Chuck Jones said that part of his great pleasure in visiting the Land of Enchantment (New Mexico) was probably due to the fact they both came to be the same year, 1912.  "New Mexico" magazine celebrates the state's centennial in their latest Collector's Edition, which included a great note about "taking a left turn at Albuquerque".  

It reads: "1953: Cartoonist Chuck Jones popularizes Bugs Bunny's phrase, "I knew I shoulda tooke that left toin at Albakoikie," [sic] sparking a pop-culture onslaught of references to getting lost near the Duke City.  Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies creator Chuck Jones lived in California, but traveled frequently to New Mexico.  Reflecting his attachment to the state, a gallery of his work operates in Santa Fe today."