Gallup to Albuquerque, New Mexico

138 miles plus the extra loop on the old section of Route 66 from Mesita to Los Lunas and down to Belen.  Well worth the trip!

Great sign for Jerry's Cafe on Coal Street in Gallup, New Mexico

Great Day!  Lots of sunshine (what we came for) and warming up.  It was 60 by the time we got to Albuquerque in the afternoon.

Early rising, we had to scrape the frost off our windshield at El Rancho in Gallup.  Drove to the renovated Santa Fe Train Station in Gallup, now a Cultural Center.  The cafe where we had planned to have breakfast was not yet open, so on the advice of the nice man at the Cultural Center, we went to Jerry's Cafe, just a couple of blocks away on Coal Street. 




It was so much fun to be asked the New Mexico State Question for breakfast!  Chose red again; we'll have to try green, which is hotter, but not for breakfast.  We loved watching the people at Jerry's Cafe.  We were the only gringos in the restaurant the entire time.  Joan had Chile Relleno and Eggs and Dane had one of the specialties, stuffed sopapilla.  Luckily, we had a sopapilla to share to soften the heat from breakfast.

You know you've found a great local restaurant when you're the only gringos in the place!



Red chile stuffed sopapilla and chile relleno breakfast at Jerry's Cafe, Gallup, NM

A bit of a drive followed breakfast, west on I-40 to the cutoff to Los Lunas, the old Route 66 road, where we drove for an hour hardly passing another vehicle.  After admiring the historic house in Los Lunas, we drove south to Belen (pronounced b'lynn) where we visited the Harvey House Museum and enjoyed a tour by the charming curator Maurine. 


One of the few remaining Harvey Houses, in Belen, New Mexico, now a museum devoted to Fred Harvey and the Santa Fe Railroad. 

 After a quick snack at the local Sonic (we really object to having to eat in our car), we stopped to visit our cousin-in-law Virginia Baich, and made plans to get together later in the evening.


Los Poblanos Inn, Albuquerque, New Mexico

On to one of our favorite inns in the entire United States; Los Poblanos, in Albuquerque.  We have stayed at Los Poblanos every time we visit Albuquerque, and were delighted to again be assigned our favorite room, the original master bedroom, the Simms Suite. 


Checking email at Los Poblanos in our favorite room, the Simms Suite!

Of course we had to do some shopping at the new (to us) Farm Store, and visit the goats and pigs on the farm.



On the Farm at Los Poblanos Inn, Albuquerque, New Mexico

 We returned to "Uptown" Albuquerque, to rendevous with Virginia Baich and her son, Joan's first cousin once removed, Jett, for a chance to catch up.

Jett doing the appropriate 8th grader eye roll at having his picture taken!

Back to Los Poblanos for a great meal at their restaurant.  We shared a buckwheat crepe filled with mushrooms.  Then delicious short ribs for Joan and black bass for Dane.  We were so hungry/entranced, that we forgot to take pictures.  Luckily, we remembered by the time we got to dessert:  a Meyer lemon tart on a bed of mulberry puree.  Delicious! 


Lemon tart with gingersnap crust and mulberry puree at Los Poblanos, Albuquerque, New Mexico

The fire is dying in the kiva fireplace in the corner, so time for bed. Come stay at Los Poblanos whenever you are in Albuquerque!  It's one of our favorite inns in the whole country!