Apologies for delay - left my charger in Albuquerque.

Very scenic drive today. Landscape changing again into mountains and gorges.

Went through a lava field which was jet black- just like that found in Lanzarote.

Saw some indian Pueblos and hilltop villages. This area is navajo and commanche reservations.

Arrived and booked into the El Rancho hotel in Gallup, NM. Little has changed in the hotel since being built in 1937 on the mother road. The hotel is very famous for being the base for almost all the cast and crew for hollywood films from the 40's to 60's. The photos of the famous people who have stayed here adorn the walls - everyone from John Wayne , Clarke Gable, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, to more modern ish stars like Doris Day, Rock Hudson, Audrey Hepburn and the Fonda's. we were in the Carl Kempton room- whoever he was!

Our room has its own balcony, and i'm sitting on it in the night air watching the Hotel neon, and counting the wagons on the regular freight trains that pass just across the street. The record we have seen tonight is 99 wagons being pulled by 5 locos. A quick measurement of the length is somewhere in the 2.5 mile long region. Awesome.

Just next door is the Fu king smoke shop ( see pic). Im yet to find the Bas tard Liqor store, or the Toss pot taco.

Monument valley tomorrow. Cant wait.