Day - Pies and Lava

Saturday started with a cooked breakfast (eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast and coffee) at Safire restaurant next to our motel (we didn't make it to the Fish Fry last night, too sleepy). Then we hit the road, the 60 East into New Mexico. Went further East than we had originally intended as we saw there was a place called Pie Town: just had to visit and have a piece of pie! Jenny had coffee and Key Lime Cheesecake (delicious), Clive made do with just a coffee, he's more into steak and kidney pie. (See website www.pietown.com which also gives links to the Daily Pie cafe we stopped at, plus website for annual pie festival, which is on Sat Sep 13 this year). Backtracked to Quemado and onto the 36 road, where we stopped off at La Ventana Natural Arch - large sandstone arch similar to many seen in Utah Arches National Park. Continued through the volcanic landscapes of El Malpais National Monument lands, ending up for the night at the Best Western in Grants. Arrived in Grants too late to go to the New Mexico Mining Museum (uranium) which is unfortunately closed tomorrow. Not a great deal else to see here, seems a bit run-down since the mining boom ended around 1980, although Route 66 and the railroad pass through town.

Message for N. Virginians: we have been watching the Weather Channel and it seems as though tropical storm Hanna has passed through your area. We hope there are no problems with damage to homes and gardens.