TRAVELING ACROSS ARIZONA

Anyone who thinks the desert is boring is not paying attention.  Here are some pictures we took as we drove across Arizona.

                                     

 

The desert is in bloom right now.   

Caught this dust devil.  We saw many of them.

The desert is beautiful

 

 

 

We love driving through the desert.

Here was our first view of the San Francisco Peaks at Flagstaff.

 

This made me laugh at loud.  We have all seen handicapped parking spaces, but did you know there are handicapped truck parking?  Neither did I……

Navajo Bridge and CALIFORNIA CONDORS

 

In the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument is the Navajo Bridge.

 

Navajo Bridge crosses the Colorado River's Marble Canyon near Lee's Ferry in Arizona.   Raft trips down the Grand Canyon start at Lee’s Ferry and the actual ferry used to be the only way across the Colorado in this area.  In 1927 they built the first bridge.  In 1995 the second bridge, the one used now, was built. 

The canyon is beautiful. 

The most surprising thing we saw, though, was unexpected.  As we were walking across the pedestrian bridge, which was the first car bridge, a tour guide from one of those river trips saw some California Condors, a very endangered species.

                                                  

Notice the tagging of the birds

         

Painted Desert

 

Pictures stand on their own.

                                                       

                                            

                                 

 

      

Petrified Forest

 

We had both been to the forest before and the wind was over 50 mph.  So, we took a short visit this time.

Still, the pictures are great.

                                               

                                              

                                          

On the way to the Painted Desert….

Petroglyphs

Pipe Springs National Monuments

 

As we were driving through Arizona, we came across the Pipe Springs National Monument.  It is the site of where the Mormons set up a  ranch for the Mormons to raise the cattle and other animals that were given to the church as tithes.

The building built to house the ranchers was built as a fort.  It was thought that the indians were going to be a problem.  They never were.  The building became a way-station for travelers.

Sunset Crater National Monument

 

Sunset Crater is a cinder cone with lava fields around it.  Both of us love volcanic stuff, especially lava.

 

                                        

 

                             

                                      

As I was walking on the trail, looking as I always do for snakes, I stepped on something.  I turned and looked down to see what it is, and it was a Horney toad.  I thought I killed it, but it just looked up at me and then hopped away.  A Horney toad is a type of lizard.  I tried to get a picture, but it just blended into the terrain.

Wapatki Ruins

 

Outside of Flagstaff are these ancient ruins. 

 

It amazes me how advanced the ancient civilizations were.  Look at the wall built above this rock.  It is straight up.  Pretty impressive.