Had a nice lazy start in beautiful Santa Fe. Went to explore downtown which was super-pretty, all red stone and olde worlde plazas and things. Also felt a bit like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in that there were no children about: this is a city the over-50s have claimed as their own!
Left town in 90 degree heat with the plan of getting gas on the road. After driving about 20 miles it appeared there was nothing on this road. With the gas level resting on red we still had 15 miles to go to the interstate. Then the heavens opened. Thunder, hailstones, wind, cold. Had a panicky journey till at last Clines Corner came into sight. Population 49, gas stations 2. Filled up and headed east again. Stopped in Santa Rosa for a bite and rode on to Tucumcari, once known as town of 2000 rooms and for it's glitzy neon signs. Now a bit faded but we were happy to check in to one of it's 1200 rooms (Tucumcari Inn - basic but cheap.) Leaving New Mexico tomorrow and losing an hour too. Darn!