Blue Hole Jump & Very Scary Old Motels

[@herbleteaze7699]

Eric, I am in the DC area resting, getting "Proud Mary" maintenanced, and getting ready to take back off cross country. I went into a dollar store that i had never been in before and was telling the clerk what i was getting ready to do. She instantly got excited and said "like Nomadic Fanatic!!" Dude, You're nationwide bro!!!

[@nomadicfanatic]

That's awesome! My mom was at the bank back home yesterday and was telling the clerk about how excited she was to go camping this weekend with her cat, and the clerk asked if she followed "Nomadic Fanatic" ... lol. She said, "that's my son, actually, and he gave me the idea for the cat stroller". lol.

[@herbleteaze7699]

When i told her you had answered my messages, SHE FLIPPED like i knew a movie star!! I used to do morning radio so i am used to the occasional groupie but i thought it was hilarious how excited she got!! i am hitting the road finally and headed west from the DC area!! Hoping to see all the cool places you, Ausia, and Carolyn have shown me!! I am so stoked!!

[@jancalbert5196]

Awww give Jax back his passenger seat. He looks like he really wants it back. ;)

[@badegg2610]

This is one of your best. I don't know what you're getting paid but it can't be enough. I think you rank up there with major travel shows, only yours would be better by far. Thanks and good luck.

[@judithneeley5229]

I feel so incredibly sad when I see all those dead businesses, motels, cafes and such. Businesses, jobs and towns died thanks to the freeway. Someone should take the time to photograph them all while there is still something left as a post card to history before lost forever. It's a life and time we will never see again.

[@joeltalbot1546]

Blue Hole...Santa Rosa, NM. Been there more than once, come to think of it I've forgotten how many times. Started going there in the summer of 89' yup, 1989. Got my basic open water diving certification and later advanced open water certification. Been to the bottom, all 60' scuba diving. Continued diving three-four times a year till 93. Drove down there from Denver an 8 hour drive. The Air Force Academy would send their airmen down for dive training. Thanks for provoking some almost 30 year memories.

[@travelmonkey373]

Haha "Lyin' sign." I half expected you to pull out the guitar and do a new rendition of an eagles tune for us. "You can't hide your lyin' sign..." Hehehe, you know you're singing that now, and will probably have is stuck in your head for the next 200 miles. :P

[@MikeNobody]

I like the separate cat-cam. Jax is the co-pilot.

[@ansapo]

Glad you took a dip in the Blue Hole - going to share this video with the editor of the Santa Rosa paper, The Guadalupe County Communicator. He might do a story.

[@mikrettop2851]

oh yeah that Jax cat cracks me up. He is the epidome of relaxed no matter where he is at. He just acts like is is King Kat Meow! lol

[@NewtonWashinton]

haha, Nice jump into the water looks refreshing, Yes back in the day late 50's and 60's i used to be in the car when my dad filled up with gas at Sinclair and they also did repair work had 2 garage bays. Really enjoyed seeing the old building and trucks, like you say it wont be long and they will be all gone. Thanks Eric

[@tamirottler2807]

We have Radio shack in Indians.

[@Berrypancakes229]

You did it Eric with bravery or you just psyched yourself to jump in. I heard someone say you we're crazy but after seeing you jump in that gave them the confidence👏🏼👍

[@TheFostersRV]

Loved seeing all the old motels and gas stations! Very much enjoying following along with you.

[@jimeans2281]

Thank you for the mustache trim. It was REALLY needed. Thanks. Now about Jax. He really, really misses lounging in the seat where you are storing that buggy. And I still think you put out some of the best rv/travel videos. Thanks for all your editing efforts. It shows.

[@bucki58]

Judy Means Eric could you please start doing interviews/reviews of all the lot lizards you meet along your travels. I would find it entertaining and useful for my upcoming travels. 🇺🇸🦎🤸🏼‍♂️

[@diapernh]

The historic route 66 motel was a great place to stay, we stayed there 3 nights. You missed the dinosaur museum, Del's Restaurant, The Blue Swallow Motel. There was much to see in Tucumcari

[@leewilliams7443]

Thanks for the tour Eric it was great as always keep cool keep living the dream and Keep On RV'n...

[@bevyking4748]

Fun jump! I love all the old trucks and exploring is always neat to see. Sad but cool to see the past frozen in time

[@rebekahleonard2884]

Anoyher great ride along, Eric! You've been giving me a look at so much of our country that I'd never see...you have no idea what that means to me. Charlie and I enjoy the Jax cam. She comes running when she hears your intro! Please scratch a cat chin for us. Journey mercies!

[@chriskozak4966]

Hi Eric & Jaxman, just watched your newly discovered adventure over a cup of coffee. Awesome 👏! The blue hole looked refreshing. All the abandoned buildings, motel & restaurant looked spooky but interesting. Thanks for sharing & keep going on Route 66.😎 Give Jax a big hug 🤗 for me. Take care.

[@kendalljoyce8558]

good morning, thank you for all the hard work you do, to bring us videos, kendall joyce Colorado Springs,co

[@sacredrootnomad6582]

Denver here! same as well. Always good to sit down at the end of the day and keep up to date with his endeavors and efforts. wishing you safe and pleasant journeys Eric!

[@thelordhearsthecryofthepoo1202]

I can't get over the size of the roads in the States, all our roads here in the UK are so tiny! Brilliant the camera viewing from the drivers seat, really awesome. Thank you x Jax is adorable.

[@MattGrossChannel]

I travel sometimes across country on Amtrak. The Southwest Chief travels along Route 66. I just now noticed Amtrak overs a 14 day Route 66 vacation. I always get one of those roomette cabins on the train. The roomette includes 3 meals per day, and each first class car has refreshments (coffee, juices, tea, etc.), showers, restrooms, and an attendant.

[@kiwivanman9035]

Kiwi Vanman Allways nice to see a Happy Chappy, watching your movie is always a great way to start the day, Thanks Eric and Jax

[@andrewevanoff1192]

Love the new Jax camera. Now we can see you both while you are driving. Jax is a cool little guy. He lets you drive his RV. :)

[@richardrogers8663]

Love how Jaxx makes his own entrance there. Great video can't wait to see it again with the real directions thank you. Stay safe Peace be with you

[@SweetRaevyn]

Hi Nomadic Fanatic! It was a pleasure running into you at the Blue Hole! It sure was cold! It was so awesome that we met you because it made me check out your earlier videos because we were heading from where you came from. So it was almost like having a guide back to California! We wound up staying at Marshal Lake and it was a perfect place to stop. Thanks for sharing as much as you do. Feels like we have a knowledgeable travel buddy to depend on! Happy Travels!

[@Northstardanes]

glad you took the big plunge!

[@JonTanOsb]

Hey, Eric. The reason you felt cooler after your dip is scientific. Your clothes were wet, so, essentially, you were wearing an evaporative cooler. :) It works on the same principle as a swamp cooler in arid climates. Jon in rural BC, Canada

[@norasteel5353]

Blue Hole was fun..liked your courage to just jump in! Also loved the scary motels!! great video. Thank's Eric!!

[@julesl7679]

Great video....lots of really cool sites. The Blue Hole looks really nice.

[@frankp5786]

Thanks Eric for another great video. I actually went scuba diving in Blue Hole about 30 years ago. Interesting place. Safe travels.....

[@efzapp7]

I'm enjoying the videos on Rt. 66. I'm old enough to remember when those places were still open and we stayed at many motels just like the deserted ones you're showing. When you get to Catoosa, OK be sure to check out the Blue Whale. Thanks for the memories! We'll be doing a little of Rt. 66 ourselves this fall.

[@TexCynRVLife]

We have a radio shack in town. There are still a few around. Thanks for the tours!

[@rickmorris9106]

If you are in Amarillo, don't miss Palo Duro Canyon State Park. It's off 27 just a little south of Amarillo near Canyon Texas.

[@AngelaM]

Rick Morris Yeah the canyon is gorgeous. Gonna be hot as balls tho. 😥

[@gypsyhobo3016]

When our family came to California from the east coast in 1958,that's the only way to go, I think? I remember very little, but I remember Mom and Dad and us 3 kids boondocking in our big old Mercury,pulling a U-Haul trailer with all we owned in it. Took 8 days to make the trip, and sight seeing along the way to L.A. I was only 3 and a half years old, but I remember good times with family on route 66, lol

[@HulaShack1]

That town was like Silent Hill......so creepy! Thanks for the tour. It was fun to see all the cool, vintage buildings.

[@ColonelK0rn1]

I was not expecting Eric to jump into the Blue Hole, and laughed out loud when he did. Glad to see that you got cooled off in the desert. Enjoyed the video!

[@Tonympiotrowski]

Eric, You'll be shocked to discover that there is a Radio Shack in Washington PA, 45 minutes S.W. of Pittsburgh. I grew up in that town and still go shopping there occasionally with my Dad when visiting. I'm Really Enjoying your Rt. 66 adventure! The abandoned places are creepy but at the same time are also cool. Going into the open places are like stepping back in time to when life was so much simpler. Can't wait till the next vlog! Hugs and kisses Jax. peace out, Rikki

[@Mechtrekica]

Some parts of Route 66 are perfect if you want that apocalyptic feel.

[@mhandler2000]

Hope you finally found some gas! When you reach Amarillo, do you plan to eat at The Big Texan with their 72 oz. steak challenge? :)

[@samualwhittemore228]

Mark Handler YES! I hope he did....he went through there a couple of weeks ago.

[@gypsyhobo3016]

I like the way your shirt and hat always match, lol. Fashionista Eric and Jax. Lol! Keep up the great videos you two!

[@GardenerEarthGuy]

Wow! I broke down in Santa Rosa, NM thirty years ago and it still looks the same!

[@cheersdarlin916]

Dessert before meal!!! I like it! Of course when it is 95 degrees out that makes sense.

[@jamesscott7959]

Thank you for that serious work on Breaking Bad in Albuquerque. That took some serious effort and it was very much appreciated. Keep at it!

[@adventureswithgnomie6553]

interesting swimming hole! neat stuff on Rt 66.

[@6699Jackie]

love watching your videos it makes me feel like i am travelling too. thankyou so much for sharing with me/us i am in England near London but have been to Arizona many times and have visited parts of route 66, Williams and Tombstone and the Grand Canyon. love it there

[@LifeIsForEnjoying]

Hahaha, I did exactly the same thing on our road trip last Summer! We wanted to stop at the Blue Hole for a SCUBA diving stop and fell for the same sign and found the same dead end! I don't know why they fail so bad at signage, but seeing you do the same thing made my day, lol

[@kartof1]

Yay Jax cam. Interesting video around spooky part of Rt 66 around Tucumcari.

[@theoldfarmerswife5915]

Your mustache looks great. The blue hole is beautiful. Is that a natural spring? Those old buildings are amazing, but too bad for the vandalism, sad to see that. Nothing beats small town city parks 😀

[@xxdomesticgoddessxx]

This is so funny - Carolyn from Carolyn's RV Life was there like 3 weeks ago at that same place!. So when you said San Jon City Park with free overnight parking, I knew exactly where you were going. :-)

[@HulaShack1]

She is the one RVer that I no longer watch.

[@lanomiaeverythingbabynames]

I loved the cat :) That is a definitely a challenge to travel with him:) Thanks for nice video.

[@Kris_at_WhiteOaksFarm]

Wow, that was a creepy stretch of 66. You're rockin' that beard. I do the mustache trim thing too. I don't want a Cookie Duster/Flavor Saver... Haven't seen my upper lip since High school, but I keep the darned thing trimmed.

[@Webtrekker1]

WOW!!! Tucomcari was not that much of a ghost town when I went through late 1998-ish! Soooooo heartbreaking! Many ghost towns surrounding the area back in the day. I guess the zombie's are taking over. See any jackalopes yet?

[@guyazbell2885]

Another gem thanks Mr.Jax and Eric pretty hot down yonder its supposed to be record breaking heat here in little mecca minneapolis too so i guess make sure Mr.Jax has his a/c powered shorts on and dont overdue anything stay hydrated and take vitimin c for colds ect..............great video

[@mkozam]

Jax cam makes my life.

[@lyleorr9832]

I just want to rub Jax's belly!!

[@dwboehm]

Eric, Radio Shack isn't what it used to be but is still in operation from east New Mexico east to Mississippi. And from Arkansas and Missouri down to the gulf coast. Dennis

[@scottlafave8067]

Close... Can't count the times I've scuba dived the hole.Thanks for the video.

[@nealcook4117]

I go on vacations vicariously through you! You seem to love life! Stay cool!

[@BJH862]

I guess it was a good thing you weren't completely OUT of gas. Probably not too far from a station out on the interstate though. Once again I sure enjoyed the adventure. I've never seen little dead towns like these before except the ones here in Missouri that died when 66 was bypassed by interstate 44. Thanks for taking me along.

[@mssixty3426]

I took my kids there a little over 10 years ago, the water had to be less than 61 degrees, I have rarely felt so chilled when swimming in natural waters (born and raised in Las Cruces, NM). Evans Plunge in South Dakota was a more temperate swim. Bottomless Lakes State Park near Roswell, NM was warmer than Blue Hole in Santa Rosa. In any case, you do a great job with videos, thank you for all the work you put into them.

[@LostOnLandAgain]

Tucumcari has a ton of open shops and motels. I go there quite often. Love the neon. I never went out and checked out the dead part of town though. Pretty cool tour. PS. Homeless folks live in those abandoned motel rooms some times, especially in the winter. I tried getting water out of that water fountain at San Jon and it took forever to fill up a gallon. LOL (pronounced San Haun according to a local)

[@jpinto9102]

It's really great that you're showing what rte 66 is all about..

[@mollyquinn9120]

Roadside relics & dilapidated motels a true adventure on route 66 ! :-)

[@Berrypancakes229]

I love you're videos, you make every trip exiting. You're so creative.

[@Tolkienlady]

You should have opened to door for the bird. Or busted out all the panes. It works like a fish funnel. He wont get back out through that small hole. He will stress out and stop trying. :(

[@michaeltoomey3104]

Was stationed south of San Jon @ Cannon AFB back in '67. Great people, lots of fun, plenty to see. Had to Google the park to find it. Your right hand turn thru me off LOL.

[@charliecharlie7898]

With all the debates today of energy, I found it hilarious that your stop at the petro station, had no gas pumps working, nor the wind turbine was either.

[@DanielJBaer]

Was there a reason you didn't show the open shops and motels ? Some are restored. Many have beautiful neon signs ! I think this would portray the area better. There is quite a restoration effort all along Route 66 ! Help it along so there will be something to see in 50 years ! I don't understand why this video only hits the negative aspects of Route 66.

[@froggie6608]

Eric, When passing through Amarillo, be sure to stop at the "The Big Texan Steak Ranch", I think you'll enjoy it. P.S. take your appetite with you!

[@robin5382]

Great visuals on spots to explore. Thanks Eric

[@margiea3877]

American Pickers (from the history channel) need to check some of those places out.

[@onrycodger]

I thought the exact same thing when I seen all the old signs.

[@InstantInfo]

I thought the same thing when I saw the big gas signs.

[@norcaldave9904]

not worth there time

[@SidneyBoud]

No one around to buy from.

[@MsSimsmaster]

I am really looking forward to your videos and I am loving Jax cat.

[@andersonmichael11]

I like how you relate to your cat.

[@ctrcflyin2011]

Those airplanes were cool. The on the left as you pulled in was a Cessna 140, and the one coming out of the building on your right was an old straight tail Cessna 150. Pretty cool to see this in your video, but a shame to see them going to waste as I know guys that have the talent and resources to restore those old birds. Of course it takes money, money, money, but they could fly again.

[@40jmark]

We ran through that town a couple months back, the motel before the ice cream shop had vintage cars in front of the rooms.

[@thervers2140]

WOW! We enjoy seeing the yesteryear of Route 66. Thank's.

[@RickHawkDavison]

love your trip logs so much our family bought a RV. P.S, Loved RadioShack, bought my first pc called Sinclair, then commador 64, miss the battery plan, lol. Be safe both you and Jax.

[@michaelrice3021]

Young dude, you are very brave & tough to jump into that icy water. Good vid. as alwayz.

[@mikrettop2851]

Really Good Video. I like lookin in at that old stuff.

[@markstevenson3825]

Excellent video Eric, all that hot weather is making me so jealous. Be sure to check out some historical sites while your in Texas such as Beaumont & Lubbock home of Buddy Holly/ The Big Bopper.

[@klouism1]

Some great places to see for sure. Thanks for the video. Give JAX a pet for me.

[@candysantillo3325]

Really,really enjoyed seeing all those off the wall little spots,closed or not.Very interesting.

[@funzeevanzee]

I am watching all your videos. Thanks for sharing.

[@Sambaisaan]

great stuff ! I love this places...... Thanks so much i can see so many from the unknow parts of the USA and collect many ideas for my next Roadtrips in your Country... Greetings from Germnay

[@robertj3600]

The springs here in central FL are 72 degrees year round and are crystal clear. You can see all the way to the bottom and theres a good chance you will see manatees if you come at the right time of year.

[@wlwal1]

WOW, Eric, sure is HOT there! SO.CAL. it's overcast, mid 70's, but will warm up a little, next week!

[@mariecallahan9379]

radio shack is still open in lots of towns around the country...my mother was in one last wednesday in grove, ok FYI

[@erinp6336]

Love the jump!!! It cools your core temperature 😊🚐❤️I'm from ONTARIO 🇨🇦

[@rolloverriderpgr]

You'll find one Radio Shack when you get here to Springfield, Mo! BUT the one by Walmart as my picture of the one on Glenstone shows it's closed!

[@jasonstoltzfus6540]

New Holland Pa. we still have a radio shack

[@TheMarshmellowman53]

there's a RadioShack still open up in upstate NY where I'm from. just was there last week

[@sharonbrown9721]

Thank you so much for this video, Very interesting to see OLD Route 66.

[@boxerfortyfour1153]

You feel cooler in low humidity because your sweat actually does keep you cool.

[@barbarajennings1057]

Beard looks great.

[@janicepeck4828]

You jumped in the blue hole. I would of just done what Joey did. 😁.Fun video Always enjoy them. Cool free camp site that had fenced ball park. We used to over night in Texola or Foss large on way to cool country,CO. I'm missing it bad. Thanks Eric your a joy,yes Jax is too,always. I'm missing my Ms Kitty while in "Alabam" Huntsville is awesome! Safe travels to you.

[@gary1705]

Thats ok i love you visiting these abandoned places Eric don't apologize mate haha Adam.. always wear your seat belt mate I would be devastated if you became another road statistic buddy.

[@wilee.coyote3782]

Very interesting vid for me as I just purchased my grandparents lot in Tucumcari (the house isn't worth anything as it's sat vacant for a good 35+ years and needs to be torn down) with the intent of building there when I retire and use it as a base from which to travel the southwest. For the record, there's more to Tucumcari than you've shown, but even I was surprised how few people reside there (just over 5k last I checked). I have vague memories of briefly staying with my grandparents and going to school there in '71.

[@oldhillproductions7169]

That bird sacred me so much but why didn’t you left the door open for the bird to fly out 🧐

[@shellyarmstrong70]

lol you said Ya'll!!! Hope you find gas soon. Give Jax kitty kisses for me.

[@nomadicfanatic]

I'm trying to fit it! :)

[@shellyarmstrong70]

Nomadic Fanatic I have lived in California for over 30 years and I still say Ya'll!!!

[@JonAxelmender]

Utah has quite a few radioshacks open.

[@Challway]

Hi Eric! You are very brave,there could be weirdos living in the abandoned buildings!