Day 8 - Winslow, AZ.

I guess you have noticed that getting to post a new blog is not happening every day! 
Since day 5 -6 post I traveled north through Flagstaff and northeast to a small park called "Sunset Crater Valcano Nat. Mont. & Wupatki N. M." which are one big loop drive.  The first is of course old valcano cinder cones and the second is a series of Native American ruins (old Pueblos from around 1100`s).  Those people must have been tough because it is hot and dry out there. 
I found the Bonita campgrounds in the monument area and I ended up staying for three nights.  Very quiet and beautiful.  On the second day I rode my bicycle from one visitor center to the other and back (about 40 miles).  The catch was that there is a elevation loss of 2200` from my start to the turn around and then 2200` climb back (against the wind & hot).  It took one hour one way and two hours (with a few stops in the shade) to ride back to my campground. 

Does it get any better than this?  Back in camp, set up the awning and kicked back in the shade.  A lot of hydration and food but I made it - not to bad of an "old"guy.  Pine trees all around and very quiet.  It was warm but it is a "dry" heat..............................yea.  Actually one night it got down to low 30`s.

I was going to leave when the ranger told me that there was going to be a bicycle race (full of all catorgories) the next day.  Of course I stayed another night and watched them take off (their route was 70 miles round trip) but left soon after.  I have places to see.......

Above are one of the ruins which is built on top of a large sandstone rock (see the people in the picture for scale).  The second is a "ball court" that is beatifully constructed.  It is about 60` from one end to the other and the opening was just big enough for me to get through.  The walls are amazing in design and are in great condition.

I went back through Flagstaff and did some sight seeing in the old downtown area which included the train station.  Funky little "old town" area but very interesting.  I then headed for Walnut Canyon N. M. that has a lot of cliff dwellings and a walk down into the canyon (on a path).

Next I headed for the Meteor Crater which is east of Flafstaff on Hyw. 40.  It is in the middle of the desert and is off the highway 5 miles.  It is the largest, best perserved impact site in the world (at least that is what they claim) and is very impressive.  The stats are that you could put 20 full sized football fields in the bottom and still have seating for 2 million people around the sides.

That black dot near the center is an old steam engine that is 15` long and 8` high.  It is left over from the mining operation when they were looking for pieces of the meteor which vaporized on inpact.  It belongs to a family who has a company run it (for profit).  Luckly I got the "senior" discount but it was still $14 but worth it.

So I am going to refer to an old song lyric by the Eagles (I think) for my next picture that goes "Well I`m standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona and what a fine sight to see, it`s a girl my lord in a flat bed Ford backing up to take a look at me".  Actually no one backed up to take a look at me,  some people yelled out their window something about my being a tourist, I think.  This may be the only claim to fame that this town has and I drove around and I am sure that is correct.

Yep, they put up a bronze statue with a sign above it "standing on the corner" and a picture of a "flat bed Ford" behind on the wall.  I guess they are proud of the reference.

I spent a lovely night in a strange RV park right by the side of Hwy. 40 (with a constant stream of 18 wheelers all night long) here it Winslow but they have elec. hookups and at just $22 a night, it`s a deal. 

Well folks, that`s it for now.  On to the northeast corner of Arizona and more ruins to see.......

It may be a while before I can get a connection to post another blog since the area where I am heading is somewhat off the "beaten path" if you know what I mean.

Yahoo!