We had a Sunday breakfast buffet at the Sky City Casino. A bit of gaming. Joan likes to say, "Between the two of us, we came out about even." That's what you say when you lose and I win. I'm good with it; what's mine is hers and what's hers is hers.
Because we made some extra miles yesterday, we had to do some "recalculating" - we'd like to be in an RV park tonight where we can dump and flush tanks, so those are empty. Only 208 miles to go to get home. Joan picked a KOA in Holbrook, AZ. Check-in time isn't until 2:00pm and we were ready to head out after breakfast. And, we gain an hour on this leg, on Arizona time.
We have never been to Petrified Forest National Park; it is close to Holbrook; looks like a good way to spend some time before checking in today. We have a plan.
Some pretty scenery along the way...
This National Monument is best known for the black lava formations...
From there, heading west...
We turned of I-40 for a trip through Petrified Forest National Park...
Painted Desert views above. Checking out the Visitors Center and some view-points...
A "log bridge"...
A selfie from Joan...
Some petrified logs...
How did they become petrified? Thanks for asking. This area was a tropical rain forest millions of years ago. When fallen logs become buried by volcanic ash, it doesn't allow oxygen to get to the tree, preventing decay. Over thousands or millions of years, groundwater dissolves minerals like silica and deposits them into the wood, crystallizing and replacing the organic matter while perfectly preserving its cellular structure. And, now you know.
It had been blowing like stink while we were in the National Park. This is why...
Yep, another thunderstorm moving right towards where we are planning to stay for the night.
Stella hopped up on the dash while we were on this final leg...
Above, from Joan's phone; below, from my camera...
Murphy didn't hop up on the dash until we were settled in at the campground...
I was going to say: Murphy was asking, "Where's my supper!??" But, he is not a demanding boy - that was a yawn.
We got set up in the KOA right before the first sprinkles from the thunderstorm hit our windows. The worst of it went north of us, but we did get the lightning and thunder. After nearly 3,000 miles, the van is grubby - let it rain!
And speaking of the van, here's a shot from inside the National Park...
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