“In 2003, the U.S. and New Mexico Departments of Transportation renamed US Highway 666, the citys other major highway to Route 491 since the number “666” is associated with Satan and devil worship, thus it was offensive to some people and local Navajos some who are superstitious felt it will lift the route from being “cursed”.”
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallup,_New_Mexico
I passed through there in the summer of 95 and I can testify to the Navajo attitude –they really thought it was bad mojo.
Taking all the fun out of life. I wanna cruise on rte 666.
I’m not very superstitious but even so, I always feel bad when I’m reading clearances and a pilot gets “6666” as a squawk code. I’ve had some actually request a new one for the same reason I imagine.
Dude, HWY 666 is/was only 40 miles from my house. I know of some Navajo stories about the road, and yeah, they hate it. The big one hear is that Yee Naaldlooshii (skinwalkers) would take form and get hit by cars, and when you got out to check if the animal was alive it would curse/attack you.
You have to drive the road to get to Cortez, and it’s kinda freaky at night. Doesn’t help that your in the middle of fucking nowhere…and sometimes Utah.
I’ve driven this road, and if it’s what I remember, it’s an apt number. High speed blind switchbacks at high altitude.
On a Highway to HELL!
Damn greenie I was just working in you neck of the desert 3 hours ago.
Yes it was renamed, but it still is a dangerous road. Speeding trucks, drunk jackasses, stray dogs and the odd cow add to the curves. But I think the biggest reason NM DOT renamed it was they were tired of replacing the highway route #signs stolen. Like that one hanging in Puulaahi’s shed.(heh)
Hmm.. I guess that’s the reason all the ‘666’ signs in the pics look new..
@...SumoSnipe: I work for UDOT, and you are correct. Plus the people of Monticello are hardcore Mormons and they helped push for its renaming.
♪6-6-6 the Highway of the Beast♪
♪6-6-6 the route for you and me♪
@...traptin85: Maiden FTW
Anybody remember Dead Horse?
Just found out . . .the sign of the devil isn’t 666 anymore. It is 616.
And I’m sure that Lou Diamond Phillips zombie flick help the name change.
I always thought this was retarded… if someone’s superstitious about it, tell them to get over it. It’s the same shit when buildings don’t have a 13th floor. I see license plates all the time with “666” in them and no one’s making a big deal over that. In Gresham, Oregon, there’s even a church with the telephone prefix 666.
The old 666 highway in Arizona was renamed 191 some years ago, though all the trunk highways are still named *66, which violates the US highway numbering system.
I used to drive 666 south from Beaverhead Lodge, Arizona to Safford. Awsome highway. Worthy of it’s name. Just once before I die and go to that big KFC in the clouds I would like to see a state governor say to the thumb-sucking morons who base religion on superstition, “Fuck off, jerk brain. The highway stays 666. You don’t like it, move your idiotic, immature, arrested development ass to another state.”
I’ve driven 666 several times. Other than the drunken retards, it was an unremarkable stretch of boredom.