I'll be departing June 16th to the Grand Canyon. I plan to document the trip with scenic pictures and interesting things we observe along the way... Depending on available time I'll try to update this post every other day, or so.
Stay tuned. Follow along and share your thoughts as I post!
[b:209liohj]Day 1[/b:209liohj] - [url=http://www.davescomputertips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=813&sid=583ea8c41063f97f74d408a51fdd09da#p5013:209liohj]Indianapolis, Indiana to Springfield, Missouri[/url:209liohj]
[b:209liohj]Day 2[/b:209liohj] - [url=http://www.davescomputertips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=813&sid=583ea8c41063f97f74d408a51fdd09da#p5019:209liohj]Springfield, Missouri to Shamrock, Texas[/url:209liohj]
[b:209liohj]Day 3[/b:209liohj] - [url=http://www.davescomputertips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=813&sid=583ea8c41063f97f74d408a51fdd09da#p5104:209liohj]Shamrock, Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico[/url:209liohj]
[b:209liohj]Day 4[/b:209liohj] - [url=http://www.davescomputertips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=813&sid=583ea8c41063f97f74d408a51fdd09da#p5119:209liohj]Albuquerque, New Mexico to Flagstaff, Arizona[/url:209liohj]
[b:209liohj]Day 5[/b:209liohj] - [url=http://www.davescomputertips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=813&start=15#p5193:209liohj]Flagstaff, Arizona to Williams, Arizona[/url:209liohj]
[b:209liohj]Day 6[/b:209liohj] - [url=http://www.davescomputertips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=813&start=15#p5200:209liohj]Train Ride to the Grand Canyon[/url:209liohj]
[b:209liohj]Day 7[/b:209liohj] - [url=http://www.davescomputertips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=813&start=15#p5208:209liohj]Pink Jeep Tour[/url:209liohj]
[b:209liohj]Day 8[/b:209liohj] - [url=http://www.davescomputertips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=813&start=15#p5246:209liohj]Rafting the Colorado river from Glen Canyon dam[/url:209liohj]
[b:209liohj]Day 9[/b:209liohj] - [url=http://www.davescomputertips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=813&p=5258#p5258:209liohj]Visiting the Hoover Dam[/url:209liohj]
[b:209liohj]Day 10[/b:209liohj] - [url=http://www.davescomputertips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=813&p=5269#p5269:209liohj]Williams, Arizona to Cedar City, Utah[/url:209liohj]
Hey Dave.Be sure and show a picture of your bike from time to time. I ride to and am curious about what you ride and how you packed for the trip.I am so envious.Have a safe trip.
Very cool Dave....I'm looking forward to seeing your photos along the way. If I may ask, where are you starting from?
Oh, and as a fellow motorcyclist (Harley Davidson FXRS w/Screamin Eagle kit) and professional safety manager, please be careful!
joseywales
Sorry folks, internet has been crappy. Crappy, like hours to upload a few pics. Hopefully tonight I'll have better net access and time to give some trip details.
Be patient.... and pray for decent web access!
Hi Dave,
Hope u are njoying ur trip. Have a nice time and yeh good luck for internet access..
[color=#FF0000:kmlb28ze][size=200:kmlb28ze]Day 1 - June 16th[/size:kmlb28ze][/color:kmlb28ze]
[size=150:kmlb28ze]Indianapolis to Springfield, Missouri[/size:kmlb28ze]
[img:kmlb28ze]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/TravelDay1.jpg[/img:kmlb28ze]
Note 1:I am not a photographer! I often come across things when I'm on my motorcycle journeys that I wish I could photograph, but never have a camera handy. Let's not forget that you just can't reach over to the glove box and pull a camera out (Hey, it's not a car). I decided to try to tether a camera to myself and see what happens. What I came up with is a strap around the neck with the camera attached.
Note 2:I am not a photographer! With a helmet and traffic it is impossible to "aim". All pics taken while on the bike are really "point and shoot"!
Note 3:I am not a photographer! Do we see a pattern?
[b:kmlb28ze]A little background...[/b:kmlb28ze]
My mother-in-law began planning a trip to the Grand Canyon back in 2008. The plan was to spend a week at/near the Grand Canyon with 7 days or so of travel (it's a loooong way!). She invited us and suggested we could ride our motorcycles while they drove their car. We could meet each evening at a hotel.
Flash forward 2 years...
Well, the in-laws decided to purchase a motorhome... Hmmm. That's awesome! No hotels. No need to carry anything on the bikes. Built-in sleeping quarters. What more could we ask for?
[b:kmlb28ze]The Equipment...[/b:kmlb28ze]
Here is my wife's Yamaha FZ6R. The reason she chose this bike? Because it had pink graphics! Yup, that is the only reason. Notice the added pink details, including "Barbie" on the rear. Let's just say that "someone" has a pink problem!
[img:kmlb28ze]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/2009FZ6RSmall.jpg[/img:kmlb28ze]
Here is my Honda CBR600. Pretty plain with a patriotic red/white/blue paint scheme. The white and (very dark) blue have a beautiful metallic finish that is gorgeous in person!
[img:kmlb28ze]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/2009CBR600RRSmall.jpg[/img:kmlb28ze]
I know. Not exactly what you expected, but I really like curvy roads! Not as bad as you'd expect either. We've done a couple 1000 mile in 24hr [url=http://www.ironbutt.com/ridecerts/getdocument.cfm?DocID=1:kmlb28ze]saddle sores[/url:kmlb28ze].
So we have 2 neat bikes and a full fledged chase vehicle!
[img:kmlb28ze]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/GrandCanyonWednesdayJune16-1Small.jpg[/img:kmlb28ze]
[size=150:kmlb28ze]And We're off![/size:kmlb28ze]
[img:kmlb28ze]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/GrandCanyonWednesdayJune16-3Small.jpg[/img:kmlb28ze]
[img:kmlb28ze]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/GrandCanyonWednesdayJune16-2Small.jpg[/img:kmlb28ze]
BTW, you will see more pics of my beautiful wife along the way - I'm the one with the camera!
I'll try to finish later with more details. The uploading of pictures at 12KB is killing me time wise!
Not much detail heading through Indiana and Illinois, sorry but it seems boring to me as I've seen it before. We also started about 3 hours later than anticipated.
I love clouds. There are some amazing scenes painted right above us every day. I miss most of them in the city, but spend a lot of time looking up when I'm out in the country!
[img:keegtkfn]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/GrandCanyonWednesdayJune16-7Small.jpg[/img:keegtkfn]
[img:keegtkfn]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/GrandCanyonWednesdayJune16-6Small.jpg[/img:keegtkfn]
Looks like someone is having a good time...
[img:keegtkfn]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/GrandCanyonWednesdayJune16-8Small.jpg[/img:keegtkfn]
Crossing into St. Louis Missouri I tried to get a good picture of the Arch, but you will have to be the judge...
[img:keegtkfn]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/GrandCanyonWednesdayJune16-10Small.jpg[/img:keegtkfn]
[img:keegtkfn]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/GrandCanyonWednesdayJune16-11Small.jpg[/img:keegtkfn]
[img:keegtkfn]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/GrandCanyonWednesdayJune16-12Small.jpg[/img:keegtkfn]
Leaving St. Louis the sky just kept getting darker and darker. It wasn't long before we were faced with this...
[img:keegtkfn]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2016/GrandCanyonWednesdayJune16-17Small.jpg[/img:keegtkfn]
Before we could pull over and put on rain suits the sky unleashed a torrent of rain. Of course it slowed to a drizzle after the suits were on.
The camera was put away and the remainder of the evening was spent trudging toward our campground in Springfield. We pulled in at 11:30pm. It was a long day and we slept like babies!
Things will get more interesting in the next posts, which I'll try to get up in the morning.
Thanks for the pics Dave.
Rain & Thunderstorm are hovering Illinois, so get ready to be wet at times..
I just loved the bikes..
[size=200:fw9qob4i][color=#FF0000:fw9qob4i]Day 2 - June 17th[/color:fw9qob4i][/size:fw9qob4i]
[size=150:fw9qob4i]Springfield, Missouri to Shamrock, Texas[/size:fw9qob4i]
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/Travelday2.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
Another late start as we "learn" the ins and outs of using the RV - ask someone about "black water"!
It was a beautiful morning, unlike the previous evening. Sunny skies. Comfortable temperatures. What more could we ask for? Today's destination is Shamrock, Texas, which is just inside the Texas border. We are going to be on Highway 40 for the remainder of the trip. Highway 40 crisscrosses the old Route 66, which you may have heard of! You can see the remnants of the famous Route 66 from 40. Unfortunately the highway 40, while providing a faster, more modern, highway has meant the death of much of the charm that Route 66 had in it's heyday.
A beautiful day!
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-1Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-2Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
Oklahoma - Where the wind... OMG the wind!
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-4Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
Hay anyone? This was simple, yet beautiful. Acres of hay all lined up neatly with the sun shining down. Waiting patiently to fulfill their purpose!
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-6Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
Moooooooo
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A beautiful little river.
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-9Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
Hard Rock casino in Oklahoma? My wife wouldn't let me stop!
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-10Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
Painted with a delicate brush. This picture doesn't do the sky justice!
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-12Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
A passed these. Yesterday I passed some neat surplus tracked vehicles, but missed the picture.
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-13Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
Checkout this overpass in Oklahoma. Notice the dream catcher?
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-14Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
Leaving Oklahoma City I noticed flashing lights. It appears my wife was speeding (like that ever happens). After a short "visit" with the local law enforcement officer we left with a stern warning that she should slow down! It was time to stop for gas anyway.
Outside Oklahoma city we stopped for gas. As I pulled up to the pump I noticed a "sweet" smell. I also noticed a pool of liquid under the bike. I originally thought it was condensation or drips from the awning... till I got a closer look!
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-18Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-19Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
No noticeable damage or bent fins, just a nice stream of antifreeze shooting out of the radiator. Fortunately the station had "stop leak" and the chase vehicle brought me some antifreeze. The repair worked and I haven't seen any additional fluid loss, but it looks like I'm up for a new radiator when I return home!
I believe Oklahoma is where most of the early oil exploration and you can see signs of this occasionally.
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-20Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
A beautiful reminder of Route 66. This looks like a 57' Chevy could pull up any moment for a fill up.
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-21Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
Of course this old drive-in just up the road isn't fairing as well.
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-23Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
Wind is replacing oil... This are HUGE!
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-24Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
And finally, one of the best sunsets I've seen in a long time.
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-30Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-31Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
[img:fw9qob4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2017/GrandCanyonThursdayJune17-32Small.jpg[/img:fw9qob4i]
Shortly after the sunset pictures were taken we stopped at a Pilot truck stop for gas and a beverage. While we were sitting enjoying our beverages we were approached by a truck driver who asked us to watch his dog while he went inside. Such a cute and personable lab mix she was. Very affectionate, but not a substitute for our own pets at home. Wish I would have gotten a pic.
Dave, how is the journey going on?
Hope everything is fine at ur end..
[size=200:3li250lg][color=#FF0000:3li250lg]Day 3 - June 18th[/color:3li250lg][/size:3li250lg]
[size=150:3li250lg]Shamrock, TX to Albuquerque, NM[/size:3li250lg]
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/Travelday3.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
Leaving Shamrock you could tell that the interstate highway had brought a terrible death to life along old Route 66.
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-01med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
Although when we approached the main intersection we noticed this gas station. It was lit in bright neon the night before, but I didn't have the camera out when we passed. It isn't a functioning business, but definitely looks like it is straight out of the movie Cars.
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-02med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
Somewhere between Shamrock and Amarillo. Looks to be long deserted, but I would love to wonder around inside!
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-03med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
Something is VERY wrong with this water tower... It's actually meant to be that way. Catches your eye doesn't it?
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-05med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
You can see the tower on the top of their sign.
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-06med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
Another abandoned building I would have liked to explore.
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-07med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
According to the sign this is the biggest cross in the world! Hey, everything is bigger in Texas!
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-08med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
Even the steaks are big - I guess they have so much beef that the steaks are free too!
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-10med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
Miles and miles of what appeared to be wheat.
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-11med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
I'm not sure what to make of this sign. Is this someone's attempt at catchy advertising?
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-12med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
This field was full of old 50's and 60's cars. Most looked to be in good shape and just in need of paint.
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-13med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-14med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
Amarillo TX!
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-15med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
In case you were wondering where all the old school buses go... I found them! There were literally hundreds and hundreds of old junk school buses here.
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-16med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
We stopped for gas in Amarillo and this pulled up next to us. Sweet!
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-17med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
What is wrong with this picture?
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-19med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
Off in the distance I can see the landscape changing...
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-23med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
We're starting to see some small (but interesting) rock formations.
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-25med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
OMG - are we there yet? This picture gives a good idea of the distances. The road goes all the way to the horizon. I think it was 7 or 8 miles.
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-26med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
I thought Kansas had the tornados. Well, whether it was wind, or old age, this building didn't stand a chance!
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-28med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
We crossed into New Mexico and someone turned on the oven! It was 100 degrees (at least) and at that temperature any air, no matter what speed you're traveling, is still HOT air. The sky was beautiful, but God was it HOT!
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-30med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
It was quite some distance until we found a gas station, or human liquid station in this case. We did run into another couple heading to Santa Rosa for a bike meet. Pretty cool old school Harley's and nice folks.
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-31med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
It was at this point we decided to shorten our distance between stops to 75 miles so we could cool down and drink fluids. We started to see larger changes to the landscape in the distance.
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-32med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
We stopped in Santa Rosa, NM, for gas and water, where we met a nice South African gentleman. He has been in the US for 8 years and had quite a story to tell. I took this opportunity to capture my first true wild west plant!
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-36med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
We left Santa Rosa and continued West. We passed hundreds of bikes, who must have been heading for the biker fest in Santa Rosa. Funny, I guess I'm not cool enough for the Harley crowd - none of them returned by wave. The sorry part is I probably rode farther in the last 3 days than most of them do all year!
Nearing Albuquerque I could see the mountain ranges in the distance. He's a final pic showing the mountains peeking through the crest of the hills.
[img:3li250lg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2018/GrandCanyonFridayJune18-39med.jpg[/img:3li250lg]
OK...so where are the pics you promised of your lovely wife then??
Looks like you had some great weather along the way mate....judging by all those clear blue skies.
Anyway, pleased to hear you are all back home safe and sound Dave....hope you experienced an enjoyable and memorable trip!!
Cheers....Jim
Sorry guys. Several of the pics were somehow cropped. I've fixed them so you should be able to see the entire pictures - in all their glory!
Thanks Dave. Good to know everything went as planned.
Very nice pictures to see..
[size=200:1yr05i1g][color=#FF0000:1yr05i1g]Day 4 - June 19th[/color:1yr05i1g][/size:1yr05i1g]
[size=150:1yr05i1g]Albuquerque, NM to Flagstaff, AZ[/size:1yr05i1g]
[img:1yr05i1g]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2019/Travelday4.jpg[/img:1yr05i1g]
Waking in Albuquerque the campsite provided some beautiful encouragement for the day.
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Now this looks like the "West".
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This seems like a strange place to park your Semi Tractor! Probably after a late night at the local bar!
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Once again, the road goes to the horizon...
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This bridge was part of Route 66 and was marked as an historic landmark. This also shows how close Highway 40 follows the old Route 66.
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Beautiful scenery with the mountain silhouette in the background.
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More of the beautiful West. There is a village here. I'm not sure if it is historic, or a tourist trap, but it looked cool from the highwya.
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And another change to the landscape. These rocks are HUGE - house and bus size!
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Trains and more trains. The trains out here are HUGE and there are lots of them. I seem to recall watching a show on Discovery Channel about extreme trains traveling from the docks on the West coast non-stop to somewhere in the mid-west. This sure looks like one of those from the show.
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A short distance later and this black layer appears. I assume it is lava, but I'm not a geologist though I recall that there are several dormant volcanoes in the Albuquerque area.
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Some type of rodeo arena along the highway. They were either having a rodeo, or practicing for one.
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I just can't express, or share, the true beauty of the West. Colors. Shapes. Amazing!
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Wow!
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I wonder if this is the same truck I passed on the 17th?
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We're getting close to Arizona and there are more changes.
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We stopped at Speedy's for gas. I believe this is actually on Reservation land. Time for pics...
My beautiful wife showing off the amazing formations behind Speedy's.
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Myself - not so beautiful.
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A neat little carving (all rock) in front of the station.
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On the highway directly in front of Speedy's. Loook! I'm in Arizona. No, I'm in New Mexico. No, I'm in...
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The wife performing some very important roadside maintenance!
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Wow! Looked like you could reach out and touch it!
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We're getting there!
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Watch for rocks! Are you kidding me? I see rocks everywhere!
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We're about 80 to 90 miles outside Flagstaff, AZ and notice what appears to be a fire on the horizon.
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It is actually a forest fire in Flagstaff and YES we can see it over 80 miles away. This goes to show you how flat this area is and definitely misrepresented the distance we were traveling. It felt like we should be getting closer to the smoke, but it took forever!
We didn't see a single open rest stop in Arizona. They all looked perfectly functional, but closed. Maybe the state is setting them aside as historic places. My guess is the state is trying to save money by not operating them, but what do I know?
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We decided to stop at [url=http://www.meteorcrater.com/:1yr05i1g]Meteor Crater[/url:1yr05i1g] and decided to stop and have a look. For those who don't know - Meteor Crater was created many years ago when a roughly 150ft meteor struck the earth leaving a crater 4100 ft across and 600 ft deep. Very impressive!
What it looks like from the air.
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This shows the destruction created upon impact (from the wall of the crater).
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A closer look at on of the rocks.
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Here is a panoramic shot I took of the crater. If you want to see the full sized image you can download it [url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/deputy963/2010%20Pictures/GC%20June%2019/MeteorCraterPanoLG.jpg:1yr05i1g]HERE[/url:1yr05i1g].
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Back on the road the fire still looms in the distance. Probably 35 miles outside Flagstaff (still).
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Pulling off the highway in Flagstaff you can see the smoke in the air.
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Finally, pulling into the campground we see these! I haven't seen a phone booth in years. I thought it was funny.
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