Day 11 - The Longest Day
It was to be the longest day on our journey so far... and likely the longest - period. 350 miles in all with stops in between, but we did have a time zone change in our favour.
The old road from Santa Fe wove it's way down from the mountains on the El Camino Trail eventually leading to Albuquerque and for what turned out to be an almost unanimous highlight of the day full of highlights.
The story of both Jerry & Al Unser, (senior and junior) and their racing family is laid out in a spectacular display of race car memorabilia and our guide Phil delighted in squeezing everything he could into our 90 minute stop.
Most wanted to stay all day but we had to press on.
It was on a new section of road this time, through downtown called the Santa Fe Loop, finally joining back with the newer alignment straddling the i40 we are used to.
We dined at the First St Cafe in Grants before rediscovering Paul's favourite spot on the Mother Road - Swap Meet 66.
The disbanded 100 yard strip of real estate between the i40 and the old road is the best representation of just how this is a living history. Less than five years ago it was home to Sunshine, who has now clearly moved on, leaving the famous swap meet site to the vandals and ruin.
They're doing a better job of preserving the movie history at the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup though but we couldn't stay long!
We slipped back in time (an hour actually) as we crossed into Arizona to the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest for some of the oldest history we'll see here this trip.
That two hour drive through the national park led to Holbrook and where our Wigwams were waiting! ...
... the end of a very long but satisfying day.
