We awoke to blue skies and the kids from the night before playing baseball outside. Henry was quick to shove some breakfast in his mouth and get outside to play. The rest of us were a little slower to enjoy our breakfast, some coffee and put away the beds for the day ahead. We did speak with the kid’s parents shortly before they pulled out and once we were ready, we headed out as well.
A short drive up the road (4 miles) and we were at the park entrance
It’s not the most photogenic national park I’ve ever seen, but the visitor center does a good job of explaining the phenomenon of the petrified wood has several stops along the road northbound that you can stop at to see Native American sites and petrified wood highlights.
We stopped at the Puerco Pueblo and wouldn’t you know, the other family was there too. We chatted in the parking lot for a bit and then set off down the trail together. It was a short walk but we enjoyed their company and took photos of the kids together and exchanged mailing addresses to be pen pals.
At the northern end of the park is another visitor center where we pulled in to get the kids their badges for becoming Jr. Rangers and also use the restroom before our drive to Albuquerque. In the parking lot, I saw Loren with the kids and we exchanged phone numbers to keep in touch while we’re in Albuquerque (where they live).
The drive to Albuquerque was longer than we had done the two days previous and when we got to our stop for the night (Enchanted Trails RV Park & Trading Post) I did a quick touch on each wheel check their temperature. I was bummed to feel heat on both sides (a bad front wheel bearing is what brought us back to Phoenix early on our last leg). I went inside the lobby to check in, get our spot, and contemplate what our next move would be.
I remember Mark and I going through the Petrified Forest. It was a very bleak place.