Day 20: Santa Fe, NM -> Mesa Verde NP, CO (247 mi). I think we can get by only stopping for a half-day here.
Mesa Verde has a number of cliff dwellings that are only accessible by ranger-led tours. Allowing a half day, you may or may not be successful to get in on one of them. It will depend on how heavy the crowds are, which hopefully in the time frame you are speaking of, won't be too bad. Here's the link to tour ticket information. Unfortunately, most of the tour tickets have to be purchased in person - can't request them online.

Day 38-38: California Coast to San Francisco, CA (~400 miles)
Going northbound on the Pacific Coast Highway means that to get to the scenic overlooks, you will have to cross traffic to get into and out of them (and traffic can be heavy). It also is a two day drive, though it doesn't seem like it with "only" 400 miles. So many stops to see! If you're going to live in San Francisco, you may have many more chances to see the coast of the state -- it's a nice weekend just to drive from SF to perhaps Cambria on a Saturday and return on a Sunday (just be sure to get reservations for the night so you aren't stranded). Or perhaps a 4-day weekend sometime. Just a suggestion, on how to get the most out of that area.


Donna