Packmeisters Michelle and Katie get the van ready in record time and we are off, on our way to Petrified Forest National Park. Its gong to be a hot day but we still manage to see the sights of the painted desert, following a small trail overlooking the red clay mounds. Folks are less enthusiastic to check out some of the petrified logs. While profs. Morrison and Geiss opt for a close-up view, the rest of the group decides that seeing one log up close is all that's necessary, while the rest are best studied from the shade of the trail shelter. The ice cream in the visitor center tastes pretty good!

Since the Navajo at White House failed to drain the resources of our most avid shoppers we stop at Jackrabbit trading post to stock up on rocks, bullshit bags, (almost) real coral necklaces and other trinkets. A few minutes later we are  standing on the corner in Winslow, AZ, fighting off the advances of a persistent stranger who absolutely wants to get into our photo. It takes a while to persuade him otherwise and we continue into the north part of time, where we stock up on food for the remaining trip.

Homolovi Ruins State Park has nice showers "nicer than my bathroom at home" - to quote Phil, but the remainder of the campground is a gravelly desert with toothpick sized trees. Yes, Nick, jackrabbits always occur in groups of threes, ALWAYS!

We decide to forgo showers and head on to Meteor crater. A proposed entrance fee of 10 dollars per person yields an offer for an imitation crater from Katie: "... for 120 bucks - I dig that hole myself!" We finally settle down for the night under Ponderosa pines at Bonito campground.

Packmeister Michelle gets us ready for the day.
Trying to get rid of salt cedar at Canyon de Chelly
Salt cedar at the entrance of Canyon de Chelly.

Clay mounds in the Painted Desert
Caroline keeping up her field notes.

Petrified logs
Professor Geiss riding the wild Jackrabbit Yep, that's Winslow's claim to fame. See, Nick!
 

Working on field notes in Bonito Campground

  
 

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