**Pictures coming soon!!**
Sabbatical Day 4 | May 31, 2011
Sedona, AZ --> Albuquerque, NM
HOLY CRAP what an AMAZING day!!
First stop was to get some gas and I headed inside to see if I could find some cheapo flip flops for the shower (we'll be using communal camp ground showers from here on out) - didn't find the flip flops but I DID find prickly pear cactus candy! I have been looking forward to having some ever since high school! My Nana and Grandpa used to spend their winters in Arizona and I would look forward to when they would come back because that meant that they would bring Adrienne and I some of this candy! It's made with the juice of prickly pear cactus and look almost like jello jigglers but they have this sweet flavor to them. I was ECSTATIC and bought a few boxes.
Then we headed to Bearizona. BEYOND AWESOME!!!
Bearizona is a drive-thru wildlife park where you can see animals from your own car. Think Jurrasic Park only with wild animals that won't necessarily try to eat you ... unless you try to exit your vehicle or pet them ... LOL The first animals were burros - eh. It was cool to see how close to the car the animals were going to get though! If one of them had stuck his tongue out, he could have cleaned off the car for me! After the burros, we saw Dall sheep, wolves, Rocky Mountain big horned sheep, and then the bison! There were the regular brown bison - which we can see in Utah - but then they had WHITE ones!! Loved 'em! Some Rocky Mountain goats and then my mostest favoritest part EVER - the BEARS!!
When you first go through, you drive around a circle during which point we saw 4 bears. One was chillin' up against a tree, then there was the one walking around, one taking a nap with two paws on two trees, and then one just takin' a nap. I got a lot of great pictures and then made Matt drive around the circle again so I could take more LOL But - I'm glad we did because then we saw the bear that was apparently voted off Bear Island - he was just chillin in his little log lean-to. I convinced myself I had enough photos (HA!) and we moved on - and then discovered that there were even MORE bears!! I was beside myself with glee!! Hands down my favorite was the one sleeping in the middle of the road which we found odd at the time but the park person nearby said that this particular bear was actually the oldest in the park (33 which is 99 human years) and he likes to sleep there because the warm road soothes his hips ... totally made sense to me!! After the drive, there is also a walking section where you can see some other animals.
First they had some 5 month old bear cubs who were having a BLAST climbing a tree. When I went back later they had made it all the way to the top. In the next enclosure over were (or supposed to be) raccoons but they were taken off display for a little while because they were escaping from their enclosure - daily. LOL As soon as I heard that, all I could picture were the penguins in Madagascar! Then there were the yearling bear cubs - fer cute!!! The yearlings hang out there until they are about 3 or 4 and then they go out with the other bears in the drive-through park. There was a pig and some fox, and then bobcats (YAY!). They were pretty chill - until they spotted the peacock that was wondering the park. Matt said that they wouldn't go for it but sure enough, they did! You don't really think of animals in captivity as being truly wild until you see it stalk prey - it was great! Thankfully the peacock wasn't in the bobcat enclosure or it would have totally been dinner!!
After Bearizona we set out for Albuquerque. Along the way we stopped at Meteor Crater (http://www.meteorcrater.com/) which is the first confirmed, best preserved, meteor crater in the world. It is 2.4 miles around, over 550 feet deep and nearly a mile across. It doesn't sound very big until you go up to it and stare into it. It was HUGE! Matt later said that it is kind of awe inspiring to see something like that and know that it had a direct impact (ha ha) on why Arizona is the way that it is today, It was very cool. To put it into perspective, they put a cut out that looks like an astronaut in the bottom of the crater next to a 3'x5' US flag - it was astounding. I do have one pic that I will make sure to share that should give you an idea. Basically, the size of the rock in the picture is the same as you would see it if you were there in person. In reality? The rock is the size OF A HOUSE!
After the crater, we went to see the World's Largest Petrified Tree at the Geronimo Trading Post. Either the World's Largest Petrified Tree is short, or someone cut it up. But, either way, Domo had fun hanging out on it. We walked around the shop and then continued on our way! We pulled off onto Route 66 for a little while where I was able to get some pictures of some dinosaurs and then we had a late lunch/early dinner. I finally found a WalMart once we got into New Mexico a bit so I was able to find my cheapo flip flops and now we are on our way to our first KOA of the trip. It's dark so we can't see much but there is always tomorrow!! I am hoping the New Mexico stars are just as breathtaking as the Arizona ones were last night!! Until I can get out and check, I will just have to bide my time keeping a lookout to see if New Mexico has suicidal deer/elk too LOL
Sedona, AZ --> Albuquerque, NM
HOLY CRAP what an AMAZING day!!
First stop was to get some gas and I headed inside to see if I could find some cheapo flip flops for the shower (we'll be using communal camp ground showers from here on out) - didn't find the flip flops but I DID find prickly pear cactus candy! I have been looking forward to having some ever since high school! My Nana and Grandpa used to spend their winters in Arizona and I would look forward to when they would come back because that meant that they would bring Adrienne and I some of this candy! It's made with the juice of prickly pear cactus and look almost like jello jigglers but they have this sweet flavor to them. I was ECSTATIC and bought a few boxes.
Then we headed to Bearizona. BEYOND AWESOME!!!
Bearizona is a drive-thru wildlife park where you can see animals from your own car. Think Jurrasic Park only with wild animals that won't necessarily try to eat you ... unless you try to exit your vehicle or pet them ... LOL The first animals were burros - eh. It was cool to see how close to the car the animals were going to get though! If one of them had stuck his tongue out, he could have cleaned off the car for me! After the burros, we saw Dall sheep, wolves, Rocky Mountain big horned sheep, and then the bison! There were the regular brown bison - which we can see in Utah - but then they had WHITE ones!! Loved 'em! Some Rocky Mountain goats and then my mostest favoritest part EVER - the BEARS!!
When you first go through, you drive around a circle during which point we saw 4 bears. One was chillin' up against a tree, then there was the one walking around, one taking a nap with two paws on two trees, and then one just takin' a nap. I got a lot of great pictures and then made Matt drive around the circle again so I could take more LOL But - I'm glad we did because then we saw the bear that was apparently voted off Bear Island - he was just chillin in his little log lean-to. I convinced myself I had enough photos (HA!) and we moved on - and then discovered that there were even MORE bears!! I was beside myself with glee!! Hands down my favorite was the one sleeping in the middle of the road which we found odd at the time but the park person nearby said that this particular bear was actually the oldest in the park (33 which is 99 human years) and he likes to sleep there because the warm road soothes his hips ... totally made sense to me!! After the drive, there is also a walking section where you can see some other animals.
First they had some 5 month old bear cubs who were having a BLAST climbing a tree. When I went back later they had made it all the way to the top. In the next enclosure over were (or supposed to be) raccoons but they were taken off display for a little while because they were escaping from their enclosure - daily. LOL As soon as I heard that, all I could picture were the penguins in Madagascar! Then there were the yearling bear cubs - fer cute!!! The yearlings hang out there until they are about 3 or 4 and then they go out with the other bears in the drive-through park. There was a pig and some fox, and then bobcats (YAY!). They were pretty chill - until they spotted the peacock that was wondering the park. Matt said that they wouldn't go for it but sure enough, they did! You don't really think of animals in captivity as being truly wild until you see it stalk prey - it was great! Thankfully the peacock wasn't in the bobcat enclosure or it would have totally been dinner!!
After Bearizona we set out for Albuquerque. Along the way we stopped at Meteor Crater (http://www.meteorcrater.com/) which is the first confirmed, best preserved, meteor crater in the world. It is 2.4 miles around, over 550 feet deep and nearly a mile across. It doesn't sound very big until you go up to it and stare into it. It was HUGE! Matt later said that it is kind of awe inspiring to see something like that and know that it had a direct impact (ha ha) on why Arizona is the way that it is today, It was very cool. To put it into perspective, they put a cut out that looks like an astronaut in the bottom of the crater next to a 3'x5' US flag - it was astounding. I do have one pic that I will make sure to share that should give you an idea. Basically, the size of the rock in the picture is the same as you would see it if you were there in person. In reality? The rock is the size OF A HOUSE!
After the crater, we went to see the World's Largest Petrified Tree at the Geronimo Trading Post. Either the World's Largest Petrified Tree is short, or someone cut it up. But, either way, Domo had fun hanging out on it. We walked around the shop and then continued on our way! We pulled off onto Route 66 for a little while where I was able to get some pictures of some dinosaurs and then we had a late lunch/early dinner. I finally found a WalMart once we got into New Mexico a bit so I was able to find my cheapo flip flops and now we are on our way to our first KOA of the trip. It's dark so we can't see much but there is always tomorrow!! I am hoping the New Mexico stars are just as breathtaking as the Arizona ones were last night!! Until I can get out and check, I will just have to bide my time keeping a lookout to see if New Mexico has suicidal deer/elk too LOL
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