We got away from the Enchanted RV Park at 7:40 am. Taking a frontage road for nearly 5 miles and we finally get onto I-40, and for a moment, I wonder if we are in another state.
But then the rocks of New Mexico show up again, and get very close to the roadway.
By now we are between Grants and Gallop New Mexico.
I always enjoy this area of New Mexico.
It is also here that we finally hit the Continental Divide...at an elevation of 7,300 feet. The good thing about I-40 is that you never hit a long climb...the climb takes place from when you go over the Mississippi River at about 300 feet, and until you hit the Divide at 7,300 feet.
And we come to the New Mexico - Arizona border.
And we get our first surprise of the day...the Rest Area here is closed...you can see the orange sign under the blue Rest Area sign to the far left says "Closed". Ouch! Really was counting on that rest area, and the views of the rocky cliffs that surrond it is realy amazing. Although the Rest Area was closed, the Indian Relics Shops seemed to be open....but we drove on.
There are many places in eastern Arizona and western New Mexico that sell Indian stuff.
Our original plans had us stopping at Winslow, but when I called the RV Park there I did not get an answer. Called Meteor Crater RV Park about 25 miles further west, and they had space. We stayed her a couple of times before, so check in was very easy...but at $45 a night it is the most costly park we have stayed in since leaving. We traveled around 270 miles today.
The site is nice, no neighbors crowding us, but the weather was HOT HOT HOT, with no shade despite the trees on both sides.
As the sun sets to the west, we will continue to head that way tomorrow, probably reaching the California Border...where it will be even hotter.
Yup moving right along! I've only traveled that way twice. I've always afraid to try and stop at the shops because I never know if there's enough room to park and get turned around. By the way, 150 miles is a short travel day. Your 270 is my LONG day!! It's getting close to the 100 mark here. Watch out for road work in Atwater. Not REPAIRING the road, just the SIDE of the road. Atwater must have made Newsom mad!!! LOL
ReplyDeleteAt first we were going to go up the east side of the mountains, but with my mom moving into my sisters, the direct route won over. Listen for the honking around 9:30 am Wednesday morning. lol
DeleteBTW Grants and Gallup are in New Mexico not Arizona as caption on picture says. I'm sure it was just an over sight. Safe travels. I'm surprise you didn't hit the smoke from brush fires in Arizona.
ReplyDeleteGood catch, thanks (and fixed). There was smoke in Western New Mexico, just did not mention it. That's what help make that sunset.
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