We were off and running at an admirable hour this morning, grateful (for once) that we didn’t overindulge last night by honkytonking our way around the town, cowgirl-style.

Without any fanfare we found ourselves in another winter wonderland as we wended our way up Route 25. After overshooting our destination a little (due to SOMEONE and her CHUBBY FINGERS unable to work Molly’s iPhone gadgetmahoohie), we found the short interstate to the Acoma Pueblo. Once again in the lowlands, a chilly wind was blowing but the day was perfectly crystal clear.

The Pueblo is amazing — the mesa rises high above the desert floor, with stunning views in every direction.

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The land is just heartbreakingly beautiful. Definitely a high point of our trip.

Casino money makes for a really really nice cultural center. Molly and I being design/marketing geeks, marveled at the beauty of an identity working really well — from the signage to the architecture, even down to the camera permit tags. Bravo, Acoma!

The skill of the photographer, however, is subpar.

Anyway, I could go on and on, but instead I’ll just urge you to to get over there someday soon. We had to blow by so many other tribal lands and tours, but this just makes us determined to plan another trip to the area.

Next stop: Gallup, New Mexico! Commence humming the “Get your Kicks on Route 66” song to the point of madness. We stopped by Richardson’s Trading Post, a massive art gallery/pawn empire that has a boggling array of Zuni, Acoma, Hopi and Navajo artifacts, jewelry, blankets, saddles — and a sterling silver, turquoise-studded crown that was inscribed “Navajo Queen.” I wanted it so badly I got a little dizzy.

Then a stop at Hotel El Rancho, a simply fabulous hotel that was the hotspot for Hollywood since the dawn of movie stars. It’s pretty unchanged (I reckon) and fully fabulous.

Charm of Yesterday … Convenience of Tomorrow!

Southwestern sunset after crossing the Arizona border:

Finally, we arrived at our motel for the evening. Just a little place called the Wigwam Motel!

It is wonderful. The kitsch factor would have been more than enough, but the room is utterly adorable and cozy.

Molly, then me, in the entrance of our wigwam (um, it’s a teepee, actually.) Becky forgot a tripod!

After my second meal of the day that involved Indian Fry Bread and/or Sopapillas (AKA fried bread in a different shape) at the fantastic Joe and Aggie’s Cafe, I collapsed into a drooling mess in my fine fine cement teepee. Life is very good.

There are more shots of the Motel, as well as pictures of the interior, over at my flickr photostream.

And yes, the irony of starting the day having an rich, cultural and “real” Indian experience, and ending it having a crassly fake one, is not lost on me. All I have to say about that is: USA! USA!

Molly’s quote of the trip:

I shouldn’t have Huevos Rancheros again.
[to waitress:] I’ll have the Huevos Rancheros.

Tomorrow: more northern Arizona. USA!

• See all the pics on my flickr photostream
• Go to Day 8