We awoke this morning at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and had breakfast at the lodge on the North Rim. The Lodge itself is a magnificent stone and Log building with a very spectacular view of the canyon. Here’s a view of the sitting area at the back of the lobby and the canyon through the windows.
After breakfast we set out on the long drive out of the North Rim. After about 5 hours with one stop, we arrived at the Petrified Forest. The Petrified Forest is one of the more famous stops of the Route 66 era, and is home to the largest collection of petrified wood in the world. Here I am next to one of the largest specimens, named “Old Faithful”.
Most of the minerals in the petrified wood are Quartz, Agate, and Amethist, so the coloration can be quite spectacular. This one piece is a good example of the colors and the grain structure of the wood.
Also in the Petrified Forest National Park is a Pueblo Settlement with some very well preserved Pueblo Petroglyphs. I personally hope that the giant Man-Eating Sandpiper pictured here is extinct…
We then headed north to the Painted Desert section of the park. The various bright colored sedimentary layer s give the desert its signature painted look. From the main overlook there are some very nice views. It was a bit overcast and late in the day, so the colors are a bit muted.
After leaving the Painted Desert we continued east towards New Mexico. Without good detailed New Mexico Maps, we had some trouble finding a good route into the Cibola National Forest in New Mexico, so we were forced to spend the night in a Rest Area across from a Casino. With some creative towel placement we were able to block out the Neon and get some good sleep.
After breakfast we set out on the long drive out of the North Rim. After about 5 hours with one stop, we arrived at the Petrified Forest. The Petrified Forest is one of the more famous stops of the Route 66 era, and is home to the largest collection of petrified wood in the world. Here I am next to one of the largest specimens, named “Old Faithful”.Most of the minerals in the petrified wood are Quartz, Agate, and Amethist, so the coloration can be quite spectacular. This one piece is a good example of the colors and the grain structure of the wood.Also in the Petrified Forest National Park is a Pueblo Settlement with some very well preserved Pueblo Petroglyphs. I personally hope that the giant Man-Eating Sandpiper pictured here is extinct…We then headed north to the Painted Desert section of the park. The various bright colored sedimentary layer s give the desert its signature painted look. From the main overlook there are some very nice views. It was a bit overcast and late in the day, so the colors are a bit muted.After leaving the Painted Desert we continued east towards New Mexico. Without good detailed New Mexico Maps, we had some trouble finding a good route into the Cibola National Forest in New Mexico, so we were forced to spend the night in a Rest Area across from a Casino. With some creative towel placement we were able to block out the Neon and get some good sleep.
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