Day 65 - August 26, 2017 - Albuquerque, New Mexico to Gallup, New Mexico
Productive day for me, non-notable by anyone else’s standard. I went to Bookworks, the recommended indie bookstore in Albuquerque, but was underwhelmed. More whelming: the brunch place attached to it. Somewhere along the way, I managed to get a picture of El Vado Motel (I’m not sure if it’s being demolished or if it’s just the road around it that is; Central Ave., aka Route 66 in Albuquerque, is being taken apart and put back together again for bus rapid transit, a noble goal). I went to a coffee place in Albuquerque and worked on a project for a while, which isn’t really notable to anyone else, and then went to Target -- also not notable. Sometime far later than I’d meant to, I left along I-40 west, taking old Route 66 detours for part of it, skipping them as it got dark. Stopped at the Chaco Canyon travel center, found that the restaurant and trading post were both closed, but hey, I got a Route 66 mug and some vending machine stickers. Drove through Grants, New Mexico, which seemed unremarkable. It was dark at that point, so I rushed on I-40 all the way to Gallup, and after some driving back and forth, opted for the independent and bargain-priced El Capitan Motel. Stayed up until 6:39 AM (at least) for reasons that are no one’s fault but mine. Debating whether to go to bed or just start driving (and take a nap later), never a great situation to be in. If I go to sleep I’ll just be awakened by banging on the door at 11. or possibly 10. Anyway, this is the kind of thing that’s good to happen on one of the last day sof the trip. I can lie to myself and say that one I’m not having to adjust to a different motel every night I’ll be able to function.