After leaving Blanding, Utah southbound on 191 at 7:11pm, I soon headed back EAST on 262 (I passed by the entrance to Hovenweep National Monument, a site of Ancestral Puebloan significance), then further east on 162 back into Colorado!  From there I made my way south (where the fantastic sunset was visible out of my right side and the huge moon rising was seen to my left) and east in the subsequent darkness to Farmington, New Mexico. I arrived there at 10:23pm with 56 range and odometer at 22,706 with temp at 77 degrees. I charged to 200 range and left for Gallup, NM at 11:25pm.

The route to Gallup was south on 371 about 21 miles, then right onto Indn Service Rte 5 (west) for 27 miles, then 60 miles south on 491 (formerly known as the “Devil’s Highway” before 1985 when the Route # was 666) to I-40E to find the rest area at exit 122 in Gallup. I had a difficult time finding the Gallup Visitor Information Center, but eventually pulled in to sleep at 2:20am… yes, I was exhausted!  70 range remained, odometer at 22,843, and temp was 68 degrees.  I slept soundly despite the loud blasting of the train horns with the tracks adjacent to the parking lot.

I woke up at 8am to attend Mass at St. Francis Catholic Church (214 W Wilson Ave) which amazingly was only a few blocks from the visitor center (which, by the way, I saw with daylight, was also the Amtrak Train Station!).  I met Alex in front of the church, who had recently moved to Gallup, NM from Hawaii (where his former neighbor owns a Tesla… and there the get free parking as an extra perk!). I learned that the 9am Mass (as listed on the diocese internet page) was changed to 10am, so I relaxed and prayed inside while waiting for the service.  After an energetic bilingual Spanish/English service with wonderful music, I met Franciscan Brother Maynard Shurley who was looking forward to two new Franciscan residents at his home arriving later this week: Father Abel, the new parish priest; and Brother Pio.  This parish had to rely upon visiting priests for several months, so this was a huge relief. I left the church at 11:20am to visit the Gallup supercharger located west on the historical rte 66.

I was at the charger by 11:37am with odometer at 22,850 and 64 range with temp at 81 degrees. I stopped inside the Gallup Hampton Inn, where the sign said “WELCOME TESLA”, and paid Naomi for stamps to mail some long overdue postcards. I charged to 192 range and left at 12:30pm for Holbrook, AZ.  Frugal Tesla