Petrified Forest and Painted Desert

Cameron was asking why his mother had to take pictures all of the time by the time we I was done driving through the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert.  The gates open at 8 a.m. and we were there by 7:45.  There was whining and crying, I had to tell Shane that he was setting a bad example for the children and that he needed to quit whining.

Okay, so we did take 4.5 hours to drive 28 miles and Shane asked me if I was ready to admit I had a problem, but it was well worth it in the end.  Cameron became a Junior Park Ranger.  He had to fill out an activity book with things that he saw or did while he was in the park.  He got sworn in and was presented with a badge at the end.  I took 325 pictures, I won't subject you to all 325; here are a few of my favorite shots.

Some of the cool things we saw were the petroglyphs.  It is really amazing to see and I have a few that are my favorites ... 

Petroglyphs are images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading.  Petroglyphs are found world-wide, and are often associated with prehistoric peoples. 

The kids were a little chilled. 

Here are a few more of my favorite pictures of the Painted Desert ... 

Painted Desert / Petrified Forest

 One more ...

(As you can clearly see I do not have a problem ...)

  

After our 4.5 hour trek through time, we pointed the van towards the Grand Canyon. 

On the way we stopped to "Stand on a Corner in Winslow, Arizona ..."

We were such a fine sight to see ... 

Well, that is all for tonight.  Tomorrow we trek the Grand Canyon. 

I will not be walking over the glass walk that juts out over the canyon

(that is in Nevada (along with Area 51) and I am not going there just for that). 

We are going to Las Vegas to see the lights and maybe ride

 the roller coaster that is on the top of the Stratoshpere ...

Maybe not ...

Say Cheese - Jennifer