Santa Fe - La Bajada Hill - Gallup
One of the highlights on our trip, that we where looking forward too, were La Bajada Hill. I have seen old postcards, showing T-Fords driving this part of the road, very cool.
So we decided to have at least a look.
We took the CR-56C to the top of La Bajada Hill. Soon we realized that 4WD is essential, but be don’t know if the clearance of the car will be enough.
In the beginning it was not so bad, but when we arrived at the top and then saw the decent to the bottom, we understood that this will be tricky.
OK, we decided to do at least some reckoning, to see if it is possible.
Then we took the decision to do it.
Look at the pictures to follow the downhill challenge.
At some point we said “What are we doing??” but too late to turn back. I am born in Austria and used to steep downhill driving on unpaved tracks, but this was different!
What worried me was the weight of the car, but it turned out to be ok. Some spots where difficult to pass, because of the limited clearance of the car (T-Ford’s had an advantage!)
Finally we reached the bottom of the hill and we where very happy that we made it.
Would we do it again? I don’t know, maybe in a different car.
From there we headed to Albuquerque, passing Santa Domingo, Algodones, Bernalillo, and Almeda.
After lunch in Albuquerque, we continued to Isleta and Los Lunas, from there we drove the old R66 towards Carrea.
We drove nice stretches to Thoreau and Continental Divide. Stop for taking pictures.
At this time we where looking for the El Rancho Motel in Gallup.
What a Day!!
Picture Gallery
La Bajada Hill Challenge
.kml file(s) to use with Google Earth
.itn file(s) to use with TomTom and United_States-Map on SD-card