Sunrise over the lake the next morning.
The road towards Flagstaff for other adventures that day. That's Humphreys Peak in the background- at 12,673', it's the highest point in AZ. We are at about 5500' elevation here.
Shaw has a National Parks Passport booklet so we were visiting several National Monuments to get stamps for his book. This is at Walnut Canyon- an ancient Indian city. I had just taken a so-so shot using the timer with the camera on a rock and then a French tourist offered to take one... The conversation went thusly: French, some French words, French, more French words, French, laughter from French wife, (sounded the same in French as English) French, more French words, pause, CHEESE! Snap. I said, "Merci beaucoup" and he said "OK" and we all smiled.
This is an angry squirrel that can't seem to find any walnuts in Walnut Canyon I guess.
Here's us at Meteor Crater. I grew up about 15 miles from here and visited a couple of times. Lesa visited once as a young teen on a family trip one summer. Her father pumped it up a bit too much on the drive across the desert- if you don't get the profound significance of how that hole got there, it's just a hole in the ground. I'll have to say that this trip will probably be my last visit.
This one is at Waputki National Monument. Quite a nice visit- makes you wonder what the thought process is of ancient peoples and pioneers that looked at a god-forsaken desert and think that they could make a go of it.
Northern Arizona had- and is beginning to have again- siesmic and other volcanic activity. This picture was taken above a blow hole that breathes in and out with barometric air pressure and it was blowing cold air up from a crack in the ground. This is about 50 feet away from a little sports arena. They say that there were inter-tribal sporting events with a basketball-like game and athletes would cool themselves here. Teams travelled from as much as 200 miles away. I don't know why they didn't build thier houses over these cracks to cool them in the summer. The Indians called them "wind spirits."
This is at Sunset Crater National Monument. The dormant volcano cone is to the right, out of the shot and we are beside what was a lava flow.
Spent an afternoon in Downtown Flagstaff. Found a cool jewelry and bead shop.
Found a local chocolatier and Lesa had a lavender truffle- she didnt' care for it and she also had some chocolate dipped honeycomb, also un-remarkable... but chocolate is like pizza, even when it's not that good, it's still pretty good.
Shaw bought a bag of melty mints. Here's a pink one melting mintily in his mouth as the shutter snapped...
A local historic/architectural feature along the sidewalk.
This is very Beatle-esque...
Instead of camping again as was the original plan... we stayed at a nice hotel in Flagstaff. Went for a hike out behind the property but there was some tree maintenance going on up the road and we couldn't continue.
This tree is probably going to fall in the next storm. The roots are already pulling up on the right- just out of the shot. Somebody was nice enough to attempt to prop it up. This tree is about 100 feet tall and it's already several tons out of balance. The efforts will be futile I'm afraid.
Back to the hotel for some fun at the playground.
Shaw demonstrating his mad photography skillz.
In the pool before check-out.
This is at Montezuma's Castle National Monument. Note the ranger doing some work there...
Now, let me zoom out so you can see where he's working... he's on that wall on the left-most and out-most part of the structure above the tiny window. When we walked up, he was actually outside of the structure balancing on one of those cliffs!
This is Beaver Creek that provided water to the 35 people that lived in that house up in the canyon wall.
Shaw got 4 stamps in his National Parks Passport book- Walnut Canyon, Waputki, Sunset Crater and Montezuma's Castle (Meteor Crater is not a national monument) He got a stamp in California last year from Cabrillo Tide Pool National Monument. We are going to try to get all of the National Parks, Monuments and Historic Landmarks in Arizona before the summer is out. There are nearly 20. Grand Canyon is the most famous of course. Stand by for further adventures.
Here's us at Meteor Crater. I grew up about 15 miles from here and visited a couple of times. Lesa visited once as a young teen on a family trip one summer. Her father pumped it up a bit too much on the drive across the desert- if you don't get the profound significance of how that hole got there, it's just a hole in the ground. I'll have to say that this trip will probably be my last visit. 
This one is at Waputki National Monument. Quite a nice visit- makes you wonder what the thought process is of ancient peoples and pioneers that looked at a god-forsaken desert and think that they could make a go of it.
Northern Arizona had- and is beginning to have again- siesmic and other volcanic activity. This picture was taken above a blow hole that breathes in and out with barometric air pressure and it was blowing cold air up from a crack in the ground. This is about 50 feet away from a little sports arena. They say that there were inter-tribal sporting events with a basketball-like game and athletes would cool themselves here. Teams travelled from as much as 200 miles away. I don't know why they didn't build thier houses over these cracks to cool them in the summer. The Indians called them "wind spirits."
This is at Sunset Crater National Monument. The dormant volcano cone is to the right, out of the shot and we are beside what was a lava flow.
Spent an afternoon in Downtown Flagstaff. Found a cool jewelry and bead shop.
Found a local chocolatier and Lesa had a lavender truffle- she didnt' care for it and she also had some chocolate dipped honeycomb, also un-remarkable... but chocolate is like pizza, even when it's not that good, it's still pretty good.
Shaw bought a bag of melty mints. Here's a pink one melting mintily in his mouth as the shutter snapped...
A local historic/architectural feature along the sidewalk.
This is very Beatle-esque...
Instead of camping again as was the original plan... we stayed at a nice hotel in Flagstaff. Went for a hike out behind the property but there was some tree maintenance going on up the road and we couldn't continue.
This tree is probably going to fall in the next storm. The roots are already pulling up on the right- just out of the shot. Somebody was nice enough to attempt to prop it up. This tree is about 100 feet tall and it's already several tons out of balance. The efforts will be futile I'm afraid.
Back to the hotel for some fun at the playground.
Shaw demonstrating his mad photography skillz.
In the pool before check-out.
This is at Montezuma's Castle National Monument. Note the ranger doing some work there...
Now, let me zoom out so you can see where he's working... he's on that wall on the left-most and out-most part of the structure above the tiny window. When we walked up, he was actually outside of the structure balancing on one of those cliffs!
This is Beaver Creek that provided water to the 35 people that lived in that house up in the canyon wall.
Shaw got 4 stamps in his National Parks Passport book- Walnut Canyon, Waputki, Sunset Crater and Montezuma's Castle (Meteor Crater is not a national monument) He got a stamp in California last year from Cabrillo Tide Pool National Monument. We are going to try to get all of the National Parks, Monuments and Historic Landmarks in Arizona before the summer is out. There are nearly 20. Grand Canyon is the most famous of course. Stand by for further adventures. 
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