Start:  Sedona, AZ
Destination: <a href="http://www.ci.gallup.nm.us/rrp/00182_redrock.html" target="_blank">Red Rock State Park Campground</a>, Gallup, NM
Odometer: 106,301 (start)  106,567 (end) – 266 miles
Date:  Wednesday, September 14, 2011

We arose before day-break and quietly broke camp by 5:50 without waking our youthful, late-arriving neighbors.

The drive that morning took us back north to Flagstaff and then east on route 40.  The landscape makes an abrupt shift after Flagstaff, from a hilly/mountenous and rocky d  was driving and didn't take pictures, but

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left @ 5:50
after discussion, agreed to go to meteor crater - rich treated
550 feet deep, .75 miles across, 2 miles around, 50,000 years old
there was a documentary interview going on at the time on the edge of the crater...interesting seeing all the re-takes
perspective is lakcing to appreciate the size of the crater
we were glad to experience the crater in person
exhibits were informative
an actual piece of the meteor was available to see and touch
discussion of scientif debate on the cause of the crater...volcano or meteor
one of the scientists has last name Barrington from philly, need to check if related to one of Dad’s students
we ate PB sandwhics at the meteor crater, as we’ve been doing most days
then we drove to the petrified forest and the painted desert
during our tour, it rained of course, but this time with hail.  rich loves the hail.  brought some into the car (and went out in it).  We went into a store and Dad bought a sample of petrified wood to bring home.
the minerals produce the colors
spent over three hours going along 28 mile road
the pinks in the painted desert are unusual and beautiful
at dinner time, we decided to go out for Tex-Mex...fill in the details
went to grocery store after dinner for provisions...not the best store
more rain arrived at 8:30 when we were going to sleep

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