June 27, 2011 - Painted Desert/Petrified Forest

We flew over some scenic terrain on the 20 minute flight from Chinle to Gallup, New Mexico.
 
Entering on the crosswind leg at Gallup.  There was a some wind but it was right down the runway and I made a nice landing.
 
I had made arrangements for a rental car at the FBO.  We picked it up and headed to our hotel -- the famous "El Rancho Hotel " -- home of the movie stars!
 
The El Rancho was kind of a neat place.  This is a shot of the lobby so you can see it has character.  Each room was named after a different western movie star.  We stayed in the Robert Taylor room.  I had heard about the El Rancho in Pilot Getaways magazine's Gallup piece. 
 
Pictures of the movie stars who had stayed at the hotel adorned the upstairs walls.   
 
These kids were practising lassooing out in the parking lot. (We're not in Maryland anymore!)   There was some sort of lassoing tournament going on.
 
There was still plenty of daylight left so we hoped in the car and headed down I-40 to the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert National Park.
 
The Visitors Center was at the Petrified Forest southern end of the park. 
 
 
A piece of petrified wood polished by the wind and air.
 
A big polished log inside the Visitors Center.
 
 
 
Even the drive between the Paint Desert and Petrified Forest was scenic.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We went on a short 1.5 mile hike through a little valley.  It was pretty hot though and 1.5 miles was enough. 
 
 
Petrified logs laying at the bottom of a ravine.
 
 
A geologist's dream.
 
 
 
 
 
 
The late afternoon sun really lit the painted desert up.
 
 
 
This building was on the northern Painted Desert side.  It looked like it had been a restaurant/bar at one time, but was now empty except for a little gift shop.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Heading back into Gallup. 
 
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