Historic Route 66 - New Mexico
a day / 596 miles / 19 hours 52 minutes
As you travel Route 66 in New Mexico, you can visit authentic Historic Route 66-era hotels, motels, trading posts and gas stations that have been lovingly restored and preserved. Wander through majestic mountains, breathtaking vistas, meandering ranch land, Indian reservations, Pueblo communities and spectacular sunrises and sunsets.
Day 1
9:00 - 501.0 miles / 16 hours 41 minutes - 14:41
Budville exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit on Route 66. Budville was named after "Bud" Rice, who built the Budville Trading Post. From here he operated a gas station, wrecker service, mercentile, and also served as Justice of the Peace.
Bud ruled the Route from the Rio Puerco Bridge to Grants and was known as "Law West of the Rio Puerco." Bud decreed that all wrecks east of the Rio Puerco were in the domain of Albuquerque wrecker services, and west of the Rio Puerco were his. Wrecks on the bridge were for whoever got there first. Bud's wrecker decree was hotly challenged but Bud was also the law.
Bud could get testy with travelers also. One time he repaired a broken fan belt for a motorist and presented a bill. The motorist was not happy with the price. Bud accommodated the motorist by reaching in his pocket and with his pocket knife cut the new belt off the motorist's car. The astonished motorist asked, "What do I do now?" Bud told him to first move his vehicle across the street if he didn't want to pay storage charges. Bud was just making a point since he also owned the property across the street.
Bud had a generous side that included buying shoes for poor school kids. Bud was murdered in his trading post in 1967 and after trial the accused was acquitted and the murderer never identified. A number of murder theories have been suggested, including a contract killer hired by the Albuquerque wrecker services.14:41 - 95.4 miles / 3 hours 10 minutes - 17:52