Another Great American Route: U.S. 54

Abandoned building along U.S. 54, Nara Visa, New Mexico.

For all it's fame and fun, it shouldn't be forgotten that Route 66 isn't the only vintage U.S. Highway. Another great one, that runs through much of the Southwest is Route 54. Fifty four starts in Illinois, making its way through the Oklahoma Panhandle, the Texas Panhandle, and much of New Mexico, before ending up back in Texas.
There are quite a few towns along the way, both inhabited and not so inhabited, and Union Pacific Railroad's Tucumcari Line follows close by. Unlike 66, 54 hasn't been abandoned, so navigation is easy.
One can drive by Dalhart, Texas (Cows!), Nara Visa, NM (ghostish town), Logan (great RR trestle), Tucumcari (of Route 66 fame), Santa Rosa (also of 66 fame), Vaughn (nice vintage mission revival Santa Fe train station), Corona (site of famous alleged alien spaceship crash), Carrizozo (near White Sands) and finally, El Paso, Texas. Along the way, you'll see prairie, desert, more old towns, mesas, antelope, and all the other great things you'd want from a southwestern road trip.