2019 03 15 Meteor Crater Natural Landmark, 2019 03 16 Navajo Code Talkers New Mexico Veterans Memorial

Meteor Crater Natural Landmark, Flagstaff, Arizona - 15 March 2019

Walking on the path around the crater rim on the guided tour we can see the San Francisco mountains across the way still with snow caps. 

Created approximately 50,000 years ago, the meteorite impact crater was the final destination of what is suspected to be the meteor's 500 million year race through space. At about 26,000 miles per hour, in a blinding flash, it struck the rocky plain of today's Arizona with an explosive force greater than 20 million tons of TNT. The impact and ensuing displacement of rock and soil produced the crater floor large enough to hold 20 football fields. Over 175 million tons of limestone and sandstone were thrown out to form a blanket of debris surrounding the crater for a distance of over a mile and leaving a crater 700 feet deep and over 4000 feet across. 

The crater and surrounding property is still owned by the Barringer family. Tourists were allowed to view the crater and cattle that grazed on the surrounding lands.

 During mining operations this small cabin was occupied by the miners during severe storms. It was also the storage space for the dynamite used during mining operations. Some clever person during a lightning storm finally thought it would be a better idea to store the dynamite elsewhere. The Widow Barringer is said to have spent much of her time at this cabin which had running water. She had ranch cowboys haul her old manual washing machine up to it so she could get her chores done while answering questions.    

We are not standing at the edge of the crater because the soil underneath is still too damp from snowfall and rain. The rock outcrops are loose and might dump anyone venturing out to the edge down into the crater. To the right of Bob a shiny object can be seen on the crater floor. That is a piece of a private plane which crashed on a site seeing flight in 1964. The 2 on board survived but the plane was left there to hopefully deter anyone else from flying into the crater. Good ideas sometimes backfire and more planes began to fly over. Finally it was decided to remove the plane debris and dump all but that one piece into the now abandoned mine shaft. 

This is the storage area for the mining. There is a story of a young family visiting the crater who attempted to investigate this "cave". When they got close to the entrance a mountain lion ran out so now the entrance is covered with chicken wire. And the dynamite was removed. Just for safety.

The inner circle is where the mining operations took place. On the right is the Visitor's Center, Gift Shop and Theater. Fun facts - in 1984 the movie Starman was filmed here. It tells the story of a humanoid alien (Jeff Bridges) who has come to Earth in response to the invitation found on the gold phonograph record installed on the Voyager 2 space probe. Second Fun Fact - Astronauts trained here, conducting mapping and surveying drills in and around the crater for moon landings. Today, astronauts are tutored for planetary surface operations, which require different talents than those needed for past space shuttle flights and work on the International Space Station.

The Holsinger Meteorite is the largest discovered fragment of the 150-foot meteor that created Meteor Crater.  Most of the meteorite fragmented and disintegrated.  

Did we really get down to the bottom of the crater?

Window Rock Tribal Park & Veteran's Memorial, Window Rock, Arizona - 16 March 2019

An amazing natural space for a memorial to the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II. Bilingual Navajo speakers specially recruited during the war by the Marine Corps to serve in communication units of the Pacific theater. The Japanese were adept at breaking standard military codes until the Code Talkers began being utilized. Originally 29 members but as the war progressed more than 400 Navajos were recruited as Code Talkers.

This natural "window" is a wind-eroded opening in the sandstone cliffs that overlook the administrative buildings of the town of Window Rock which is the capital of the extensive Navajo Nation Reservation, Apache county. It was established in 1936 as the Central Agency Headquarters to consolidate the many agencies scattered throughout the reservation  

The park features a line of sandstone cliffs that reach up to 200 feet. This sculpture represents 16 steel bayonets for the 16 tribes who provided Code Talkers. The circular path is transected by color coded paths marking the four major compass points - white (East), blue (South), red (West) and black (North). 

A list of the Navajo Code Talkers.

The gnarly old pine is growing directly out of a huge rock.

A path behind the window's cliff revealed more lines of cliffs. 

Like giant arms of sandstone wrapping around.

Left over snow that is hanging on in the shadows.

A local artist, Mark Begay, Sr., who was born, raised and still lives in Canyon-de-Chelly paints Navajo pictographs on natural rocks which he harvests from his family's farm at the bottom of the Canyon. His family has lived in the Canyon for over seven generations growing corn (maize), beans, squash, firing pottery and hunting game. He helped us understand the designs and sculptures of the park. We purchased the piece he is holding.

Administrative Building for the Navajo Nation.

Badlands Grill, Gallup, Arizona - 16 March 2019

A day late due to traveling, we celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary at this local restaurant. Shrimp and steak dinners saving room for a shared dessert. Please, no more Blake Shelton! (Chew tobacco, chew tobacco, chew tobacco, spit)