On The Road - Day 12 - Santa Fe to Gallup

Thursday 17^th May

We really had no idea where we were going to end up tonight, apart from taking a trip via the Turquoise Trail and this meant we would miss some of the road to Alburquerque. 

See www.turquoisetrail.com for more info.

Strangely enough just on the outer edge of Santa Fe we need to enlist the assistance of the GPS again.  I dont know where we were headed but it sure wasn't the Turquoise Trail. 

I have no idea where this photo is or what it is - a church methinks! Somewhere just out of Santa Fe.


On track again and we follow the 52 mile trail through the old art town of Madrid - a former ghost town, it seems the entire town is full of funky artists.  Really neat stuff but we dont stop to buy - darn!

After the trail we followed the pre 1937 Route 66 through to Mesita.  Taking us into Albuquerque and past the Red Ball Cafe 'Home of the Original Wimpy Burger' since 1922. (of course we had to stop in and test it as it was close to lunch time) Heaps of photos and on to find the Giant Road Runner.  And yes several attempts to get a photo of the silly thing.

Over the Rio Grande - that was pretty exciting - reminding us of the old wild west movies.





One of the advantages of driving Route 66 is the traffic is almost nil and we can stop anywhere to take photos while the traffic on I-40 speeds along at 75pmh.






Beautiful colours, mesas and the odd butte.  Red cliffs for miles.

  Owl Rock near Dead Man's Curve

We make it to Gallup.  Tonight we eat and sleep here in the Doris Day room. 

1937 El Rancho Hotel  Gallup, New Mexico

El Rancho was home to many movies stars over the years while they were making movies in the area.  The walls are adorned with dozens of autographed photographs sent to Hotel and staff.

Some of the wall murals in the passage ways in El rancho

 

Great Neons in Gallup