My Friend Willie

Route 66 Unpolished Driving Tour

Overview

Step into the soul of the Mother Road on our Route 66 Unpolished Tour - an immersive journey led by true locals, including guide Willie Lambert who has spent over 22 years researching the alignments of Route 66 in New Mexico. Travel in comfort aboard our luxury transportation as we uncover hidden stretches of the old highway, forgotten bridges, historic churches, vintage landmarks, incredible vistas and stories you won’t find in any book. This is the real Route 66—raw, authentic, and alive with history.

Along the way, we’ll stop for an included lunch at the breathtaking Pecos National Historic Monument, where culture, landscape, and legend meet. First humans to inhabit this area date back 12,000 years. You will have the option to walk the premises of the Monument where the most recent people lived from 800AD to the early 1800s. Weather can vary, so be prepared with comfortable walking shoes, jackets, and water. You will have several options when we arrive at the park before we all meet for lunch.

No other tour brings you this close to the heartbeat of America’s most iconic road.
This isn’t just a tour—it’s a rare chance to experience Route 66 the way only a few locals know it.

Duration

This tour is an all day event and will go from 9am-4pm.

What's included

Everything is included, lunch, transportation, and access to the original Route 66 only few know about.

What's not included

Gratuity for you guides is not included.

Itinerary

9am depart La Fonda
Stop in front of State Capital for introduction
Start tour along original Route 66, this first section will be about 2 hours with a few stops where we'll get on and off the van.
Stop for lunch at Pecos National Monument. 1.5 hour of lunch and exploration.
Get back on van for another 2-3 hours of driving the original Route 66 with several stops where we'll get on and off the van.
Stop for bathroom break before we head back to Santa Fe.

Highlights

• A Local Lens Unlike Any Other
This tour is powered by deep-rooted New Mexican knowledge. Your guide Willie Lambert, has spent more than two decades uncovering forgotten segments of the Mother Road, giving you access to stories, paths, and perspectives that simply don’t appear on standard tours.

• Hidden Gems & Rare Route 66 Relics
Experience tucked-away stretches of the old highway, original pavement, century-old churches, vintage bridges, and quiet landmarks that even lifelong residents don’t always know exist. Every stop reveals a piece of history frozen in time.

• Immersive Stops—Not Just a Drive
You’ll step off the van often to explore ruins, scenic overlooks, mural sites, and historic markers. This is hands-on Route 66—walk it, touch it, stand on it. Feel the road’s texture beneath your feet as its history comes alive.

• Culture, Nature & Flavor Combined
From wide-open northern New Mexico vistas to stories carried through generations, the tour blends landscape and culture into a full sensory experience. A relaxing lunch stop at Pecos National Historic Monument deepens the day with history, views, and real New Mexican atmosphere.

Check-in details

Please arrive 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the tour to ensure an on-time departure. Black Mercedes Benz Sprinter will be parked outside of La Fonda on E. San Fransisco St. You will check in at the van.

What to bring

Water
Hat
Jacket for winter months
Phone for photos
Comfortable walking shoes

Special requirements

This tour is for anyone 10 years old and above. Children 10-17 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

Restrictions

Please note, we will be getting on and off the van at various locations, so if you have trouble walking, please reach out so we can confirm whether this is a good activity for you.

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How a young Man from Lakewood, NJ

Became an Expert Route 66 Historian

in Santa Fe, NM

Route 66, Through the Eyes of Artist

and Historian Willie Lambert

Lambert moved to the area in 1972 and worked a variety of "survival jobs" - including as a railroad worker, forest firefighter, and casino dealer before dedicating himself to the history of the Mother Road. His project began roughly 22 years ago, sparked by his sister's interest in traveling the route for her 66th birthday.

Willie Lambert is a prominent self-educated Route 66 historian, artist, and documentarian based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. For over two decades, he has meticulously researched the "Mother Road," focusing on its original 1926 alignment and fading remnants across New Mexico.

Methodology: Lambert uses an analog approach, documenting physical clues like stray pavement, old bridge culverts, and fence lines using an odometer and vintage materials.

Collection: He has compiled over 30 binders containing 1,400+ historic postcards, hand-drawn maps, comparative photographs, and field notes.

Preservation: In 2025, the Historic Santa Fe Foundation (HSFF) began a project to digitize his lifelong research and publish a series of booklets based on his binders.

Public Engagement Library Presentations: He frequently hosts "Route 66 with Willie Lambert" events at the Santa Fe Public Library, where he shares his hand-drawn maps and creative work.

Guided Tours: Lambert occasionally leads local tours of the "ghosts" of Route 66, pointing out sites that are now private property or barely visible scars in the landscape.

Digital Presence: He maintains a YouTube channel where he shares insights into his "then-and-now" photographic recreations of historic sites.

Below are examples of historic sites and themes from Lambert's extensive Route 66 research:

What are Willie Lambert's thoughts on the future of Route 66 preservation in New Mexico?

Willie Lambert views Route 66 preservation not just as the protection of physical buildings, but as the documentation of a living cultural identity. His philosophy focuses on capturing fading remnants before they disappear entirely.

Core Preservation Philosophy:

The "Invisible" Road: Lambert believes most modern travelers miss Route 66 because they only see current infrastructure. He views interstates as "negative space" and focuses preservation efforts on finding physical "clues," such as stray pavement in pastures, old bridge culverts, and "scars" along ridgelines.

Urgency of Documentation: He has expressed that the remaining physical sites "won't be there forever," driving his obsession with meticulous "then-and-now" photographic documentation.

Cultural Identity: To Lambert, Route 66 represents the "entrepreneurship and creativity" of the American people—specifically the "mom and pop" businesses that defined the era.

Private Property Access: A significant hurdle for future research is that many segments of the original 1926 alignment now reside on private property. Lambert’s primary desire for the future is to meet landowners who will allow him to finish documenting these restricted areas for "cultural knowledge".

Digital Legacy: Recognizing that his research previously existed only in "his binders and his brain," he has collaborated with the Historic Santa Fe Foundation (HSFF) to digitize his lifelong work. In 2025, this project culminated in the release of his "Route 66: Unpolished" guides to ensure his findings survive for future generations.

Route 66 Roundtable with Historic Santa Fe

Foundation and Willie Lambert

Centennial Preparation: Lambert’s work is currently being used to inspire and guide New Mexico MainStreet districts as they prepare for the 2026 Route 66 Centennial.

What areas does Willie Lambert focus on for his Route 66 research?

Willie Lambert's Route 66 research focuses heavily on the original 1926 alignment through

New Mexico, with a particular specialty in the "fading remnants" and "ghost segments" that were bypassed after 1937.

Geographic Focus The Santa Fe-to-Romeroville Corridor: This is his most intensively documented section, covering the original route from Santa Rosa northwest through Romeroville (south of Las Vegas), then through Pecos, Rowe, and Glorieta into Santa Fe.

Santa Fe Segment: Lambert identifies as a local expert on the "Ghosts of Route 66" within Santa Fe, documenting where the road bed remains visible alongside modern development.

La Bajada Hill: He tracks the challenging historic descent from Santa Fe toward Bernalillo and Albuquerque, focusing on the switchbacks and older road beds that preceded the modern interstate.

West of Albuquerque: His research extends to "wide spots" like Budville, where he documents local history, personalities, and early

entrepreneurs.

Physical Remnants: He specifically looks for "stray pavement," bridge culverts, and road scars that have been reclaimed by pastures or fenced off on private property.

"Then-and-Now" Documentation: Using a collection of over 1,400 historic postcards, he meticulously locates the exact spots where vintage photos were taken to document their current state (often just "piles of dirt" or "paint flakes").

The "Unpolished" History: Lambert emphasizes the "mom and pop" stories, local characters, and unsolved mysteries (such as the 1967 Budville murders) that defined the road’s human history.

Hand-Drawn Mapping: His research is organized into over 30 binders containing mile-by-mile hand-drawn maps that are more detailed than standard commercial maps, noting exact mileage and private property boundaries.

Where'd Willie get his Route 66 postcards?

Willie Lambert has built his collection of over

1,400 historic Route 66 postcards primarily through two methods...Antique Stores: In the earlier years of his research, Lambert would stop at antique stores wherever he traveled and sort through boxes of vintage postcards. eBay: He now purchases nearly all of his postcards through eBay to continue expanding his extensive library.

Lambert uses these postcards, many of which contain original messages and postmarks, as "reference points" to locate exact historic alignments. By standing in the same spot shown in a vintage postcard, he creates "then-and-now" photographic documentation of how the site has changed over the decades.

Willie Lambert is a Route 66 enthusiast from Santa Fe known for creating detailed Route 66 resources, including a special Route 66 crossword puzzle centered on the Mother Road's history, especially its Santa Fe loop. He's an amateur Route 66 archaeologist who compiles binders of information and is featured in articles for his extensive knowledge and passion for the road's New Mexico segment.

How much do you really know about Route 66?
Willie Lambert probably knows more!

Willie’s been exploring, researching, and fighting for Route 66 for 20+ years. His passion for this stretch of road is contagious when you hear him talk about it. We hope you’ll read the wonderful conversation we had with him in our last issue: Issue 13.

“This should be a celebration of us because that’s what the f***ing road is. It’s us! It’s Route 66 to America! It’s mom and pop in the diner. It’s entrepreneurship. It’s creativity, It’s us, man. What the hell?
All I’ve ever wanted to do is to share it. Because I love sharing it” - Willie Lambert

The Ghosts of Route 66 - Santa Fe Magazine

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Historic Santa Fe Foundation is excited to announce our collaboration with Willie Lambert to publish his guides on Route 66 in New Mexico.

Many of you might know Willie from his Santa Fe to Romeroville tours in 2022 and 2023, or from his binders sprawled across multiple tables at El Zaguán, San Miguel Chapel, and other establishments along Route 66. Willie has been researching and traveling New Mexico's portion of Route 66 for several decades, during which he has collected over 1,400 historic postcards and used them to recreate photos of sites along the route. These photos are what is left of many places, and Willie’s recreations often depict piles of dirt where an adobe building used to stand, or paint flakes of a once beautiful mural. Willie knows where most of the road bed is from east to west, and is still excited when he discovers new portions.

This grant will support the digitization and preservation of over 30 binders compiled by Willie, which contain a diverse collection of postcards, hand-drawn maps, comparative photographs, coins, and more. Additionally, funding from the grant will help pay for the publication of five booklets based on these binders. Follow our 545 Blog for updates, where we will share stories from Willie's travels along Route 66 as this project progresses, and keep an eye out for more tours guided by him. If you would like to support this project, we are currently accepting donations to assist with the matching funds required for the grant.

Willie Lambert's Route 66 Guides

Historic Santa Fe Foundation

Many More Links To Willie's Rt 66

Willie Lambert's Route 66 Guides — Historic Santa Fe Foundation

The Ghosts of Route 66 - Santa Fe Magazine

Traveling Route 66 with Willie Lambert — Historic Santa Fe Foundation

Instagram

Route 66 Roundtable with Historic Santa Fe Foundation and Willie Lambert

Route 66 with Willie Lambert | Santa Fe Public Library

Meet Route 66 Historian Willie Lambert | Aug 17 | Santa Fe Reporter

Out there! | Pasatiempo | santafenewmexican.com

Instagram

Route 66, Through the Eyes of Artist and Historian Willie Lambert | City of Santa Fe

Video | Facebook

Willie Lambert — 545 - HSFF Blog — Historic Santa Fe Foundation

Facebook

He gets his kicks tracing Route 66 | Local News | santafenewmexican.com

New Mexico Route 66 with Willie Lambert Episode 1

Email from New Mexico Economic Development Department

Instagram

HSFF_PrintedNewsletter_Winter_2022_FinalVersionWeb.pdf

FIFTEEN YEARS OF EXPLORING ROUTE 66 IN NEW MEXICO: AN INTERVIEW WITH WILLIE LAMBERT — Historic Santa Fe Foundation

Instagram

News & Announcements | City of Santa Fe | City of Santa Fe

Day Calendar | Santa Fe Public Library

Get some pics on Route 66

Route 66 Centennial - New Mexico MainStreet

HSFF_SpringSummer2025_forwebsite.pdf

The Will of Route 66 - YouTube

SFR Picks—Week of August 18 - Santa Fe Reporter

Free Public Programming for “Neon & Chrome” Community Gallery Exhibit | City of Santa Fe

Travelogue in analog | Pasatiempo | santafenewmexican.com

Beyond Willie Lambert, several key figures and organizations are dedicated to documenting and preserving Route 66 as it nears its centennial anniversary in 2026.

Prominent Individual Historians & Experts...

Michael Wallis: Often cited as a primary figure in the road's modern revival, he authored the seminal book Route 66: The Mother Road (1990). His extensive collection is now part of Oklahoma State University-Tulsa’s Route 66 Repository.

Angel Delgadillo: Known as the "Guardian Angel" of Route 66, this Seligman, Arizona barber was a founder of the Route 66 Association of Arizona and a pioneer in advocating for "Historic Route 66" signage after the road's decommissioning.

Jim Hinckley: An author and lecturer who frequently hosts Route 66 discussions and recently published Route 66, 100 Years, which explores the road's history across all eight states.

Jerry McClanahan: A leading cartographer and artist who created the widely used EZ66 Guide For Travelers, a core resource for navigating the original alignments.

Rhys Martin: President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and a notable author and photographer, he serves as a frequent keynote speaker at regional preservation conferences.

T. Lindsay Baker: An author and historian who specializes in the culinary history of the road; his recent book Eating Up Route 66 documents the eateries along the route.

What are some famous roadside attractions on the Santa Fe Loop of Route 66 that are still visible today?

Several historic roadside attractions are still visible today on the "Santa Fe Loop," the original 1926-1937 alignment of Route 66 that runs north of the later, more direct path. These sites highlight the region's rich Native American and Spanish Colonial history, predating the Mother Road itself.

Historic Santa Fe City Attractions
The route runs directly through the heart of the capital city, passing numerous historical buildings and landmarks that are still in use.
San Miguel Chapel: Recognized as the oldest church in the U.S., parts of this adobe structure date back to its estimated construction in 1610.
Loretto Chapel: Known for its striking Gothic architecture (a contrast to the surrounding adobe style) and the unusual "Miraculous Staircase" that has no central support, the chapel is open for tours and serves as a museum.
The Santa Fe Plaza: The historic center of the city for nearly 400 years, the Plaza was the focal point of the community. Visitors can explore shops, galleries, and find the nearby
Palace of the Governors
(the oldest continuously used public building in the U.S.).
La Fonda on the Plaza: A landmark hotel since 1922 and a former Harvey House, it became a major stopping point for early Route 66 travelers and is still operating as a hotel today.
Historic Motels: A number of original motor courts along Cerrillos Road remain, many renovated and operating under new names, such as the El Rey Court (originally El Rey Motel) and The Mystic
(formerly Silver Saddle Motel), and feature vintage neon signs.

Are you interested in the well-known and less-travelled paths Route 66 takes through New Mexico? Do you enjoy the stories maps can tell? Come by to flip through Mr. Lambert’s extensive library of self-published binders – an encyclopedic and beautiful result of 21+ years of research about driving along Route 66 in New Mexico. Mr. Lambert’s ongoing passion has been to document and understand the different Route 66 alignments in New Mexico. His goal is to learn more about the Mother Road by sharing his work of nearly 500 hand drawn maps, as well as his collection of over 1400 New Mexico Route 66 postcards which compliment his personal documentation of Route 66 from the past to the present day.

As of late 2025 / early 2026, several publication projects based on Willie Lambert's work have been released or are currently in progress through his partnership with the

Historic Santa Fe Foundation (HSFF).

Will Lambert

December 27, 2025 at 9:42 AM

My dad spent years creating comprehensive New Mexico Route 66 guides, detailed and trustworthy resources that helped travelers navigate the route and seek out any information and details that could help clarify sections that have almost disappeared.

He wasn’t chasing recognition or trying to make a quick buck. He was documenting history, preserving what was being lost, and helping people find their way with accurate information they could truly rely on.

I have watched him research, double check facts, and care deeply about getting every detail right even when no one was watching.

Looking back now, I realize how much dedication that took, the patience, the commitment to doing it right, and the choice to create something genuinely useful rather than just good enough.

With the help of the Historic Santa Fe Foundation, he received a grant to digitize his guides, making them available as digital downloads so his work can continue helping people explore New Mexico Route 66.

Pretty proud to be his son.

My Life Long Friend...........Well Done Brother - Charlie Thompson

Bonnie MacMillan "Fascinating story"

Beverly Matthews Pratt "Great story!!!"

Wayne Jupiter "Great story ! Awesome dedication,investigating and help keeping alive the history of an American icon. Amazing work, way to go Willie. It’s so cool !!"

Julie Spiech "Thanks for sharing! Congratulations Willie!"

Gary Gundersen "Great story"

Carol Small "Thanks for sharing this Charlie. So impressed with the work Willie has done."

John Molnar "Thank you Willie! I travel it when I go to southern California. This is outside of Roy's in Amboy CA"

Wayne Straughn "Great job Willie"

Larry Clark "Great story!!!"

Zeff Lazinger "Awsome Willie. Drop me a line"

Patty Delliacona "Thinking of you!"

Robbin Rubano "Thanks for sharing."

Beverly Marshall "Great job Willie"

Willie Mead "Thanks for sharing Charlie. Great dedication and research Willie!"

Len Turtora "Well done !"

Alec Cohen "Fantastic work"

My Friend Willie

Route 66 Unpolished Driving Tour

Overview

Duration

What's included

What's not included

Itinerary

Highlights

Check-in details

What to bring

Special requirements

Restrictions

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

As of late 2025 / early 2026, several publication projects based on Willie Lambert's work have been released or are currently in progress through his partnership with the

Historic Santa Fe Foundation (HSFF).

Will Lambert

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