Mileage - ~350 miles (via Las Vegas NM, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Gallop)
Hello, still in New Mexico after a tough 350 mile drive (felt harder because we drank a bit last night and didn't sleep much). On the recommendation of the owner of the Blue Swallow Motel, we left Route 66 and headed for Las Vegas NM (not THE Las Vegas yet). The road was incredible, zero traffic, wild antelope walking around on the road and stunning views. We stopped at the Concha dam which was nice before heading back toward Las Vegas. The sun was out but it started to get cold and eventually everything became snow covered. This we didn't expect in the desert but the drive and views were spectacular.
Eventually we got to Las Vegas which was a quiet little town within reach of ski resorts in the Rockies. We then hit the main highway past Sante Fe (again great views with excellent little Mexican-styles houses), before getting to Albuquerque city centre. We had some amazing ice-creams sitting out in the sun and had a good walk around. Great university city, nice people and lots of good looking people too. The setting is superb with red mountains surrounding the town.
We drove past a number of Indian Reservations, many of which have roadside Casino's on them. We drove right through one reservation on a gravel road. Amazingly they don't live in tee-pees but in trailer-parks (like many other Americans)! It's illegal to film Indians in the reservations, but there wasn't really that much to film there.
We've now arrived in the El Rancho Hotel in Gallop which is a busy little place, quite remote from everywhere. Lots of native Indians around including the manager of our hotel.
Long day. We've seen so much today that our brains are bursting with images.
Highlights - People riding Harleys without crash-helmets, driving through swarms of swallows, snow, views (like Eagles album covers), mountain road, Albuquerque, Sammy C's sports bar, both of us getting asked for ID in the bar (we are 37)!!!
Lowlights - Getting a bit tired (realising that we've been getting up early and driving solidly for the last week), dodgy hotel toilet, train track running next to our hotel, Jaffa making me walk miles to find a bar, our car is beginning to smell
Tomorrow - Petrified Forest, Winslow (Arizona), Holbrook, Flagstaff and the gateway to the Grand Canyon.
Cheers
Andy and Jaffa.
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