We picked up our Ford Escort rental and drove south to Tuscon where we rented a suite for the night and had a good supper.
The next morning we bought some lunch meats, bread and snacks, a cooler and ice, then headed north-east on scenic route 77 to route 79. We were heading for the Petrified Forest, the painted Desert and Canyon DeChelly.
We took a quick detour on to route 88 to the Tonto Indian Ruins then drove back to route 60. From Route 60 we took another detour on route 73 to the Kinishba Indian Ruins.
 Over the Tonto Indian ruins was a wooden canopy with an owl under the roof |
 The Tonto ruins are hundreds of years old. |
 A cactus by the side of the road. |
 The Kinishba Indian Ruins are in the wall of this cliff. |
This route was taking us through the Navaho Nation and the towns of Show Low, Snowflake and Holbrook, Arizona. It was now late in the day so we stopped at the Wigwam Motel which had rooms shaped like indian teepees.
 There were antique cars parked all around the place. Inside the lobby were petrified rocks and gems. |
 Most of the antique cars were parked in front of the tee-pees, (ours is the blue SUV). |
 Inside was a bathroom, 2 beds, a TV, A/c and bureau |
 Oh, did I mention the hourly freight train with tracks 500 ft from the back of the teepee |
Here a picture taken from inside the lobby.
The next morning we ate breakfast and then drove to the Petrified Forest National Park. Here we learned that this desert used to have water and trees with dinosaurs walking around. Then, the trees and the dinosaurs were buried under erupting volcanoes. After millions of years, it's now a desert.
As we walked down a dirt path we saw parts of trees dating back 225 million years ago, from the Triassic Period. Scattered about everywhere - as far as the eye could see, were 'logs' that had slowly re-surfaced from centuries of erosion, washing away conceled woodlands. They had turned completely to solid rock.
We continued on to the Painted Desert, a view of fossilized plants and animals. Giant amphibians and reptiles used to roam this area. There are large fragments of petrified wood in this desert too.
We continued north on route 191 and stopped at the Hubell Trading Post National Historic Site to have a picnic lunch. Pat bought a necklace made by Navaho Indian children, made of corn and dyed blue.
Next we arrived at Canyon De Chelly National Monument where the Anasazi Indians made their homes within the cliffs. The valley below is still used by the Navaho Indians today for planting - the same it was more than 700 years ago by the 'Anasazi', which is a Navaho word meaning' the Ancient Ones'. We saw wild mustangs roaming about freely, and bought hand made crafts from the Navaho Indians who were selling their goods all along the canyon.
 Besides wild horses and cattle, we also saw this donkey. |
 This sign shows how it may have looked here 700 years ago. |
 The orange arrow is the area in the cliff where the Anasazi Indian Ruins are located. |
 Here's a close up of the area. |
 Here's a close up of another Indian Ruin area. |
 You can see the section in the cliff where the Indian ruins are. |
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