One Days Ride to Zuni

Today was by far the most interesting on the trip so far. We made it to Arizona as last!

So....... Arizona happens to be a big state as well. We have covered quite a few miles here and the landscape is always changing. Around every corner is something new and beautiful.

We stopped at the Welcome Center and learned about what kind or critters live here and how to look out for them so you dont get in a tangle with them.

I think I can probably handle these particular species though. They can be easily tamed with a video game or DVD.

We visited the Petrified Forest National Park and also saw the Painted Desert. The kids completed activities and were sworn in as Jr. Park Rangers!

I really enjoyed the Petrified Forest. We took a guided tour with a ranger and were able to go "off trail", We were able to see lots of petrified wood as well as fossils. Its unfortunate that most if not all of the rock has been taken from along the the trail by visitors.

Ranger Rita was really cool. She spent a lot of time talking to the kids even after the tour.

The painted Desert is a beautiful place which details the layers of earth that form the surrounding Mountains and provides a glimpse into the history of the planet we have been blessed with. God is an amazing artist and the universe is his canvas. With all the exploration and discovery missions we read about, I think that we have the best of it all right here on our planet. God put it here for us to enjoy.

We learned how to identify a fossil and also how to tell if it is a bone or not, by sticking it on your tounge..if it sticks, its a bone!