Tucumcari to Gallup

Day #2

Tucumcari to Gallup (311 miles)

Continuing west on Route 66, I stopped after about an hour to take a dip at the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa.  This swimming hole is always at a brisk 62 degrees.  It took me about 10 minutes to wade in, but once I acclimated, it felt great.  The Blue Hole is ideal for scuba divers and there were 2 people there for lessons, so it was really interesting to listen in on their conversation and ask them questions.

After Santa Rosa is really where I decided to stay on I-40 in order to get to Gallup.  Like Amarillo, I knew Albuquerque and Santa Fe really deserved their own trip, so I did not plan on stopping in either city.  Instead, my focus was on enjoying the landscape and getting to Gallup in time for dinner at Jerry’s Cafe.  I was excited to stay at Hotel El Rancho, the famous ‘hotel to the stars of old Hollywood’ and to anyone looking for the Old West experience.  It was built in 1936 by movie theater owner R.E. Griffith and has welcomed some of the greatest legends, John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Gregory Peck, and so many more.  Walking the halls where these actors once walked was so exciting. Jerry’s Cafe turns 50 this year and is a Route 66 mainstay.  They’re known for their green chile recipes, so I decided to be adventurous and try Cherelle’s Choice, a sopapilla stuffed with guacamole and pork carnitas grilled with onions and tomatoes, smothered with cheese, chile and sour cream.  It was delicious!  Luckily, the green chiles that day were not spicy at all.

   

  

Gallup marked the end of my Route 66 journey.  From here I would head north to Moab to visit some National Parks.