You're going to need a truck!

I guess this guy shouldn't have tried to make off with a piece of petrified wood!

What a great day!  I should say that everyday, but...  It was incredibly windy and so cold yesterday at Petrified Forest N.P./Painted Desert N.M.  It was supposed to get down to 28° last night, and although close, I don't think it quite reached that.

The road through Petrified and Painted Desert was 27 miles, with 7 or 8 overlooks at each park.  It was just too cold for us to go on any of the longer trails.  Pat did get out at some of the stops.  Mary, Pat joked that it wasn't this cold on TV, haha!

South entrance

We didn't check out the trail by the South Entrance Visitor's Center this time, but I guess we did in 1996.  Pat and the boys.

Crystal Forest

It looks like the logs were cut, but the heavy quart causes cracks which break and make it look like they were sawed. 

It takes millions of years to change into crystalline quart.

The water that created agate bridge millions of years ago will eventually destroy it.  In 1917 they put in a concrete foundation to try and preserve it. 

In the Blue Mesa the different layers and stones tell geologists about the environment and how the area was formed. 

Enjoyed the clouds.

The Puerco Pueblo was a village inhabited around 1300 A.D.

Petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock.

The Painted Desert Inn was originally built with petrified wood and then was renovated in the 1930's with an Adobe facade.  It is currently a museum. 

The black basalt was formed by volcanoes millions of years ago and forms a protective cover over the red Chinle formation below.

The Painted Desert is beautiful!

Proof that Pat got out of the car.  We were a little windblown by the end!

Wednesday we went back to Petrified Forest N.P. to take 2 trails, totaling just 2.5 miles.  The first trail took us to the ruins of a 1,000 year-old pueblan building made of petrified  wood.  We continued on to the second trail, "Long Logs." 

Small pieces of petrified wood.

The 8 room "agate house" was made of petrified wood around 1300 A.D.  Under an archeologist, the CCC reconstructed the structure in the 1930's.

Even though they have separated you could tell how long the logs were.

Yes, this is petrified wood.

One of the many dry river beds. 

We only had two days here and could have explored more.   Both Petrified National Park and Painted Desert Natiinal Monument were beautiful.  When the sun came out from under the clouds it painted an even more intense picture.

Where are the Piepers now?  Holbrook, AZ