You guessed it, we are still at Thousand Trails, Cottonwood, AZ. Yesterday and today it rained pretty much all day so we didn't travel around. Today I'm back in the Rec. Center typing away on another blog of our continuing travels. This blog should finally bring us to our current location in Cottonwood, AZ
Friday August 23 we left the beautiful Canyon de Chelly, picked up U.S. Highway 191 South to I-40 West. Again Bev was clicking away with the camera as we zipped down the highway.
As we headed West on I-40 we passed a sign to the Petrified Forest National Park - Painted Desert Visitor Center. We have been by this area in the past but never stopped so today was the day.
After we checked out the visitor center and purchased our hiking stick medallions we disconnected the car from the Winnebago and headed into the National Park. The park road is 28 miles and it was easier getting in and out of the overlooks with the car than the Winnebago pulling the car.
Access to the park is from the North through the Painted Desert or South through the Petrified Forest. I-40 is near the North side so we hit the Painted Desert first.
Extending in a broad arc from east of Grand Canyon southeastward towards St. Johns, Arizona, the Painted Desert was exposed by the erosional force of the Little Colorado River.
Minerals paint the desert with many colorful hues.
Besides being colorful, the Chinle Formation contains a valuable fossil record of Late Triassic plants and animals ranging from ferns and shellfish to amphibians and dinosaurs. Members of the scientific community from all over the world come here to study these fossils.
As we traveled the park road South, just before we crossed I-40, we came to the actual spot where the old famous Route 66 passed through Petrified Forest National Park. From Chicago to Los Angeles, this heavily traveled highway was not only a road. It stood as a symbol of opportunity, adventure, and exploration to travelers.
These are items that marked the spot.
We continued South on the park road crossing I-40 entering the Petrified Forest.
From here we started seeing the petrified wood strewn about.
Agate Bridge
Centuries of scouring floodwater's swashed out the arroyo, or gully, beneath this 110-foot petrified log to form Agate Bridge. The stone log, harder than the sandstone around it, resisted erosion and remained suspended as the softer rock beneath it washed away. Conservationists felt this age-old natural bridge needed architectural support and in 1911 erected masonry pillars beneath the log. In 1917 the present concrete span replaced the masonry work.
Below you can see the park road we traveled on.
This high, dry grassland was once a vast floodplain crossed by many streams. Tall, stately conifer trees grew along the banks. The trees fell, and swollen streams washed them into adjacent floodplains. A mix of silt, mud, and volcanic ash from distant volcanoes buried the logs. This sediment cut off oxygen and slowed the logs' decay. Then silica-laden groundwater seeped through the logs, replacing the original wood tissues with silica petrifying the logs.
The trees lived over 200 million years ago. Since then, continents moved to today's positions, the region was uplifted, and climate changed. What had been a tropical environment became today's semi-arid grassland. Over time, wind and water wore away the rock layers and exposed fossilized ancient.
Back at the Visitor Center we connected the car to the Blue Ox tow bar, set up the braking system in the car, hooked up the electric connection and headed out of the park. We picked up I-40 West again to Flagstaff where we picked up I-17 South. At Camp Verde we headed West on Highway 260 to our present location at Thousand Trails.
Over the past two weeks we have been traveling around the area checking out the sights along with relaxing around the campground. Bev practiced line dancing mornings while I practiced drinking beer. Every weekend there has been entertainment at the rec. center which was more fun than watching TV. Bev got to line dance her heart out. Yes, I drank beer while she danced.
The next blog will continue on with our travels around this area along with a trip to The Grand Canyon National Park.
Tom & Bev Livin and Lovin the RV lifestyle.
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