I’ve driven right by this place before. A lot of times. So I don’t know why this was the trip where I noticed it.

It might have been those clouds over the mountains, making it feel more dramatic. Or the particular arrangement of that car, the waste bin, and traffic barrels. Or maybe it was the sign with the jumbo burger that was indeed jumbo.

The reason doesn’t matter as much as at the fact that I did notice the place and we braved the wonkiest intersection in all of Española to get to the place.

(When I was a kid and we’d drive through Española on the way to our camping vacations in Colorado, it was guaranteed that my dad would get lost. Every. Single. Time. He rarely got lost, but Española always won. Now, as an adult, I think the “It’s Española so I’ll definitely get lost” mindset is winning: as recently as last week, I continued that proud family tradition.)

Española, New Mexico
photographed 9.19.2026