This evening finds me in the lobby of a very nice Holiday Inn in Gallop, New Mexico. Not as many fun people to watch but I am tired so that may be a good thing.
After a rough night of fighting with the theromstat and loud fan where none of us got a good night's sleep, we went down for the free breakfast. Which was pretty sad. I think we do better in the little towns. We quickly drove back into the park and enjoyed the different views the morning had to offer. Much less cloudy and fewer people. We drove East along the South rim, stopping every now and again. I am tempted to do some hiking in there, it looks very similar to Mt. Zion Park in Utah.
We finally left the Canyon and Dad drove through Cameron and lots of sleepy Indian towns until we reached Tuba City. It had grown a lot since my Mom was there in 1965, but she recognized some buildings and told us fun stories about going to the hospital to see the newborns and having lunch at Rosie's Cafe. We happend across Hogan Restaurant, named after the traditional houses that Navajo's use. The restaurant was filled with everyone from Tuba City, including a couple Navajo policemen, lots of big families, and cute old couples. We had a darling waiter who spoiled us. Dad took up driving again (I was beat after sleeping SO badly the night before) through a the longest inhabited town in the country, an Hopi town called Old Oraibi. We chatted with some locals and bought a nice necklace for neice Anna. Dad drove all the way to an old historical trading post where we bought some other goodies, watched some Navajo ladies weave blankets and explored. The whole time change thing kept throwing us off.. you pass on and off Navajo land, which uses Daylight Savings, unlike the rest of Arizona.
I drove on from the trading post. Mom had found a Tony Hillerman book on tape in Tuba City which was really fun because it is set in the exact places we were going through. Past Window Rock and lots of mesas. Beautiful big skies with lots of clouds tinged pink by the red soils below. We arrived in Gallup around 5:30, and decided to call it a day even though we were short of our goal of Alberqueque. Dad spotted this hotel with all the right ammenities, free HOT breakfast, indoor heated pool.. we had to do it. We got settled in and Mom and I went down to Historic Route 66 to explore the city of Gallup. Not much going on, but a wonderful library being used by lots of folks and a cute but pretty closed down downtown. We wandered all over, finding the Quaker meeting house and a Whole Foods-esque grocery store which was fun.
Back to the hotel for a nice swim. Mom taught me all her aqua aerobics moves and then we enjoyed the hot tub. Mom, I think, enjoys talking to people in the hot tub more than the soak itself! Dad had already gone for a swim and was enjoying a cocktail in the hotel bar. See the above photo for the explanation he left us in the room. We wandered over to the Ranch Kitchen next door that had a great Mexican buffet with real, spicy, tamales and enchiladas. Finished off with some excellent watermelon, it was a great dinner. Back to the hotel, into the lobby to update the blog, then off to the room for a hopefully better night than yesterday!
Stage Four is our big push across the country. I am hoping to end up somewhere in Oklahoma, forget Texas. Lots more Tony Hillerman book on tape to get us across.. it is going to be a big effort. Hopefully we'll get in another swim before the long drive. We are beginning to be old pros at the hotel stuff, but every once in a while I think how nice it will be to be in my own bed. But then I realize I don't have my own bed right now!! Craziness! I can't wait to get settled, and get my sweet Bubs, out in our new home!
PS- Too sleepy to wait for Blogger to upload today's pictures.. sorry. Expect them tomorrow though! And tomorrow's hopefully, as well!
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