We love a good roadside attraction. Delightful, quirky New Mexico delivers a roadside attraction minus the side.
Along a stretch of the famed Motherroute, Route 66, in Tijeras, New Mexico, he rumble strips will play “America The Beautiful” for you if you maintain a steady 45 miles an hour.
It is a quarter mile of pure joy! And worth going a wee bit out of your way to experience.
Of course, you speed demon, the speed limit IS 45 miles an hour, so what a great incentive for following the rules. The rumble strips were installed in 2014, so they are a bit out of tune now, but you can 100% make out the song.
If you are traveling east on I-40 from Albuquerque at Exit 170, and then go eastbound on Route 333 for about 3.5 miles. Route 333 is a part of the old Route 66 system. Watch for the signs to guide you. Hot tip: set your cruise control for 45 and make sure your tires are right over the stips. You’ll hear the music between mile markers 4 and 5, near exit 170. Roll your windows down, silly!
Want a little bit of the history, you big nerd? Keep reading.
National Geographic used to have a show called Crowd Control. The show featured experiments intended to change people’s behavior. This experiment was intended to help drivers concentrate and maintain a steady speed. It worked (and will work on you!) and proved to be really popular. So popular, in fact, that I am recommending it to you!
Check out the clip of the show featuring the road!