Sedona to Canyon de Chelly

Ben at the Meteor Crater

Adam looking throught the telescope at Meteor Crater

Adam on top of a piece of petrified wood

Ben leaning against an entire petrified log

Ben and Adam dancing with the Painted Desert in the background

Ben with the Painted Desert in the background

Wow, this was by far the most packed day yet. We drove from Sedona to Canyon de Chelly which was reportedly a 4 hour drive. By the time we stopped at all the sites, we arrived 7 hours later. The boys were still raring to go and played soccer in the dark with three boys from Belgium who couldn't speak a word of English but still managed to teach Ben and Adam the correct way to kick a soccer ball.

On the drive, we had to stop and see the Meteor Crater which is the "First Proven, Best Preserved Meteorite Crater on Earth!" The meteor hit 50,000 years ago and the crater is over 4,000 feet across, and 550 feet deep. We then continued on to the Petrified Forest where we were amazed at the trees that were made into stone 225 million years ago. It's amazing to think you are looking at something that old. The trees basically lived in a swamp during the Triassic Period (think Dinosaurs) and were covered by sand containing volcanic ash that cut off the oxygen. The silica in the ash made the trees into stones. Years later erosion uncovered prehistoric trees. To top it all off, there is evidence of human life dating back 10,000 years. To finish off our excursions, we drove through the Painted Desert. Needless to say, Mom was a little tired by the time we hit the Thunderbird Lodge at Canyon de Chelly.