近距离内射合集

GALLUP 鈥� History and legend entangle like lovers at the El Rancho Hotel, where photographs of Hollywood legends adorn the walls of its sweeping front lobby: Ronald Reagan, John Wayne, Errol Flynn, Shirley Temple and many others who stayed at the hotel while filming Westerns or getting away from the rat race.

The lobby also sports a portrait of Armand Ortega, the prosperous local trader who saved the hotel from the wrecking ball in 1986.

Built on Historic Route 66 for R.E. Griffith, the brother of film director D.W. Griffith, the hotel provided elite lodging for the stars and a gateway to New Mexico鈥檚 western landscape. Like Route 66 itself, El Rancho combines history with a romanticized past.

El Rancho didn鈥檛 make anyone available for an interview, but invited me to meet the part-time hotel historian, Leroy McCray. On arrival, I asked for him at the front desk, where a busy yet friendly staffer simply pointed behind me, in the direction of the brick and stone hearth that commands the lobby.

I turned and saw a figure clad head to toe in black, including a rancher鈥檚 hat and black surgical mask. Leroy was once a front desk staffer himself, he told me, in the early 1990s. He had grown up on the Navajo Nation and remembered the hotel鈥檚 presence during his youth.

On weekdays starting at 4 p.m., Leroy takes his place in the lobby to lead tours, answer questions and spin a wide-ranging yarn about the beloved El Rancho.

It begins, of course, with tales of movie stars and political figures, of the movies made near Gallup over six decades 鈥� 鈥淏illy the Kid,鈥� 鈥淭he Sea of Grass,鈥� 鈥淓scape from Fort Bravo,鈥� 鈥淪uperman: The Movie,鈥� 鈥淣atural Born Killers鈥� and many more 鈥� including dozens of Westerns produced during the Hollywood genre鈥檚 golden age.

The colorful history includes parties, drinking and casino games until the law put a stop to that. Leroy pointed to a staircase on the upper balcony and told me of a secret room behind it, accessible to those who know which book to tip.

But hidden chambers were not part of the tour, which focuses on the lobby, handcrafted furniture, the gift shops, a restaurant that occupies a former banquet hall and the bar with its distinctive stained glass windows inspired by El Rancho鈥檚 history.

Unsurprisingly, ghost hunters have reported paranormal activity here. Some of their expeditions are available online. I tried asking Leroy about it 鈥� this has been his second home for over 30 years, after all, who would know about cold spots, strange voices or doors slamming better than him? But Leroy changed the subject and the manager鈥檚 office answered no questions about it.

The family that rescued the hotel and has owned it for three generations is part of the story as well.

Armand Ortega, a highly successful business man who died at age 86 in 2014, had reputedly dreamed of owning the hotel as a youth when it was in its bustling prime. At age 13, he had started pumping gas at a station on Route 66 by the Arizona state line.

鈥淲ith his first paycheck, he brought his mom and dad to eat here,鈥� Leroy said, looking to the portrait hanging near the front desk. 鈥淗e said he just stood there, taking it all in, thinking to himself, 鈥業 wish I could buy a place like this for my mom and dad.鈥欌��

By the 1980s, Westerns had declined and the new Interstate 40 had eclipsed Route 66. The hotel was bankrupt, its effects were being auctioned off, and it seemed destined for demolition. As Leroy tells the story, Ortega walked into the auction waving an envelope and purchasing the whole property 鈥渓ock, stock and barrel.鈥�

The Associated Press in 1989 that Ortega bought it for $500,000 and spent an additional $500,000 restoring it for its 1988 reopening. Today it is owned by Armand鈥檚 grandson, Shane Ortega, who has overseen millions of dollars in upgrades and restorations.

Leroy鈥檚 a good storyteller, and just about every item inspires a tale drawing from the neighboring Navajo Nation, Zuni Pueblo and Hopi Tribe; Hollywood history; local mining and timber industries; the transcontinental railroad running through town; and, of course, the Ortegas鈥� success story.

Did Dean Martin really sing from the balcony overlooking the sweeping lobby, decked with deer heads, Din茅 rugs and wagon-wheel chandeliers? Did a jealous husband actually charge up one of the curving stairwells leading to the balcony to confront Martin? Did Errol Flynn really ride a horse into the lobby as a prank? Ask Leroy and his eyes twinkle.

It鈥檚 a great story.

Algernon 顿鈥橝尘尘补蝉蝉补 is the Journal鈥檚 southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.