Osterhout Visit Nov. 2014 part 2

Saturday was a long day, so we decided to get a later start on Sunday.  We met at the hotel again, but this time we headed East on I-40 to visit Santa Rosa, NM.  Formerly a popular stop on Historic Route 66, the town features Santa Rosa Lake State Park, The Blue Hole, and The Route 66 Auto Museum.  We checked out the lake first.

 We went to lunch next.  Santa Rosa is not a very happening place.  Picture Radiator Springs at the beginning of the Cars movie.  The eateries that are still open are diners and drive-ins left over from the heyday of Route 66.  Knowing that my dad wanted to visit Santa Rosa, I made a trip out there during the summer to scout it out, and after rejecting a few lunch spots (not accessible, not clean, etc.) I decided our best bet was the Santa Fe diner.  Unfortunately, I neglected to check to make sure it was still open in November, and it was, in fact, closed for renovation!  We went to the Sun 'n Sand instead.  If you ask my dad, he'll say it was great.  He had chicken fried steak for the first time and had a ball talking with the owner and the friendly waitress.  If you ask me, I'll say... well, it's better left unsaid.  Good thing I brought snacks for the car.

 After lunch we went to The Blue Hole, a mecca for scuba divers.  There were three divers who had just gotten out when we arrived.  My folks talked to one guy who said it's a great place to explore.  There's not much to see from the surface, and the Visitor's Center was closed.

 Our next stop was the Route 66 Auto Museum, which was great!

Before we headed back to Abq, we drove 10 miles South through beautiful country to see Puerto de Luna, and on the way we stopped at this cemetery to photograph the church ruins.