PAINTED DESERT< PETRIFIED TREES AND WIGWAMS

 Grants NM to Holbrook AZ

Taking a break from AIBF Blog posts, there will be more to come. 

We got on the road and made our way towards Petrified Forest National Park. The North end of the park has The Painted Desert and the Southern area has the Petrified Forest. We started at the North Entrance and at the Visitors Center we signed The Boys up to be Bark Rangers. It is nice that pups are allowed on many of the trails. We stopped at many of the vistas and pueblo ruins. The Boys got lots of compliments.

We made sure to stop at the 1932 Studebaker marking Route 66. Then onto the Crystal Forest where there are a whole bunch crystals can be found in the petrified logs.

The wind really picked up and we push on to Holbrook, AZ, where we are staying at the Wigwam Motel. Think of Cozy Cone Motel in the movie “Cars”. These renovated concrete TeePees were designed by Frank Redford and there were seven such properties built using his design. Here there are 15 such individual units. 

I can say this much the parking lot is like a drive through as there is a fairly steady stream of cars passing through to take photos.

THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY:
We arrived early and Lynn wanted to get some tiny pieces of petrified wood. There is a place in Holbrook called the Rainbow Rock Shop, look for the big dinosaur. 

We found some nice pieces of petrified wood to take home and became engaged in a conversation with the gentleman running the operation. 

His name is Adam Moon Alexander. We were the only ones there and he asked how old I was, I told him and he nodded his head. I told him I bet I would not be able to guess his age. I guessed 70. He told me he was 81. He had nary a wrinkle in his face. We talked about how he liked small towns, and how he did not like computers and other things that make life too fast. He talk of needs vs wants and getting by with keeping things simple. It was one of those times where those 20 minutes were the true highlight of our day. 

So if you are in Holbrook, AZ stop by the Rainbow Rock Shop, say “hi” to Adam Moon Alexander. Spend some time with him and your day will be brighter and better. 

I so wanted to take his photo and probably could have. I decided to keep the memory in my mind and respect his dislike of computers and such.