It is a wet and windy winter Saturday evening here in Kiwiland. I am curled up in my favourite chair watching a YouTube video trip along Route 66
When the father and son duo reach Gallup they are staying at the El Rancho hotel.

Many of you will know the history of this hotel. It was "home away from home" for all of the movie stars of the cowboy movie era who filmed in the area. Back in 2018 we stopped outside for a few photos between Flagstaff and Alburquerque, but didn't have time to go inside.

When first planning next years Route 66 return I looked at the cost of staying there, but it was quite high, so I decided to stay nearby and have dinner at the El Rancho restaurant.

For some reason this evening I paused the video, grabbed my phone and used Trip Advisor to check out the cost of a nights accommodation next May.

I was shocked at the price. U.S. $10.

That's right, just $10, or around NZ$16.50 to stay for the night!

I thought I had misread it, but no, $10 it was, not just on Trip Advisor but also on Booking.Com, which was the link to the price.

Needless to say accommodation for our night in Gallup has already been booked and paid for.

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View from down under

I would think long and hard about staying overnight in Gallup.

I spent a night there last week on the way to Glendale.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

I stayed there once years ago on long trip home from northern Colorado.
Lots of pawn shops in Gallup.

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Living a dream - S&WCA #2364

I've passed through, driving Route 66 years ago.

What I remember most is that I never saw so many flies as I did that day in Tucumcari. It was insane.

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642-1, M&P15 TS

Online I see $129 posted for the El Rancho.
There are a number of excellent Motels in Gallup but this ain’t one.
The last time I spent the Night in Gallup I stayed at the Hampton.
The last time I walked through the El Rancho lobby it looked like it was falling down.
Pawn Shops? Gallup is noted for them.
If you only want to visit one, I recommend Richardson’s, middle of downtown,
On Old 66: across from the railroad.
Local Flavor Restaurant? Navajos selling jewelry in the parking lot?
Earls. On 66, East of downtown.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

I agree on Richardson's, it is legendary even just to look at everything.

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Super Snooper

My wife and I stayed there for one night 30 years ago.

It's pretty sad.

I should have mentioned that I used to work just across the state line in Apache County, AZ. That was thirty years ago, but I doubt that Gallup has gotten much better. About ten years before that while driving across the country I stopped for the night at a cheap motel there, which was okay. But when I walked into one of the local dive bars, it was kind of like the bar scene in Animal House with Otis Day and the Knights. Gallup is a reservation town, so I stood out a little. Took one look around, pretended to use the pay phone, and ducked out quick. I did once change wiper blades in a blizzard in the K-Mart parking lot on Thanksgiving weekend -- closest thing to a nervous breakdown I've ever had.

If you choose to sample the locally bottled distillate (assuming it's still in production) it's called "Garden Deluxe." It masquerades as a wine, with grapes on the label, but it's basically grain alcohol with just enough grape juice to give it a little color. And may God have mercy on your soul.