April 28 -- Winslow AZ to Gallup NM

Well, we are through 2 states, believe it or not, and 6 days and many miles under our collective belts ... under our tires ... you know what I mean !

Today was virtually all interstate riding -- I40 -- , with the exception of a few miles at the beginning and end where we were in those respective towns. The weather was excellent, although the wind was in our face a lot of the day.

More fantastic scenery -- varying from bleak desert scrub to a glimpse of the painted desert to sculpted rock formations. At one time a lot of water flowed through some of these areas to create these huge canyons, but not now.

When we do get off the interstate, we hit Route 66 -- you would have seen that from one of yesterday's pictures. It may be historic, but now it's fast food, Econolodge (that's where we are), Comfort Inn, and, when you get into the heart of the cities -- quaint little downtown areas.

Did you ever wonder what those large 6-10 foot culverts are for that run underneath across the interstates ? I'll bet that you thought that they were for rain runoff ... no ... they are for bikers taking refuge from thunderstorms. It didn't happen to us today, but there a few scattered ones in the area that we kept an eye on as we were biking.

Interstate riding is rolling climbs and descents -- there are no steep grades. As a result, the riders do not tend to get separated as much as on mountainous days -- except that, as in today, the number of flats defines how far any particular group falls behind. Bill and I started off riding with 3 other guys, then 2 more joined us -- but then Bill had a flat -- tore his tire, which he put a temporary patch on -- which didn't hold -- long story short he and his bike got a ride for a couple of miles to the next rest stop because he wasn't going any further with that tire and having the van stopped on the shoulder of the interstate is not really that safe.

By that time we were last into the first rest stop, but then by the lunch stop he and I had passed a trio riding together and stayed ahead of that small group until the end of the day.

We got in around 4:15 Pacific, but of course it's now Mountain Time when we entered New Mexico -- so make that 5:15. That's about 9:15 elapsed time, for 127 miles, 8:15 rolling time.

I ran out and got some snacks to eat -- a microwaveable burrito, and a few other things and have inhaled them in the room. I'm now awaiting a cab to go into Gallup proper (we are on the outskirts) to Mass. When I found that the Saturday Mass was at 7:00 I though that I would have lots of time -- but did not take into account the time zone change. Thank goodness that it's so late ! I'll pick up something else when I get back -- I have not had enough to keep my engine running.