Leaving Tucumcari and reaching Gallup

July 4, 2004

We left the Blue Swallow this morning after highlighting Hannah’s hair. We made a quick stop at Teepee Curios for more and the scenery is changing quickly.  The vistas out the car windows are incredible.  We stopped in Santa Rosa for breakfast the food was wonderful but we caught them on a slow day.

Several miles down the road we pulled in to San Fidel, NM.  Our first greeter was Mike Molina at the White Arrow Garage; he was a charming man in an old pinto filled with dogs.  He was so happy to see the “pink Cadillac” he said “This is a fourth no one will get but me, Thank you wonderful people!”  We promised to send him a photo.   Next to the White Arrow, is Gallery 66.   It is a very quaint and charming gallery. The owner/artist Mary Trask is a New England transplant, who purchased the historic building and land off the internet three years ago.  She represents local artists and artist from around the world.  Her specialty is mosaic. work.  Her friendly and warm storytelling will entertain and delight the traveler looking for a break.  But for the traveler looking for local art and the stories to go with it, this is the place to go. She has a wide range of “Garden Art”, jewelry, pottery and mosaics and if you visit at the right time of the year she will send you on your way with fresh apricots from her orchard.

By nightfall we arrived at our hotel in Gallup, NW.  The El Rancho: Home of he Movie Stars, a fabulous old hotel full of character.  We paid 6 dollars more to get a room with a balcony!  The Hotel touts its self as having the “Charm of Yesterday, Convenience of Tomorrow” but no Internet service here. Not quite that advanced.

Gallup closes on Sundays so we had dinner in the Hotel.  After dinner we got directions to the fireworks show and took off to oooooh and ahhhhh with the locals.  I have to say the people of Gallup love their fireworks.  Besides the sanctioned fireworks, that were pretty darn good, the hills were filled with sprays of light all night long.  Another day on the road, another day of fun and laughter.