Bowzer Slept Here - Arizona - TravelBlog

After a days drive across New Mexico, we enter Arizona. I don’t know much about Arizona only that the Grand Canyon lives here. Much to our surprise, there’s lots’ happening. Within the first twenty miles we see signs for the Petrified Forrest and the Painted Desert. As the Petrified Forrest is a state park we’re hoping there is camping there. We pull in just before five pm, only to find that the park closes at five, and there is no camping available. Sadness, as Bowzer was so looking forward to leaving his mark on a petrified tree.

There was a nice gift shop however. We learn that Petrified Wood is 180 million years old, and is the state fossil of Arizona. Who knew? I wonder if Tennessee has a state fossil? I guess ex Lt. Gov. Wilder would be as close as we could come. Also, some of the petrified wood is for sale (again, similar to some of our politicians).

So, now, I am a proud owner of “a piece of the rock”, which will be on display in our camper. I’ll bring it to the next show and tell, you kids will be so jealous.

The first city we pass the next morning is Winslow, Arizona. Its claim to fame is that all the girls drive flat bed Fords, as noted in the Eagles song, “Standin on the corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine sight to see. It’s a girl my lord in a flat bed Ford slowin down to take a look at me”. Actually they were lookin at Bowzer, with his upper body posing out the passenger side window, he’s such a fine sight to see.

Meteor Crater!!! Fifty thousand years ago, a meteor weighing several hundred thousand tons, speeding at 26,000 mph smacked down right here where we are now standing. Now’ if its one thing I am. It’s an outer-space junkie. I am thrilled, this is soooooo cool, to be standing at the exact impact site. This hole in the ground is 4000 ft. across and 700 ft. deep, and was created in less than a few seconds. To heck with the Grand Canyon, that took thousands of years to create. I’m all about this instant gratification thing.

They have a great museum here as well, with lots of displays and movie simulations of the event. Also, a gift shop! Imagine that. So, now I also own a piece of the outer space rock, which is proudly on display in our apartment on wheels.

Near by is "Meteor City", which consists of one building, a geodesic dome souvenir shop.
There is a nice cap I’m buying for my son, but all I have is a twenty, and the man doesn’t have any change.
“Pay me on your return trip”, he says. “Do you like smoked salmon?”’ I ask.
He smiles real big, “Of course”, he replies.
I brought two with me, for occasions just like this.
Boy scout motto: “Be prepared”.
Mal’s motto: “Smoked Salmon will get you through times of no money, better than money will get you through times of no Smoked Salmon”.
A win win situation, everybody is happy.
We zoom on.

Bowzer Slept Here - New Mexico

It’s late when we cross the Oklahoma, New Mexico border. We’ve been gaining elevation ever since Crowley’s Ridge in Rkansas. Now we’re on the “high plains”.

We begin to look for road signs with little tents on them as that indicates campsites are near. I spy one for an exit twenty miles away. Looks good. Then comes a notice that Santa Rosa Lake State Park is just one exit away. State parks usually mean campgrounds. The park is seven miles down a two-lane road that goes nowhere else. I hope its open, because if I have to turn around on this small road, we’re screwed.

The gates are open and the park is beautiful. It is 500 acres of lake and pine trees.

There are two other campers, a VW bug, and us. We pull into a site with a gorgeous view and begin to hook up to “shore water and power” to use boating terms. It begins to snow. HEAVILY.

As I am fooling with the various hookups, young dude in baggy shorts and no socks approaches. “You have any jumper cables?” he inquires. “But of course”, says I. Almost impossible to believe but none of the other campers with their very large RV’s have any cables, but it’s true. The kid and two buddies of his are in the VW with a dead battery. Seems I’m the only Boy Scout there who came prepared for a long cold night and dead car batteries (as a matter of fact I carry two spares).

Bowzer loves snow. If only there were deposits of coal jutting from the ground, he’d be perfectly camouflaged.
Interstate 40 runs parallel to the fabled Route 66. The most famous “Mother Road” is now used mostly as business loops through the small towns. We’ve gotten off a few times to investigate. Sadly the road that gave birth to Jack Kerouac’s book “On The Road”, and the saying “Get your kicks on route 66” , doesn’t seem to have much life left in it.

This is the most exciting place we find so you can now, “You can roll your balls on Route 66”.
And we roll on......