The Petrified Forest
Aug 13, 2021 19:13:37 #
During the 1980’s I frequently combined vacations trips with a business trip and this is a story of one that my wife and youngest daughter, Melissa went along. We planned to visit both the Carlsbad Caverns, the petrified forest, and the Grand Canyon and finally end up in Wyoming where my most distant outpost was located in Casper, Wyoming.
Things were going well, and we enjoyed not only visiting the Caverns but also that evening in watching the swarm of bats leaving for their nightly exit and search for a dinner of insects. After that, we travelled on into Arizona on our way to the Grand Canyon, we detoured and stopped at the petrified forest in the middle of the state. There were huge, petrified tree trunks scattered out over the desert at random in all directions, as well as some Native American lodgings.
At one point we pulled of the road and walked about 15 or 20 yards to a location where a sign indicated there were hieroglyphics written on the face of a large boulder. This was separated from the cliff face by perhaps 10 feet. So, I asked Melissa to stand close and point to these markings and I was going to take a picture of her and the large boulder. Well, my getting the right picture I wanted framed wasn’t satisfactory. So, I decided to take a short step out on another bolder. There was a gap of some two to three feet of open space this protruding rock and the cliff, and then a drop of six or eight feet the land below, and then several hundred feet of cliff face below that.
I made the short hop, but as I did, my loafers soles were a little slick and my foot slipped out from under me and I did a complete summer sault and fell, landing on my back on the ledge below, knocking the wind out of my lungs and causing both Jean and Melissa to share a moment of panic!
In doing my unplanned acrobatics, I tucked my camera into my stomach to protect it, but in the fall the protective lens was shattered, and my college ring came off, but it was easily found. I took a few minutes to get my breath to return. There were some other tourists who came up to observe my predicament but none offered any help. I finally gathered up my camera, ring, and myself and climbed back up to the plateau where I had taken my dive and the only thing that bothered me for a few days was the sore and bruised side and ribs where I had jammed my camera for protection. Needless to say, the car had the smell of Ben Gay for a while after that.
We had reservations at the Inn at the headquarters of Grand Canyon, and this is a majestic and terrific place to visit. I have to admit I wasn’t as active as I ordinarily would have been. We had to backtrack to Phoenix so Melissa could catch a flight back home. She had some commitment that she had that kept her from continuing with us to Casper.
A word of warning. If you are driving in Arizona and going to the Grand Canyon, be careful about the route you take. There is a short route and a regular route. We took the short route and discovered there are no restroom facilities anywhere between the Grand Canyon and Phoenix! You are warned! Just Sayin…RJS
Things were going well, and we enjoyed not only visiting the Caverns but also that evening in watching the swarm of bats leaving for their nightly exit and search for a dinner of insects. After that, we travelled on into Arizona on our way to the Grand Canyon, we detoured and stopped at the petrified forest in the middle of the state. There were huge, petrified tree trunks scattered out over the desert at random in all directions, as well as some Native American lodgings.
At one point we pulled of the road and walked about 15 or 20 yards to a location where a sign indicated there were hieroglyphics written on the face of a large boulder. This was separated from the cliff face by perhaps 10 feet. So, I asked Melissa to stand close and point to these markings and I was going to take a picture of her and the large boulder. Well, my getting the right picture I wanted framed wasn’t satisfactory. So, I decided to take a short step out on another bolder. There was a gap of some two to three feet of open space this protruding rock and the cliff, and then a drop of six or eight feet the land below, and then several hundred feet of cliff face below that.
I made the short hop, but as I did, my loafers soles were a little slick and my foot slipped out from under me and I did a complete summer sault and fell, landing on my back on the ledge below, knocking the wind out of my lungs and causing both Jean and Melissa to share a moment of panic!
In doing my unplanned acrobatics, I tucked my camera into my stomach to protect it, but in the fall the protective lens was shattered, and my college ring came off, but it was easily found. I took a few minutes to get my breath to return. There were some other tourists who came up to observe my predicament but none offered any help. I finally gathered up my camera, ring, and myself and climbed back up to the plateau where I had taken my dive and the only thing that bothered me for a few days was the sore and bruised side and ribs where I had jammed my camera for protection. Needless to say, the car had the smell of Ben Gay for a while after that.
We had reservations at the Inn at the headquarters of Grand Canyon, and this is a majestic and terrific place to visit. I have to admit I wasn’t as active as I ordinarily would have been. We had to backtrack to Phoenix so Melissa could catch a flight back home. She had some commitment that she had that kept her from continuing with us to Casper.
A word of warning. If you are driving in Arizona and going to the Grand Canyon, be careful about the route you take. There is a short route and a regular route. We took the short route and discovered there are no restroom facilities anywhere between the Grand Canyon and Phoenix! You are warned! Just Sayin…RJS
Aug 13, 2021 19:21:32 #
Foodfisher
Loc: SO. Cal coast
I wonder if the the short route is greener than the regular route? Better watered and fertilized.🤔
Aug 13, 2021 19:23:40 #
Foodfisher: I wonder too! But not in our case, the little, skinny mesquite bushes were not adequate cover to use. I suggested that more than once, but neither would accept my suggestion! Just Sayin....RJS
Aug 13, 2021 19:34:05 #
Foodfisher
Loc: SO. Cal coast
Robert J Samples wrote:
Foodfisher: I wonder too! But not in our case, the little, skinny mesquite bushes were not adequate cover to use. I suggested that more than once, but neither would accept my suggestion! Just Sayin....RJS
🤐🤣
Aug 15, 2021 13:14:00 #
HenryG
Loc: Falmouth Cape Cod Massachusetts
Robert J Samples wrote:
Foodfisher: I wonder too! But not in our case, the little, skinny mesquite bushes were not adequate cover to use. I suggested that more than once, but neither would accept my suggestion! Just Sayin....RJS
Carry a 5gal bucket and plastic bags
Aug 15, 2021 14:56:55 #
HenryG: Good idea but there was no privacy! Just Sayin....RJS
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