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tucumcari is really a strange town. the signs show promise on the way to it on i40... but once you get there, you wonder if you were lied to.
the town has seen better days, anyone will admit that. and im afraid that within the next 10-15 years, the first "city" you get to on i-40 west torwards ABQ will be santa rosa... which isnt much better off, but seemed to be at least sustaining itself, with the blue hole and a few other things.
tucumcari is just one of those cities that looks good from the highway when its dark out... but id love to visit and spend some more time next time im coming through.
feb 3rd or 4th, 2008. i was driving through to ABQ... had driven from Shreveport, LA so I was tired... and heard reports that ABQ was getting a major snow... so I role through Amarillo on i-40, and decide to grab some Denny's, thought about crashing there for the night, but decided to continue on.
Got to Tucumcari, and was feeling pretty tired. It was about 10 or so, but I had been driving all day through TX and its a tiring drive, esp. dallas at lunch time, and my farmers tan (burnt left arm from being exposed to the sun all day was aching...) Went to a gas station right off of the exit, where that hill is, the route 66 exit...
Gassed up, and next to me was this lady going crazy, just all stressed. I asked her what was wrong and she said she had to make it to arizona on 50 bucks or something, I said thats going to be tough considering your driving an SUV.. she said she had already blown 2 tires that day, and you could tell she was just going to lose it at any moment if she hadnt already. i warned her of the potential rough weather near albuquerque, and she just looked at me like "why did he have to add insult to injury." i wished her good luck and she got in her suv and left. I finished pumping my gas and went inside the station for some water and m and m's to pick me up for the few remaining hours ahead.
Asked the lady inside who ignored me at the counter for 5 minutes what she thought of the weather ahead, she said she would stay the night if she was travelling... but I ignored her. Couldnt be that bad.
Got back on i-40 west and not 5 minutes passed when I slammed on my brakes, seeing some semi trucks stopped in the road... i figured someone got in a wreck or just blew out a tire on the interstate. well, about 30 minutes passed, so i threw on my sandals (comfortable for long drives, i like to drive without shoes, so i drive barefoot and put on sandals to get gas and use reststops, etc.) and my jacket and get out. cant really see much, i was just about 10 cars back, but its dark out there at night. now the traffic is backed up probably all the way back to tucumcari, 10 miles back. i finally see some lights coming, a state cop, then a few minutes later an ambulance, then another.
about 30 minutes or more pass, one ambulance leaves, lights flashing, 10 more minutes another one leaves, lights off, but patient in... (usually done because the patient is dead, and therefore no need to rush).
traffic crew clears the road enough for one lane to move, and i get up there and notice its the same suv from the gas station. looked like it blew another tire... the suv was flattened and mangeled, really bad. either the lady i talked to died or one of her kids... i had an eerie feeling for a while.
was i the last person she ever spoke too?
i just got a chill....
On my way to ABQ, nearing moriarty, No windshield wiper fluid, because my pump didnt work. Snow, Sleet, dirt, all over my windshield from trucks ahead, i couldnt see, seriosly scary moment.
I just followed the lights of the truck that I could barely see, the roads were slippery, got to the sandia's, got worse, made it to albuquerque and city was covered in snow. so awesome. it was damn quiet to. got there around 1230am... a good 16 hour day of driving, went to a crusty hotel on central and slept.
but that lady is now haunting my mind, so ill stop now!!!
axom: That is a seriously creepy story. The lady in the SUV must have had really bad tires. How terrible. It sounds like a modern version of "The Grapes of Wrath".
ya, it was creepy. i felt bad, she seemed like an abuse victim on the run trying to get to a friends house a few states over, although that was just my assumption.
i would have given her some money but i am just a poor dude, but now that i realize my talking to her for a bit and giving her some money could have prevented that accident... or was it fate? i dont really think about that stuff to often.
Im moving to Tucumcari to attend MesaLands Community College and need a place to rent for a period of about two years. Does anyone have any advice or direction to give?
Tucumcari's newspaper is the Quay County Sun and they are online. Am planning a trip there later on this Spring. I would think there would be a fair amount of rentals available. When I've called the area Chamber of Commerce, they have been very friendly and helpful on questions I've had, you might give them a try regarding possible real estate companies who are into the rental biz.
I lived there for a short time in the early 80's and liked it. STILL like it! Still thinking about relocating there a few years down the road. Welcome to city/data-best of luck!
Lots of nice people in Tucumcari. I would think there would be a few places that would rent to own just in case you decided to stay in the area. Sometimes these small towns have low income housing according to your income or city apartments. el pintada kid
You also might want to check out the weekly free paper at the 7/11's in town called the ''Thrifty Nickle'' as you usually see apts/studios/trailers advertised for rent in it.
I think I've seen that rag around here too. I have been to Tucumcari twice and found it to be a soulful little town. I enjoyed it!
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Moving to Tucumcari to study Wind Energy!
