Today was a
day to explore Albuquerque. We found the Rio Puerco Bridge. The bridge is
squeezed between I-40 on the south and the current Central Ave. NW (Old 66) on
the north just east of I-40 Exit 140. A small section of the old road at the
east end of the bridge allows for parking. Heading west out of Albuquerque on
Route 66, travelers can enjoy a scenic descent from Nine Mile Hill into the Rio
Puerco Valley, where a Parker through truss bridge crosses the steeply eroded
banks of the Rio Puerco River. The valley is the site of Laguna Pueblo, the
home of Puebloans since the 1300s. Because the Rio Puerco is known for its
violent flooding and severe erosion, the State Highway Department specifically
chose a Parker through truss bridge design for the Rio Puerco Bridge to
eliminate the need for a center pier and prevent washouts.
The Federal
Government funded the bridge in 1933 as part of President Roosevelt’s effort to
use emergency monies for highway construction. Completed within a year, the
bridge opened the Laguna Cutoff to transcontinental traffic. In 1937, the
alignment officially became US Route 66.The Kansas City Structural Steel
Company conceived the structure, and F.D. Shufflebarger was in charge of
constructing the bridge. The Rio Puerco Bridge has a 250 foot long span and is
one of the longest single span steel truss bridges built in New Mexico. The
bridge consists of 10 panels measuring 25 feet in length, each with its top
cord at a different angle, as is characteristic of Parker truss design bridges.
The 25-foot wide deck is concrete with an asphalt surface and rests on steel
stringers. This design was selected partially because it was commonly used
during the late-1920s and 30s, but also because it was particularly suitable
for this bridge, which needed to withstand a river capable of massive flooding
that had washed away previous bridges along the Rio Puerco.
In 1957, the
truss was remodeled, and the lower portal struts were removed and replaced by
lighter struts that were inserted above to create a higher clearance. Metal
guardrails were added to protect the truss members. This bridge served
motorists on Route 66 for many years, and when I-40 was completed, the Rio
Puerco Bridge became part of a frontage road across the Rio Puerco. The
structure was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
In 1999, the New Mexico State Highway and
Transportation Department replaced it but preserved the historic bridge. Though
currently closed to car traffic, the old bridge is open for people to walk
across, allowing visitors a glimpse of the old Highway 66 slowly curving and
dipping as it disappears into the vast New Mexico desert.
Helen, Patti
and I took a drive back east to check out the Albuquerque Central KOA Journey,
for next year. Albuquerque KOA is closer to the few events we have in
Albuquerque. The Casino RV Resort is nice, but it’s almost 20 miles back into
town to anything we want to do. The KOA campground is nestled close to the
Sandia Mountains.
In the
business district of Albequerque is the KiMo Theater. Built in 1927 to show
both motion pictures and stage productions, the KiMo Theater has an important
place among the elaborate palatial dream-theaters of the 1920s. KiMo, in the
language of the nearby Isleta Pueblo, means “king of its kind,” and the name is
certainly well deserved. The KiMo was the first theater constructed in the
Pueblo Deco style, a fusion of ancient American Indian and Art Deco design.
This short-lived style was highly unique during a time when Chinese and
Egyptian designs were the predominant styles used for film palaces.
Built for
Italian immigrant Oreste Bachechi by the Boller Brothers firm at a cost of
$150,000, the theater is a steel frame and brick building three-stories high,
with retail shops flanking the entrance on both sides. Its exterior is finished
with strongly textured light brown stucco embellished with ornamental details
of glazed terra cotta tile and vividly-colored reliefs. The large marquee and
vestibule entrance reflect remodeling from the 1950s. In 1961, a fire destroyed
the stage and other areas of the theater. With the combined forces of suburban
growth and competition, the theater fell into decline and closed in 1968.
It was nearly demolished in the 1970s, before
the citizens of Albuquerque voted to purchase and restore it. The theater was
listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 and partly
rehabilitated in 1981. The restoration was completed in the 1990s as part of
downtown Albuquerque’s revitalization efforts--just in time for Route 66's 75th
anniversary celebration in 2001.
Because of a
change in alignment of Route 66 in 1937, there is an intersection where Route
66 crosses itself at Central Avenue and 4
th Street in downtown
Albuquerque. It is here, you can stand on the corner of Route 66 and Route 66.
Albuquerque
is home to the World’s largest Balloon Fiesta, held annually in October. They
have a Balloon Museum here, named in honor of Albuquerque's pioneering
aeronauts Maxie Anderson and Ben Abruzzo. They were part of the crews who first
successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a balloon in 1978 and the Pacific Ocean
in 1981. The Balloon Museum opened in 2005 and has welcomed over one million
visitors from across the world. The mission of the museum is to inspire a
spirit of exploration, discovery, and achievement through experiences that
engage our visitors in the history, science, sport, and art of ballooning and
other innovative forms of flight.
They have
worked hard to create a vibrant, accredited museum. They want the museum to
help enrich people’s lives and brings people together, from across town or from
around the world. They want guests to explore the history, science, sport, and
art of ballooning and other innovative forms of flight. We discovered how human
aviation began with ballooning in 1783 and all the hundreds of advancements
that have followed in the sport.
Ever wonder
why Albuquerque is so popular with balloonists? The “Albuquerque Box” is a set
of predictable wind patterns that make navigating a balloon fairly simple. At
lower elevations in the Rio Grande Valley, where the city of Albuquerque sits,
the winds are southerly. At higher elevations, the winds are northerly.
Do
you want to see a Zebra at the Balloon Fiesta? Don’t look up … look out. A “Zebra”
is a launch director who helps each crew lift its balloon softly and safely
into the air. The Zebras earned their stripes somewhat by accident. During the
1975 Balloon Fiesta, launch directors wore referee jerseys to help them stand
out on the field. The number of zebras has grown over the years, but the balck
and white stripes and the nickname remain. While their main job is to ensure a
safe, coordinated launch. Some feel they are the face of Fiesta. They are out
on the field with visitors, so they get asked all kinds of questions. It takes two-year
at Zebra-in-Training program to become a recognized Zebra. But education does
not stop there, they attend classes each year to refresh and update their
skills.
There
is a cool black & white exhibit at the Balloon Museum. It’s a collaboration
between the Balloon Museum and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. All Black and
White explores the use of black and white design in contemporary New Mexico art
and connects the striking use of those shades to the black and white striped
attire of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Launch Directors. In the
sea of color and texture, launch directors, fondly called “Zebras,” clear the
way for each hot air balloon to launch safely into the sky.
Black
and white is the most basic form of drawing and design. The stark contrast
catches the eye and can project movement, intrigue, and even stories. New
Mexico holds a rich and long-standing history of black and white. Pottery left
by Ancestral Puebloan people reveals intricate and complex designs through
natural pigments. Today, those designs are maintained in the works of the
living Pueblo People and inspire contemporary artists.
The
artists featured are Marla Allison, Karl Bautista, Amanda Beardsley, Celestino
Crowhill, Danielle Rae Miller, Danila Rumold, Jessey Sandoval, Charmaine
Shutiva, Steve Smith, and Shawn Turung. New Mexico has such a deep and rich
history of art and design. This show is a great opportunity to explore that
history in a very fundamental form that continues on into contemporary art and
even seen in unique Zebra fashion.”
We enjoyed a private buffet dinner
at El Pinto Restaurant.
Jack and
Connie Thomas built El Pinto in 1962. They wanted to open a New Mexican restaurant serving the recipes of Connie's mother Josephina Chavez-Griggs. It started as a one room
restaurant with just a handful of tables and a small kitchen. They built their
home right by the restaurant so they could raise their family and be close to
their business.
They decided to name the restaurant El Pinto or "the spot". It was a destination restaurant, but families came from miles around to have the delicious food and enjoy the beautiful north valley of Albuquerque. The Thomas' six children all helped in the restaurant while they were growing up. Slowly the restaurant expanded and they added another room and
an elegant patio where people could sit and enjoy their meal during the warm
weather.
When their twins, Jim and
John, took over the restaurant, they expanded with more
patios and a beautiful indoor garden room. The restaurant now seats over 1,200
guests at a time in our five patios, three indoor dining rooms, and a cantina.
The patios can be enclosed during the winter months so the guest can still
enjoy the patio and sit near a warm fire.
In the late 1990's customers starting requesting that the salsa and sauces be bottled because of their great flavor. Jim and John worked through trial and error to get the best salsa and sauces they could in the bottle. They started a night shift at the restaurant to cook and bottle the salsa and sauces. El Pinto Foods began to take off and soon El Pinto Salsa and Green Chile Sauce were on local store shelves for people to use at home. El Pinto Salsas and Sauces are now available nationwide in stores including Wal-Mart, Kroger, Albertson's, HEB, and Costco. The restaurant sits on twelve acres
and it includes a 5,000 square foot manufacturing facility to produce salsa and
sauces for retail. They are the largest New Mexican restaurant in the state of
New Mexico.It was another great day of #TwoLaneAdventures on our #Route66RVcaravan with #yankeeRVtours
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