Meteor Crater-AZ

                                  

 While its still fresh in my mind I want to share a closer look at some of the interesting places I stopped at along the way during the recent trip, didnt really get a chance to go into detail in real time...I covered some great distances and barely had time to upload my photos and go!! So my little "reports" wont necessarily be in chronological order but just as they come to mind...

 TODAY its The Meteor Crater National Landmark-

 

                               

So after 5 days with my friend in Arizona I headed north to continue on my trip and noticed a pink cloud when I emerged from tree cover of the Coconino Natioanl Forest and out in open range again.

 I was headed for Winslow Arizona and the Meteor Crater. The closer I got to Winslow the pink cloud grew bigger and bigger and more and more WINDY!! It turned out the pink cloud was in fact red Navajo sand driven up into the air by the raging winds, a true western sand storm!

                                    
Sand Twister,,

By the time I got to the main street of Winslow I didnt turn West to head to the Crater I headed to closest Motel (CHEAP MOTEL) to get out of this storm. I had planned to possibly camp but the winds were just too high! The "Desert Sun" is run by one guy...didnt get his name, I paid cash and didnt get a receipt He just said "Ill bring you some towels and toliet paper over...gee whiz!! --the room was old, not exactly clean, and quite dusty!! Every little crack was being invaded by the blowing sand and the door was barely held closed by the lock! I put my large cooler in front of the door just in case it should decide to fly open...

               

 
 So this sundried owner told me the Crater was closed and the I-40 both directions was also closed due to the 60 mph winds and the sand storm! Visibility was almost zero in some areas....So I would not be going to the crater that afternoon as planned. Its not far from Winslow to the Crater which is a privately owned natural wonder...well sort of natural...ITS been there for 50,000 yrs or more!!

The crater was discovered by natives of course but the first recorded account was by a scout of General Custer's named Franklin in 1871 and then it was called Franklins Hole! But in 1902 a miner from Philly, Daniel Barringer came to the Crater and filed mining claims with the Federal Govt, his decendants still own the land today. The surrounding land is owned and leased by the Bar T Bar Cattle Ranch Co. and together they call the Crater a land trust and invest monies derived from the sale of tickets in scholarships, grants, as well as science and education awards.

 

                                                

The Iron-nickle meteor is thought to have been 150 feet across weighting many tons, the largest fragment discovered is displayed in the Crater Museum.

                                              



  The crater is 550 feet deep,(thats 60 stories) over 4,000 ft across and is 2.4 miles in Circumference. 20 football fields could reside side by side in the crater!!

                                                                    cool stuff

                                

The admission price is $15 and I thought it was well worth that since we got a guided rim tour, there is a very informative self guided museum tour, a gift shop with a Subway sandwich shop inside, many observation decks, and a short movie in a comfortable theater demonstrating the history of the Crater.

                                                                         Rock Wren

 Meteor Crater National Landmark is located about 20 miles west of Winslow Arizona just follow the signs off I-40. There is a great view of the San Francisco peaks to the west and the vast flat desert to the east.