Show Low AZ - Petrified Forest and Painted Desert 5/6 - 5/10

We arrived in Show Low, AZ. on 5/6 from Sante Fe. Show Low was our first R&R stop. On Wednesday night, 5/7 ,we visited relatives of Rick and Kathy Lang who we know from Emerald Isle, NC. Kathy's sister Marcie lives in Show Low with her husband Mike. We had a great visit and would like to thank Mike and Marcie for the hospitality that they extended to us. After meeting Kathy's sister, we now know that we must someday meet the entire family, especially mom and dad. What a great family. Thanks again Mike and Marcie.

The next day we drove north to our first National Park, Petrified Forest National Park. We had the opportunity to take a Ranger walk during our visit. The fact that this desert was swampland 220 million years ago is fascinating to me. We also learned that petrified wood is found in all 50 states but not in such large concentrations as here in AZ. Many of the stores surrounding the park sell polished petrified wood. It is very beautiful and the really colorful pieces are expensive. A large amount of wood disappears from the Park each year so the fine for stealing is pretty stiff. They are very serious about protecting the resources. The wood for sale outside of the park is from private land in the same area.

The Painted Desert is part of the same park. We saw some Indian ruins, petroglyphs (Indian drawings), and stopped at many places to view the incredible beauty of the park. This was a great day.

Friday we poked around Show Low and had a great cowboy dinner at the Chuck Wagon Restaurant near Pine Top. The prime rib and the cowboy beans were the best.

Saturday we headed north through Four Corners ( the only place in the US where four states join) and on to Mancos, CO., which is at the door of our second National Park, Mesa Verde. These stops will be our next written posting.