May 8, 2012 - I musta took a wrong turn in Albuquerque

We left home at 4 am to go to Yeager Airport for our 6 am departure.  Although we boarded on time, the flight was delayed leaving the gate because "the engines wouldn't keep running".  We agreed with the captain that that was important enough to justify a slight delay.  We were in the air with running engines by 6:30.
Fortunately, we had a long delay in Atlanta that allowed us to grab some breakfast and to be in plenty of time for our flight to Albuquerque.  By noon (Mountain Time) we were on the ground at ABQ.  There were no problems checking in to the rental car other than the standard routine from the desk clerk about how we really need all the stuff that we don't need.  We didn't ask for a GPS in the car since we had planned to bring Jill (our Garmin Nuvi) but we left her sitting in the van at home.  Fortunately, the Corolla that we rented had a GPS but we are unfamiliar with the menus.
We drove from Albuquerque to Gallup, New Mexico, stopping along the way to pick up some bottles of water, some fruit and a sun hat for Mary.  A stop at a little New Mexico town called Continental Divide sits (coincidentally) on the continental divide so we took a few snapshots and moved on.  The malpais is always interesting since the lava flows in the area create a moonscape from the ancient volcanic activity.
We were in Gallup by 4 pm and checked into the Days Inn - Gallup East without incident.  The room is older but is clean and quiet. 

Dinner was at El Metate Tamale Factory in Gallup.  It was a tiny place with about ten tables.  With us there, nine of the tables were unoccupied.  Dinner was excellent and very authentic for the area.








After dinner, we drove about 20 miles to Window Rock, Arizona to see some of the interesting rock formations.  We were tired and came back to the room to crash and get ready for the trip tomorrow to the Petrified Forest, Painted Desert and Chinle, Arizona.
Window Rock is the capital of the Navajo Nation with most government offices there.  There is a Navajo Cultural Center and the headquarters of the People's Legal Services or DNA which stands for Dinebiiina Nahiilna de Agaditahe (roughly translated to "People who talk fast and help the People out").







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