We left Tucson (el. 2300’) this morning by 8 and drove north, along the San Pedro River, with saguaros covering the mountains all around, then over the Gila River, to Globe, where Papa grew up. We continued north and ever higher, up the Salt River Canyon to Show Low (el. 6350’) with tall pines everywhere. The terrain dropped a bit as we continued north and east toward New Mexico, with rolling grassland and junipers dotting the landscape, always with a mountain backdrop. The drive was stunning!
We arrived in Gallup, New Mexico by 4 PM and visited two trading posts, Perry Null and Richardson. We had been to Richardson Trading Post a few years ago and never forgot how impressed we were by over $20 million in Native American crafts, saddles, rugs, jewelry, blankets, and so much more. It’s still impressive! We had dinner at El Rancho Hotel Restaurant. El Rancho Hotel El Rancho Hotel is on the National Register of Historic Places. It catered to Hollywood actors filming nearby, from the 1930’s to the early 1960’s.
