Another National Surprise

Monday, May 29th

Happy Memorial Day

     Once again, I love my Rhoda !  I woke up at 4 a.m. freezing cold even though I was sleeping under my duvet.  I had thought last night - knowing it was suppose to get quite cold - I wonder if the furnace in Rhoda works and how??  I'd never used it or even tried it before.  I wasn't sure if it worked off elec. or propane or only the generator.  But at 4 a.m. I was willing to give it a try so reached above my head and flipped the switch and gratefully!!! on came the furnace so I snuggled down and went back to sleep and work up at 7 warm as a bug in a rug.  Later found out it was 40 degrees and that was at 7.

     Took a walk into the Red Rocks:

     I was walking along just as fine as could be, enjoying the scenery 

until I came to this posted sign:

From then on, I made sure I stayed on the path and stomped my sneakers - as much a you can stomp in the fine powdery sand here.  I enjoyed doing my Tai Chi facing these rocks and know the rattlers saw me doing this and just slithered away.

     By now it had warmed up nicely and I left about 10, drove into the nearest neighborhood Wal-Mart and had an oil change and tire pressure upped to 55 in front as suggested by other Roadtrek owners. (not sure about it though - I don't seem to be holding the road as well and I think I caught air going over a dip, we'll see). Also bought a cheap smoothie blender as I've been missing my green smoothies too much and Rhoda's been complaining that the refrigerator is getting too full because I can't chew as fast as I can swallow all those good fruit & veggies.

     Got going about 11:30 and crossed into AZ at noon again following the Purple Heart Hwy as I have been throughout NM.

    Saw several big billboards for Ron Paul and for 50% off Meteorites??

    As last year with the Joshua Tree National Park that I just happened upon, the Petrified Forest National Park just was there for me to get off bus, Gus and go see.  Again, a great surprise because not only was it a Petrified ancient Forest but it was the Painted Desert and the remains of an ancient pueblo  with many petroglyphs.

 These 3 are the Painted Desert

Can you see the petroglyphs?

These are called tepees (wonder why)

A Whole Petrified Tree fallen over

Close-up of the tree

End of the tree showing the petrification

A "field" of petrified wood

Close-up of a large hunk of petrified wood

Another field of petrified wood

     An all-together great day - calm, blue skies, warm but not hot but I do think it got hotter as the day went on because the tar was melting in the last pull-over parking lots in the park.    

     Drove on to Holbrook to a KOA campground and ate their "grub" of chili & petrified toast.

DATA:

The map seems to be getting smaller and smaller

mileage:  130                                  gas:  $40  @ $3.53                             camp:  $30

oil chg:  $38                                   blender:  $20                                      Nat'l Park: FREE with Sr. Pass