Day #7

Well, as you all know, we woke up early. It took us 2.5 hours to make coffee, clean up, shower and break camp. Now we know what we are up against for the rest of the camping portions of the trip.

After an ‘all you can eat breakfast’ at the campground store at 10:02 (Breakfast is from 6-10…she was VERY accommodating!) we headed back to Gallup via the way we came up. Once in Gallup, I am ashamed to say, we had a fun time at the Wal-Mart. We needed to refill lunch items, and the deli counter lady was a riot (I was all alone standing at the counter, she ignored me for 5 minutes, then finally turned around, sighed, and said “Can I help you?”…then every thing I asked for she just looked PAINED to give me!) We checked out, but didn’t leave until the ‘boys’ had purchased cool sunglasses. Now the desert will be SO MUCH MORE BEARABLE.

After warding off the beggars in the parking lot, we were on our way back down I-40, eating lunch and listening to the Cars CD. We rolled 2,000 miles in the car while John Mayer was signing Route 66. We thought that was quite appropriate!

The guidebooks I have mentioned that there was a dead-end of 66 that was tough to get to, but well worth the trip. So, being us, we tried it! We took a dirt road where a sign informed us “End Arizona Highway Maintenance”. The kids asked what that meant and Dad told them it meant we were “on our own.” We passed Jackrabbits in the road and a small hairless rodent we couldn’t quite identify (wild Chihuahuas?)

We traveled down this lonely stretch for about a half mile (road being half dirt, half old pavement) until we came to the Painted Desert Trading Post. Long since abandoned, it was quite a site. We took a few pictures but did not get close as it looks like it will fall over any minute! Jack Rittenhouse’s 1947 guide book mentions that it was a café, bus stop, curio shop and gas stop at one point. Now it is just a lonely building in the middle of nowhere.

A few yard further down the road and we found ourselves on an old bridge over a ‘river’ called “dead wash”. It is completely dry, but there are wrecks of old cars (and I mean, like 1940’s vintage?) embedded in the side of the river at the bend. There was a 66 shield painted on the bridge. It was quite an eerie site. How did those cars get there? I have so many questions…so few answers.

After many photos, we turned around and headed back towards the highway (the old road would have gone onto the Painted Desert, but that way is closed now that it is a National Park).

So, we headed into the Painted Desert National Park and Petrified Forest via I-40. We stopped at many an overlook and took pictures. We saw the old Painted Desert Inn which was refurbished in the 30’s by the Conservation Corps and now serves as an information center and gift shop.

We saw mounds of varying colors that truly looked like they had been painted. After crossing Route 66 a few times within the park (they even mention it in their guidebook…and you can tell where the old road was from the telephone poles still standing) we headed across I-40 and deep into the heart of the Petrified Forest. I tried to convince the kids that these were very scared trees, but they weren’t buying it.

We got out a few times and looked around at the amazing petrified wood (which basically means wood that is now rock…not scared wood) and even took a few hikes. So much fun in 90 degree weather, but we persevered! Pete was pretty hot, but he didn’t complain (just drank and drank and drank).

Once back in the car, we headed into Holbrook to our Motel. This was the night we got to stay in a Tee Pee! They are concrete structures that are just AMAZING! Owned by the original family, the son of the guy who built them checked us in. While we were filling out our information, a woman from Paris walked in and asked if he had anything for the night for her husband and two kids and he said No, they were filled up. I’m SO GLAD I made advanced reservations!

Once we checked out the Tee Pee (#2), we headed to Joe and Aggie’s Café. This place was given a special thanks in the Cars movie, with the tag “Hottest Chow on the Mother Road”. We weren’t sure what that meant, but once we got there, we found out! It was Mexican American fare, and their hot sauce was HOT HOT HOT! Steve LOVED it. They were all so nice in there. I saw photos of the Pixar team and they had their release letter in a catalog of letters (allowing Pixar to thank them in the credits). They also had some fun gift-shop stuff, and Pete immediately saw the Cars stuff!

After dinner, we headed over to the courthouse to watch ceremonial Indian dancing which they do every night. It was cool. Pete was completely enthralled. The outfits were GEORGEOUS. Unfortunately, the God’s of Video Taping have been against Andy. We were able to get new CDs at Wal-Mart earlier in the day, and Andy had checked them and made sure they were good, but as he went to videotape tonight, the battery died. Arguh! Glad the camera is holding up.

Speaking of camera, it is taking a LOT of time to get these photos uploaded. We’re getting them up as fast and as best we can. Hopefully there will be more soon.

As the Indians danced, we watched a fantastic lightening storm close in. As soon as they were done, we headed back to the Tee Pee and unloaded our car just before the rain really hit. Being in a huge triangular cement structure, you really don’t hear the rain or the trains that rumble behind the motel, and the bed is very comfy, so this is definitely the best place for us tonight…especially after LAST NIGHT’s sleep! Tomorrow, some of 66 and then onto the Grand Canyon!