Cycled into Albuquerque. Outskirts and roadworks for miles and then suddenly, downtown! Many usa cities don’t really seem to have a downtown but alburquerque certainly does. Swanky high rise hotels and offices, a pedestrian area, funky looking restaurants. I wanted to clean up a bit before meeting the mayor and not be miles away across the other side of town in the morning. This is tricky in a plush part of town on a tight cash budget without a credit card. But Chris, base-camp manager extraordinaire, had managed to persuade a hotel across from the mayor’s office to let him pay for my room over the phone from the UK (normally they are keen to see the credit card). So I arrived at the double-day hotel. Certainly madam, your room is on the 9th floor. And the bike? Just take it with you. So rocky and I rode upwards in an elevator full of people squeezing past his panniers to get in. I love it!!! And room 916 was a gorgeous cool haven. Had one of the best showers ever, fixed a punctured inner tube while reclining on a lounge chair and then read about cool city mayors propped up in a vast, vast bed . . .