Just off the I 40 which runs parallel to the
historic Route 66, is the Petrified forest National park. A friend of
mine in my camera club gave me the tip off to make sure that we visited
it. Well worth while as the pictures below will, I hope show. Until a
couple of years ago, I had never seen a desert and didn't appreciate
just how interesting they can be. I'm becoming a bit of a desert fan
now, I have to say.
There are some
panoramic shots of the Petrified Forest
here.
Your actual petrified logs. No good for firewood
then?
Wonderful colours and textures.
and some wild life, too.
A somewhat surreal photograph of a
visitor centre.
A few more hours drive, and we reach our next
destination of Sedona. We arrive at the breathtakingly situated
Saddlerock Ranch owned by our most genial hostess, Fran.
How many places have this for a view from the
terrace?
Bed and Breakfast
establishment establishments in the USA tend to be more 'up market' than
their British counterparts.
This one certainly is!
Jean admiring our breakfast to be.
You can check out more details about the Ranch by
clicking
here.
Sumptuous and pretty to look at.
Just like the huge butterfly seen in her
garden.
Fran with one of her two 'boys'.
I'm not really a 'dog lover' but these two were gorgeous
and a little cat like; especially with their soft coats.
Fran also has some super locally made jewellery on sale.
Needless to say, Mrs Baker now has some!
A previous visitor to Saddlerock ranch was no less
than one John Wayne, cowboy of this parish, and here's the proof:
Many classic western films were filmed in this area in
the 1950's and Saddlerock Ranch featured in some of them.
Orson Welles stayed here too.
Nearby is one of several 'vortex's', a source of 'yin'
and 'yan' for those able to sense these electrical and magnetic forces
which are believed to be strong around here. People climb them to feel
the forces and to contemplate.
I just take
pictures.
At sunset, people get into their energy consuming
cars (sorry!) to make the short drive to the top of the airport road
near Saddlerock Ranch.
Native
Indians are there with their produce to sell. Indigenous music adds
atmosphere.
In the morning, a new sight is found by my long lens:
the early morning hot air balloon flight.
I hope they don't land amidst the indigenous cactus
plants...
