Albuquerque to Petrified Forest

Sunrise Over the Walmart Parking Lot

Sleep wasn't something that came easily in the Walmart parking lot. Bright lights combined with traffic noise and nearby trash compactors made for a restless night and had us ready to leave by sunrise.  At 6:30 the gates were open and we were first in line at the Mercedes-Benz of Albuquerque service department. Our first roadrunner sighting (the bird, not the train) was on the way over and we saw another zipping around the parking lot checking under bushes for snacks.

Why did the roadrunner cross the road?

The service staff fit us in right away and diagnosed the problem as a speed sensor on the passenger side rear wheel. Last year it had been the left side, so at least it wasn't the same sensor failing. Unfortunately they didn't have a sensor in stock, but could have one tomorrow. Beth asked if there might be a way to get it fixed further along our route and they obliged setting up an appointment in Flagstaff for Wednesday afternoon. We were on our way by 9:38, without cruise, traction, or stability control, but able to travel. We were pleased that our house battery was at 87% after using heat overnight and running the refrigerator on battery power while at the dealership.

Traveling made the day better and by 12:30 we were dodging prairie dog holes in the parking lot in Church Rock, New Mexico. The little guys had made a mess of the parking lot and didn't appear to be intimidated by vehicles. They had back-door exits just outside the blacktop.

As usual, Beth picked a great spot to stop for lunch. The post office was a hub of activity as locals walked and drove in to pick-up their mail. Our learning for the day was that elevation affects condiment storage. The mustard responded to a decrease in elevation by overzealous application upon opening!

We enjoyed the view of Church Rock and wandered the property surrounded by wind sculpted rocks. There are campsites and restrooms here in an area open to wind and sun. Activity probably picks up around rodeo time as the area has livestock pens in a natural valley framed by red rock walls.

About 2:00 we crossed into Arizona and Beth was ready to stop at the Welcome Center to see what new places we might find. We were both disappointed as we spotted a sign stating that the welcome center was permanently closed.

Contrary to popular belief, we don't stop at every point of interest. We skipped the Chief Yellowhorse trading post on route 66, though Beth did snap a picture as we zipped by on I-40.

Consulting the national park guide, we decided to head for Petrified Forest National Park. With the closest entrance to I-40 being on the North side, we chose to traverse the park from North to South. The first part of the park runs through the Painted Desert. Aptly named, the colors change as you pass into different areas.


Inside the park, Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark provided great views of the painted desert, a little bit of history, and the opportunity to meet some local artists displaying their jewelry and weavings.

Beth brought binoculars to make it easier to see the petroglyphs. These were much more abundant than at Bandelier, but long lenses and/or binoculars do help as you can't get very close to the stones.

Here's one of the first pieces of petrified wood we found.

 Running out of time, we elected to drive through the rest of the park and leave some of the scenic turnouts for tomorrow.  Checking Allstays, Beth found that a gift shop just outside the South entrance allows overnight stays. Upon arrival, we learned that there are two gift shops, opposite one another and both allow camping. It is free if you don't need electricity and $10 for 30 amp service. We really didn't need power, but decided to opt for a quiet night of running electric heat rather than propane with a noisy fan. The gift shops themselves have large selections of (very expensive) petrified wood gathered from outside the national park.

Bumpers defining the campsite were actually sections of petrified wood. We had to back right above one to get our power cord to reach the outlet.

The night was relaxing and quiet, though I awoke at 3:30 am. Quietly opening the passenger door, I slipped out to see the night sky. Forgetting that the dome light would automatically come on, it took a while for my night vision to return, but when it did the sky was spectacular. The night was cool, clear, and the Milky Was was visible along with myriad stars from horizon to horizon. Beth joined me and agreed that the view was the best since we've returned to shore life.