Date: 5 Aug 2002 |
Day #: 13 |
Miles Today: 459 |
Start: Albuquerque, NM |
End: Grand Canyon, AZ |
States Today: New Mexico, Arizona |
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Total Mileage: 3,420 |
Total # States Visited: 16 |
Points of Interest: Painted Desert, Grand Canyon |
It was at this point that I deviated from my original plan, so you might notice that the map style has changed, Mental note: don't be so rigid in your journal preparations that you have to scratch out a bunch of stuff when plans change.
I woke up with the sun and was ready to roll at 0700 this Monday morning. After provisioning at the local Kwikie-mart, I said my goodbyes at 0800. While I’d like to say that the drive was like something envisioned by Georgia O’Keefe, there was a little more roadkill than I remember from her paintings. I saw dead coyotes at 9:17, 9:24, 9:42 am and 1:23pm. The dogs ended up being luckier, as there was one still alive and unharmed (but on the median) at 9:41 but I did pass a dead one at 10:07. The foxes had the best luck, with two live ones around a quarter-past 10.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSE7zr-j6Lnr6-WhLoZoWj6AGzaRhqVmzdYjgh1ni2n2A3Plq-bU3S8mujau-mb_u-xJaLBnOUAVJhp8p6Mxxo22jeCKzoAV5JP2PYJFnpkW0LeKfWg3mpiwEI1cGc5HvDL0PdgkLwpMp0/s1600/AZsky1.jpg)
I crossed the continental divide, altitude 7,275ft at 9:49am. I also passed the roadkill equivalent at 10:03, an unidentifiable mass of flesh with a distinct tire mark section missing out of the middle. It was the kind of thing that a mouse version of The Dukes of Hazzard would have tried to jump in a mouse sized cars, a ramp on one side that was quite a distance from the ramp on the other side of the divide. If you go this route, mile marker 77 on I-40 is straight and flat and then goes straight up a long hill. It was here that I discovered that my car has a speed governor installed, ad many of those extra numbers on the speedometer are just for show, which was disappointing because Metallica’s “One” kinda deserves more than my car could deliver. I had intended to visit the Mesa Verde cave dwellings, only to find out that the site was closed due to fires in the area.
Painted Desert
I entered Arizona at 10:26 and was at the Painted Desert by 11:30, then back on the road by noon.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPbxYYJJQ27V5bB7dSHU02cqAwNztzYlxJ00jbAVEctHESQi9sINTGCi8ALg8iU-zzQ-wwbSI1B-Nk2HgfBsbV_w0LrN1-NCi4aoH4_O_Nn0D-xI8mKtX8VabenoFLWeNc-Fpzo9Mc-h9/s1600/painted-desert-map.jpg) |
Map of Petrified Forest NP / Painted Desert |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-SYkbSjjLYymbkq0kFaeWNWjLCbBpQ9Z8EgER73TzmaE6fPn2jaFhfQkpFWpry2dMM3rD0pOpgQ4oQweIkFdY1plgQ_z3TnxE9znKkG1jjOIdnJNI890B7luXBff7sYhJK7hmaTYv6H3/s1600/paintedpan2.jpg) |
Painted Desert Panorama 1 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGe3Xs9gcxSnSjxE6jkhCx9udQyUdwlgjEXNF7Oz3XbMsGF-ZSA5_1dMc-8bh__iqjIquFHdvfajlPVgyED09cUECy0SOBa6WdGS-BIQlLOBdRkdjy0ENvDByITvFdeIBHyTrKYOistTwX/s1600/paintedpan.jpg) |
Painted Desert Panorama 2 |
Since I was taking it easy today, I stopped for lunch in Winslow, Arizona to stand on a corner. As advertised, not one but three girls in Ford trucks slowed down to get a look at me. Probably wondering if I was going to pull out of my parking sport or going to stay there.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hobCoGs_XaTChI6xZYeO0upRpvh-_xdMsBsqMws40MdxPg9dmx5CwHKXActC3p3atf5y54NnyPHhAqmva50Bn1oImHhqmXRqtFozx5VzYmLbEnrupoZUp1S4mT1v8TSKZlvt-SGlztoE/s1600/105-0540_IMG.JPG) |
Yep. Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCdodabOfuBm4F7ovdu9hwoA4bp7JbxnAu5SlD5uDM9D2qIF6aRgS2yGgoun5JNxsLAgIjkp7tzup_YPedEWUdaYBG0Ec10KNVfFXxALyrPWUBxtmsY_6Vk4QVYvRSxuywuO-V5AzxfDf/s1600/105-0539_IMG.JPG) |
A not-so-long-way from Sante Fe |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvV-RLfpQ1VdUO4VkGHSNTFflrzAd7apZMoHsa9QcZ7ciqXlggr9LtkT155P1jU_0FAAPBaMm8S63tfPk8h2DY0k4sY0rR82NgJy339Xtq7NqqtuyToRlAr_9Pgeex2aurLwpRlzdk0HER/s1600/105-0538_IMG.JPG) |
When meeting an on-coming semi, right of way means little. |
I also visited the Meteor site…they wanted $11 to see a hole in the ground. That’s not gonna happen. As I was leaving, I overheard someone say “Free is one thing.”
Grand Canyon
I can tell I’m getting into a different environment because the roadkill species are changing. I saw a dead marmot at 2:30 and a real live woodchuck at 2:53. I should point out that Arizona has no Daylight Savings Time, so I arrived at the Grand Canyon campground at 4pm Albuquerque time, 3pm Arizona time. I pitched camp and was on my way to the canyon at 3:30pm.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ64BFA3YNFQVr77y0ABiIgnH64ceYkjKri3boqa8t8fOrYx__GHhG2dx03QmWORWThyd_LBuebQjzTSZUrxOHFA-Ik_hW9hIrXFgfypxH7-LybRNV_iDvdb5atMg5Mks_mMDZ5B84ilKE/s1600/105-0548_IMG.JPG) |
Welcome to Grand Canyon National Park |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeKUMLQIflZR1ATGd2hWwmPtrgKI4mwkM9ej6STRz3l1sugzIgDHvGxcvv_qlUnuBLc9L-kMVsX40SoS74nY_Psdl3WefBe_e1UXlzR3kzAI771Yj2dKAmywhE8w3nmN2jemzUe7Iew17/s1600/Grand-Canyon-map.jpg) |
Map of Grand Canyon Village |
I walked a long ridge trail, bought a turquoise coyote from the shop on the rim of the Grand Canyon. I paid too much, but I like it and think it’s pretty cool. As the legend goes, “Coyote shook the sky blanket and scattered the stars.”
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWlWXjI4UeLdE4tYAGJNEkrTJRP82IHRLt2ftwP0qbfwqViguXAlwrJIb0tWje_iBDc7LJcD_s1QvohMGZ1j8NWVgxhkNd0Sso60py_0V11VJlLJbvs6vjwKa31SeEALh1LN0SY7LjV54/s1600/105-0549_IMG.JPG) |
My campsite |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilfmw803FF1-67753N7Usza5Gf_39JM5wlCq-FvABGTvF8p59fA-10OXMQTfhFcbCTukzHzqtrx7bRT8eCnbc1mr1gSxWZ_PfyGQXPpI0yWSbwWCl8IOsbMn35_SaM8wkUFM8IeYFgrtEA/s1600/105-0564_IMG.JPG) |
The Stars & Stripes waving over the Grand Canyon |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdfh4m58r3FGL5yZur9FC5o8IlGiVB2oCnKBJxhfQ-78-kTQTGmEIwaQBxaLaiv3faPGzkHCEsDzRTAHtRq-RtA0w5OeXPxUztP5vkIf1IyFSrsHNilwUSDM5DwmWNiod3XpWl11tvk9T/s1600/105-0570_IMG.JPG) |
Photos don't capture the experience. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-AvP0IwnTNoVBy_bPskWMTgXHyNzNI4cEJJueQSw2Ypfuhe6slXJLYMfnmU_HEKw5gmYoNv9h_ToaFMe03jCJk2PGyRa4lndAspfyG5_tRM0-QmT6d_ENtHRfgjEyFulkTgCrSrRpcGE/s1600/105-0571_IMG.JPG) |
No time to follow the trail. |
My camera battery light warning came on, so I tried to charge it at an outlet at Wendy’s in the nearby town during dinner. I charged it for an hour, but the green light never came on. I returned to the campsite to plan for tomorrow. It’s so dry here that I’m constantly thirsty, luckily I have lots of water.
Read more about my Great American Road Trip adventure.
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