Day 4---Petrified, Painted and Pooped

Unbelievable colors

Pat admiring a petrified log

We left Flagstaff today, where it was a chilly 35 last night.  Driving east, we saw an advertisement for the meteorite crater near Holbrook, but decided nay.  Next possibility was for Petrified Forest National Park.  Sure, why not?  After driving for about 25 miles and seeing nothing, suddenly, there was the Park.  Logs everywhere.

Teepee formations

 The park is much bigger than expected, and we drove for 23 miles through land that looked like someone had taken a paint brush to it.  The colors and formations defy description, and pictures cannot begin give the feel of the whole experience, with 360 degrees of beauty...not to mention the wind, which blew so hard that when sand hit you it hurt.

The Painted Desert was our next treat.  The land suddenly dropped away and scarlet cliffs and a pastel plain appeared, literally out of nowhere.  

I 40 was about one-half mile south: cars and trucks speeding by (at 75 MPH, the legal limit in Arizona and New Mexico) had no idea what wonders were so close to them.  If you can, double click on the picture and the next to see more clearly.

                                                                                         

Pat and I and the Painted Desert

The clarity is fantastic.  You can see 125 miles.  The formation to the right center in this picture is 15 miles away. 

Entering New Mexico

After being throughly wind-blown we drove on into New Mexico. Notice the train next to the sign.  We literally saw 30 trains today.  The Burlington Northern Santa Fe parallels I 40 for forever, as far as we know.  We have seen train after train after train.  In California it seems we forget how important train transportation is to this country.

We had lunch in Gallup, which is very big on Native American crafts, as well as being a central location for the Navajo Nation to pick up supplies as well as social services.
Ate a very nice lunch in the train depot, and wonder of wonders,found a very nice selection of fabric in the Gallup Sew and Vac.  What a surprise!  After driving through more wonderous scenery, we have arrived in Alburquerque, a name I have finally learned to spell.