Holbrook and the Petrified Forest

On Shabbat we try not to spend money.  We used prepaid money on a Subway card for lunch and went to some places in Holbrook that didn't require admission.  Originally, we were going to drive back west to Winslow for some free  things, but then we realized that we had bought the Senior Lifetime pass to National Parks!  We can go to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert National Parks on Shabbat since there wouldn't be a charge anymore.  Yay!  That was a much closer drive.

Mark was interested in some specific history of Holbrook.  We went to the Navajo County Courthouse Museum, free but donations accepted.  He found out all that he wanted to know and got a walking map of old Holbrook.  I put a donation in the jar and got a piece of petrified wood as a gift.  Nice. 

After walking past some of the historic places in Holbrook, including a piece of the original Route 66 that ran through town, we got our Subway salads in nearby Joseph City (the first Anglo community in Navajo county) and drove out to the Petrified Forest.  The maps said it was easy to spend 3-5 hours in there, and they weren't kidding. We were there a total of five hours, including our picnic lunch time. It is truly magnificent.

Today we have a long drive up to Page and Lake Powell, the northern border with Utah.  Along the way, we will stop in Winslow for the famous picture on the corner, stop in Tuba City for lunch (Navajo fry bread vegetarian tacos), and dinner along picturesque Lake Powell.  Another great day!

The last two days my calories have been fantastic, right on target around 1450 a day, and there has been miles of walking.  Despite that, my clothes still feel tight.  Grrr.  Starting today, there could be too many calories.  We are having the Navajo tacos with fry bread for lunch and a nice dinner at the Rainbow Room in the Lake Powell Resort tonight.  The next day we go to Williams and our pre-paid package tour of the Grand Canyon that includes the train, a motorcoach tour, and most of our meals.  I hope I can control myself at the two buffet dinner!  Not usually my strong point.  We will see.  The trip is down to the final six days.  I will weight myself Saturday morning at home and see if I met my goal of staying the same, exceeded my goal and actually lost some weight, or blew it entirely with a gain.

Enjoy some pictures from yesterday.

Breaking out of the Navajo County Jail

I took a free piece of petrified wood.  Nice souvenir.

A famous shootout took place outside of this house.  The sheriff killed four people here.  It seemed questionable circumstances to me, but nothing bad happened to the sheriff other than not getting re-elected.

Cathy and Tom, we thought of you when we saw this!

Walking across the top of the Blue Mesa

Pueblo Puerco, thousands of years old ruins of a 100 room structure.

Petroglyphs at Pueblo Puerco

Painted Desert beauty

These are called The Teepees.

Desert Inn, originally a Harvey House when route 66 ran through the park.

I got a lot of stamps today!