Back on the Road

We had ordered several supplies while we were on the road. Knowing we were returning to Colorado Springs, we had them delivered to our mailbox there. When we picked up our mail on Monday, one of the packages had not arrived. I planned to pick it up when we picked up the Xbox in the morning. Best Buy started curbside pickup at six in the morning on Xbox release day. After returning to our cottage, we didn’t feel like going out again, so we decided we could pick our package up before leaving in the morning.

When we arrived at the Mail Center, I found the door was locked. It had not occurred to me that they would be closed for Veteran’s Day.
We would now have to have the package forwarded to us. It wasn’t that big a deal, but I was irritated that we would have to spend the money because I was too lazy to go the day before.

We stopped by our friend DJ’s house to say goodbye before leaving. After we were there for a little while, I decided that we would be better off staying one more night with only a few hours of daylight left. That way, we could get an early start and would be able to pick up our package before leaving. Colorado Springs does not allow sleeping in a vehicle. We found a Bass Pro Shop outside the city limits where short-term camping is allowed in their parking lot. It was just what we needed, and our first experience with an overnight spot.

While it was in the low 20s for the night, we were cozy in our camper. Getting out in the morning was rough, but Chris quickly repacked the truck. We filled the gas tank, picked up the mail, stopped at the storage, ate breakfast, and were on our way back to Arizona.

We planned to spend one night in New Mexico’s mountains so we wouldn’t be driving at night. When we stopped for gas in a small town, we both got an uncomfortable vibe from some of the locals, including a police officer.

We decided it would be better to drive straight through to Arizona instead.  As we approached Albuquerque, we noticed a hot air balloon in the distance. As we watched it, we saw another, then another, and finally a fourth. It was lovely to watch them floating above the city as the sun dropped in the sky.

After we pulled off for gas, we passed a sign for Petroglyph National Park on our way back to the interstate. I would have loved to explore the park, but New Mexico requires a two-week quarantine when entering the state to help stem the spread of Covid. As much as I wanted to see the petroglyphs, we continued to Arizona.

We stopped for the night at a truck stop near Petrified Forest National Park. It was comical to see our little 4Runner nestled in with all the big rigs for the night. In the morning, we headed to the park. The first part of the park was the Painted Desert. We had seen some of it while we were at Wupatki National Monument. The Painted Desert runs from Wupatki east to the Petrified Forest. The colors of the rocks and soil were much more magnificent up close. We had no doubt why it is called the Painted Desert.

Painted Desert

After our first stop, Chris spotted a mule deer in the trees. We stopped at the next overlook, and I crossed the road to capture a photo.  Instead of one, I discovered that there were three of them. The deer were a good distance away and behind the trees, so it was tough to get a good photo. I was just happy to see them.

Further on, we turned down a side road. Chris stopped. Next to us was a chipmunk perched on a rock as if he were posing for a portrait. I was so excited to take the photo that I made the mistake of telling the chipmunk how pretty he was. Before I could snap the picture, he was off, and I had missed my opportunity.

Everywhere we stopped had stunning views of the colorful hills and rocks. At one spot, we were able to see what appeared to be snow-capped mountains in the far distance. I was overwhelmed by the vast expanse that lay before us.

As we followed the scenic road, we saw another deer group, but this time in a field. They were still pretty far away, but at least there was a clear view this time. At the next stop, I found a raven sitting on the curb. The sunlight bounced off his glossy black feathers. He was content to sit there while I snapped away with my camera. He didn’t move until Chris tossed him some breadcrumbs.

Interstate 40 runs through Petrified Forest National Park, seemingly splitting it into two parks with the Painted Desert to the north and the Petrified Forest to the south. Near the spot where the interstate crosses the park is a 1932 Studebaker to memorialize the site where Route 66 was once the only road to the area. The telephone poles that ran along the roadside are still intact today to mark the route.

Petroglyphs

We crossed to the south side of I40 and stopped at the first of the petroglyph areas. I enjoyed seeing the remaining walls of the former dwellings on our way to the petroglyphs. When we arrived at the Petroglyph Overlook, I thought it was odd to see trekking poles on the rocks below us. When we got to the top, we realized that a couple had left the path and were climbing around on the rocks, taking photos, and touching the precious drawings.

I read the information sign explaining the summer solstice marker, where the sun flows down a cleft in a boulder creating a play of light and shadow on a spiral petroglyph. I couldn’t see any petroglyphs and wasn’t sure how what I was looking at worked. As I studied the sign’s photos, I realized that I was looking in the wrong direction. Once I was oriented correctly, I was able to see how spectacular a creation this calendar was.  Once I saw the first petroglyph, they started jumping out at me. There were so many. It was amazing to be looking at ancient drawings left by people from so long ago.

We followed the path around to see more petroglyphs on the other side of the rocks. I was fascinated by the intricate drawings. It was fun to imagine what they meant. I loved the petroglyph of an ibis with a frog in its mouth with markings underneath. Some suggest it depicts clan ties, and others a story of a giant bird that came to villages to eat naughty children. The markings, possibly representing water drops, with the water bird and frog, indicate reverence and thanks for the water.

We returned to the parking lot to find our raven had followed us. It may have been an entirely different crow, but his behavior made us think it could be the same one. He completely ignored a group of women passing by in front of us, but he became very vocal when we walked by. He started dancing, which was hysterical, and followed us to the truck while continuing to dance. We were sorry to tell him we didn’t have any more food.

Our next stop was at Newspaper Rock. There are more than 650 petroglyphs, giving it the resemblance of the equivalent of newspaper print. Chris was great at spotting the petroglyphs on the rocks in the distance. It was fun to scope them out with the camera to realize that he was right, at least most of the time.

As we continued through the park, the scenery changed drastically. It was almost as if we had entered an entirely new park.