the Wild Hogs, as they call themselves, find the world has far more to offer than they'd anticipated. They're not alone.
I haven't seen the movie, but I will when I return home, despite Rotten Tomatoes' Critic Score of 14%. Viewers gave it a score of 63%. That's still passing, right!?
Needless to say, Madrid hadn’t seen this much action during the month-long filming of the movie since the coal mining days of the 1800s. When the coal market collapsed in the mid-1900s, so did Madrid. In 1954 an ad ran in the Wall Street Journal listing the entire ghost town for sale for a mere $250,000.
By the 1960s and ‘70s, Madrid was reborn with the arrival of a few starving artists and drifters looking for a place to call home.
Maggie's Diner was a prop built in Madrid for this 2007 Disney movie about four middle-aged friends from Cincinnati (Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy) looking to rev up their suburban routines with a freewheeling motorcycle trip west. Of course the Wild Hogs, as they call themselves, find the world has far more to offer than they'd anticipated. They're not alone.
I haven't seen the movie, but I will when I return home, despite Rotten Tomatoes' Critic Score of 14%. Viewers gave it a score of 63%. That's still passing, right!?
Needless to say, Madrid hadn’t seen this much action during the month-long filming of the movie since the coal mining days of the 1800s. When the coal market collapsed in the mid-1900s, so did Madrid. In 1954 an ad ran in the Wall Street Journal listing the entire ghost town for sale for a mere $250,000.
By the 1960s and ‘70s, Madrid was reborn with the arrival of a few starving artists and drifters looking for a place to call home.
HOME! Heaven on earth, only the sign in the window said CLOSED.
We were looking for a place to quench our thirst when we exited Maggie's Diner with our fair share of memorabilia. Apparently there's more money to be made in memorabilia than food.
 Take a load off and have some tee (shirts). |  The original booths are now used for display purposes. |
We didn't have to walk far to find the real deal, Java Junction.
Love the picket fence. It could use a coat of white paint, though.
 This sign on the door to Java Junction reads: ON THIS SITE IN 1897 Nothing Happened. |  This picture speaks for itself. |
We settled on a slice of homemade blueberry pie to go with our coffee, and a slice of the past courtesy of the Turquoise Trail.
Oops! Forgot to take pictures BEFORE taking a bite (or 2 or 3).
Both entrées were simply enchanting. This was New Mexico, after all.
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