We had a very restful night in the camper and woke to a very comfortable 68 deg. The sun was shining, and the wind was blowing briskly out of the south. We had plenty of time for breakfast and packing up. The friends we hoped to meet in Albuquerque were out of town for the week, so we decided to go to Tucumcari, NM, and join the Gypsy Tour there.

We had difficulty getting gas from our 5-lb tank to the stove. We had to use the spare 1-lb canister instead. We located a propane and BBQ grill shop and went to them for some help. They determined the tank was fine and one of our hoses was bad. We learned that there is a safety shutoff valve in the hose and it was stuck shut. They also showed us how to turn on the gas – very slowly until the hose fills. If we turn it on too fast it will trigger the safety shutoff. We bought a new hose and thanked them for their time and expertise.

Next, we got a few things at Walmart, then set the GPS for Tucumcari.

There was a very strong cross wind on I-40. I’m able to run 67 mph on level highway without taxing the motor. I could tell the motor was working harder with the wind and the hills. The speed limit was 75 mph, so everything just passed us by.

We stopped for coffee at Russell’s Travel Stop, just over the New Mexico Border. We’ve stopped here before. They have a great diner, antique car collection, and a convenience store.

Russell’s is a fun place to experience.

We got to Tucumcari around lunch time. First, we went to the Tucumcari monument (ha-ha) for some pictures.

We found some picnic tables in a park next to the public pool and across from the high school.

There was a lot of street art on the road around the park.

And, of course, we had our sandwiches.

We hung out until 3 p.m. when the motel opened. We are staying at the Historic Route 66 Motel. I stayed here in 2013. It’s down the street from the Blue Swallow, where we’ve stayed a couple of times.

Dinner was a catered BBQ at the Blue Swallow. We caught up with old friends and enjoyed the time together.

Tomorrow, we head for Gallup, NM.

Travel distances (day/total): 142/1877