We stayed in a town called Show Low. It was very interesting how it got it’s name. Supposedly two men owned a huge ranch, but no longer got along. They decided to play poker to decide who would get to keep the ranch. The game went on and on until one suggested they “show low” which meant the one with the lowest card in their hand would win. One of the men had the 2 of spades which was the lowest card and won. The main drag in town in called the Deuces of Spades. The campground is at 6,400 feet in the hills so it has been very pleasant, highs in the 60-70’s.
Yesterday we went to the Petrified Forest National Park which also includes the Painted Desert. It was gorgeous in an otherworldly way. We started at the southern end which is where most of the petrified remains from a forest millions of years ago are found.
This petrified log is 110 feet long. The logs look like they were cut by a chainsaw but it was because of the crystalline structure of the petrification. It was historically reinforced with concrete to keep it in place.
The geology of the area is incredibly interesting, with layers that show the evolution of the area for millions of years. In millions of years ago the area was a jungle if you can believe it! They have found not only dinosaurs but an animal that looks like a dinosaur but is actually closely related to crocodiles.
As we drove north we transitioned into the Painted Desert area of the park. This is were the geologic layers were most distinctive. The layers show the evolution of the millenia of changes in the habitats of the area during evolution and the deposition and weathering of the sedimentary layers.
The Painted Desert Inn.
At the very northern end of the park it joins with a remnant of the old but famous Route 66. This picture is a 1926 Studebaker and the poles behind it line the old highway which has been reclaimed by the land.
3 For the Road 