Day 5: Gallup to Santa Fe (198 miles)

After only a few hours of sleep last night, we needed an easy day. Our original plan had been to leave early, stop in Santa Fe for lunch and a visit to Meow Wolf , then continue on to Palo Duro Canyon to set up camp. Instead, we took the short ride to Santa Fe, with a stop in Albuquerque for a delicious Persian lunch at the Chello Grill: koobideh kebab, grilled vegetables, and adasi (lentil stew). Yum!

We skipped Meow Wolf, which may have been for the best given that it was 4/20 and seems like the sort of place that cannabis afficionados would gather to celebrate the holiday… and instead we treated ourselves to massages. Of course, it wouldn’t be an adventure if things went according to plan… When we arrived at the La Fonda Hotel, already running late for our massage appoinments, we discovered that our reservations were for the wrong day (and they were fully booked for a wedding), so we had to scramble to find another place to stay. Luckily the folks at the Hotel Santa Fe Spa were super understanding — one of the massage therapists stayed well past her usual shift to accommodate us for a later appointment. The massage was fantastic, or at least I think it was; I fell asleep several times and by the end of it, I felt like a million bucks. Much needed after all the riding, camping, and unexpected roadside shenanigans!