Today we said goodbye to New Mexico and hello to Arizona. Gallup was a good Route 66 town, and if I had thought about it, I would have gotten a room at the El Ranch Motel! On the way to the AZ state line, the main route takes a detour as a bridge is closed and we were forced onto I-40 at exit 8. We entered Arizona on the interstate and made our way to the 269 foot Querino Canyon Bridge (1930). The real prize of the morning was the ruins of the Painted Desert Trading Post. Isolated on a remote dead-end alignment, this fragile relic was once a main stop on the Mother Road. We took pictures, paid our respects to the past, and headed to the Painted Desert/Petrified Forest National Park.
Route 66 used to travel through the park, and of course it was well marked and provided a great photo op. There seemed to be this crow that followed us from stop to stop throughout the park (that’s what we told ourselves) but at least one didn’t follow us once we left. Much like in New Mexico, we were forced to drive I-40 almost all the way to Holbrook, where we ate lunch at Joe & Aggie’s Café. We also drove by the Wigwam Motel. Luckily, we will be staying at the one in Rialto later in the trip!
I wanted to pick up some gifts for the kids, and what better place than the Jackrabbit Trading Post. The two old dudes even climbed onto the big rabbit out front for a photo! We had to stop in Winslow for the “Standing on the Corner” statue, and of course, the business across the street was playing………The Eagles. It was cool to see it, and I will make sure that Rich and I stop on the way back. Our next stop was Meteor Crater. For me, it is one place that I had to see in my lifetime. Carl Sagan is still one of my heroes and to visit a place that he and some of the greatest minds of our age studied the mysteries of our universe was incredible. What made the visit even better was the fact that we ran into our friend Gene and his wife again! What were the chances of that. After we left, Mike and I said we should have gotten a photo with them.
We explored Two Guns and Twin Arrows from a far (Bill, the restored arrows look great!) and visited the old iron bridge on the Pre-1947 alignment in Winona. We called it a night on the East side of Flagstaff. Tomorrow it’s on the higher elevations of Arizona and maybe the Oatman Highway!
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