Day 8 - Gallup to Santa Fe.
Well we are into our second week in the mighty US of A - another 2 weeks remains for Suzanne until she exits home and a little under 4 weeks till Tony and Nikita return to NZ.
US State number 4 (New Mexico)
ticked off as we head off East on Route 66 ducking over, under and sometimes on the I-40 Interstate passing by colourful red rock cliffs and spires before crossing the Continental Divide at 7275 feet.
We stopped off at old abandoned bridges, motels, gas stations, and even an old building covered in hubcaps and car junk galore that once hosted "Swap Meet 66" along the way.
Route 66 generally parallels the old Santa Fe railway through New Mexico and Arizona and it was a common occurrence to see trains heading east or west bound on the dual tracks about every 10 minutes apart, mostly with over 100 carriages carrying 40 foot shipping containers stacked two high. One train with 6 engines and it's carriages was estimated to be over 1000m long !
The sections from San Fidel to Mesita were very scenic winding through red rocks and mesas and passing old adobe pueblos in various stages of ruin.
Bypassing the large city of Albuquerque we hoofed it along the highway (following 66 of course!) to historic Santa Fe.
The day ended with a night time walk around the Historic Plaza area, a very cool place with apparently the oldest church, bell and house in the USA.
Trip log: 206.7 miles and 4 hrs, 49 mins driving completed today - we're slowly chipping off the miles to Chicago. The road trip continues .................