Flagstaff

The drive from Albuquerque to Flagstaff, AZ, wasn't too long.  I arrived in Flagstaff around 2 pm - though since I had now gone through another time change, the hotel said it was 1:00 (I'm now officially three hours behind all you Pittsburghers).

About 30 miles before Flagstaff, I started seeing signs for the Meteor Crater National Monument.  So I thought I'd check it out.  It was a few miles off the main road, but well worth the detour.  It is amazing to me that a piece of metal the size of a volkswagen created such a huge dent in the earth.  The effect it had on the plant and animal life must have been astounding.  I'm glad I stopped to take a look. 


They let me check into the hotel in Flagstaff early, and I debated about whether I should head out right away and go see the Grand Canyon.  But as I drove into town, it seemed to be so unique that I decided to explore a bit.  Some of the towns I pass through have Walmart, Office Max, Target, etc, the same as every other town.  But this one has retained it's individuality.  I wandered down one of the main streets and browsed through shops that had Indian artifacts, jewelry, candles, local foods and wines.  It was such fun to see something different.  I probably spent a couple of hours wandering, then had dinner at the Wildflower Bread Company, and decided to turn in early in order to see the Grand Canyon at sunrise.