A short journey

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Rode a mile or two this morning into downtown Gallup. The town has a very mexican feel with lots of craft shops and museums. Took some pics at El Rancho Hotel, built for the stars of the cowboy films. They all stayed here; John Wayne, Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster, as this is where most of the old westerns were shot.

Headed east on 66 until around 10 miles from Grants. Stopped to take a picture of the awesome New Mexico landscape. Got back on the bike only to realise I had a puncture in the back tire! Had to get towed into Grants and get a new tire put on. (The guy said I'd run over a samurai!!

Back on the road we headed to Albuquerque where we baked in the heat, but saw a roadrunner (just like in the cartoon!) We then set off north for one of the oldest and most beautiful towns in America, Santa Fe. We stayed just outside the town as it's very expensive for hotels in the centre. Santa Fe, despite being extremely popular has no airport. The reason is said, is that it would interfere with the sky!

A walk around the downtown area reveals the wonderful mexican craft shops, museums, Chapels and the amazing adobe architecture. Even their carparks have charm!

We were sad to leave Santa Fe, however, we had to steer south to get back on the mother road eastbound. We were around 40 miles towards Santa rosa when a storm broke. The sky darkened and thunder was met with forks of lightning, which were extremely close. All of a sudden the road became a very lonely place. Miles upon miles of empty road on both carriageways, and our now little bike battling the wind and ferocious rain!

Now you would have thought that this was a sorry enough situation, however, lets add one more piece of bad luck (poor judgment). The petrol tank had gone down past empty! Here we were alone in a dark desert highway, with miles to go in either direction. With no gas!

Panic and lots of other things went through my head at that time. I decided to reduce speed to 50 and hunch down under the windshield to make us more aerodynamic and pray, lots.

Thankfully after what seemed like hours we just managed to hobble in to Clines corner gas station, running on fumes. We filled up the tank then us. Never seen a gas station look so magnificent!!

Finished off in Tucumcari, where the neon of '66' and the 2000 available rooms proved too much a reason not to stay.

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