Day 3 - Grand Canyon to Gallup, NM

As you can see, today was even less productive than yesterday (a whole 266 miles), but fun for other reasons. It started off with a sunrise tour at the Grand Canyon. Beautiful. Simply freakin' amazing. We were part of a group of seven (five of whom had started their travels in the Bay Area - one Cal student and a couple from El Sobrante, plus us), with a cheery tour guide who, because we were a small group and all dressed warmly, took us to the best viewing area - apparently one of the colder ones - and we remained there for about 30 minutes, until the sun was fully up. Then we hit another lookout, one that let us see more of the Northern Rim (we were on the Southern Rim), and the crags and valleys below. 

After that was done, we visited with Beth's cousin who works there (amazing lady, she also got us into the park as her guests without having to pay the $25 entry fee), and then up to Hopi House, where I spent a few more dollars than intended on some pottery. I've always had a weakness for First Nations art, and while my preferences are for Pacific Northwestern designs (says the lady who lives in a hoodie with a Tsimshian Four Clans pattern, carries a tote with a Haida sun design, and has a car decorated with a Tsimshian raven dancer...), I couldn't resist these three little pieces. I was drooling over some Navajo sand paintings, but couldn't afford the ones I wanted. :) The three pieces I bought were Pueblo from the Santa Clara region (the black), etched Navajo pottery (the brown one), and handcoiled from the Acoma Pueblo of New Mexico (the white one).  


We finally checked out of the hotel and finished loading the car at 11:30am, and then hit the road. My goal was to at least clear the New Mexico state line. On the way, we passed Meteor Crater, which I unfortunately didn't realize until after we passed it (since Beth woke up moments later) was part of Beth's favourite movie and she would have wanted to stop there. Sorry, Beth! 


We made one more stop before leaving Arizona - at the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. Beth was unfamiliar with them before the stop, but enjoyed it as much as I did. We got to see some incredible scenery, walk through a partially excavated Pueblo settlement from the 12th Century AD, and got within 15 feet of some centuries-old petroglyphs. Suffice to say, the archaeology geek buried fairly close to the surface in me was in happy pig heaven. :)

Tomorrow, we go back to serious driving!