8/17 - We Were Petrified!

Trista at the Painted Desert.

We left Grand Canyon National Park mid afternoon and we set off back down highway 89 to the 40 en route to the Petrified Forest National Park, only to arrive at 6:30pm, a half hour before the park closed. We weren’t aware they enforced operating hours and even less aware of the ginormous thunder and lightning storm that was brewing over the entire park. The ranger at the gate informed us that it was a 26 mile drive from our location all the way down to the Rainbow Forest at the South Gate. To say the least, it was an unforgettable drive through the park.

The Painted Desert on the North side was only partly gloomy but as we traveled on down through the southern section the storm gained strength and we found ourselves in the middle of a heavy downpour, with what seemed like three inch rain drops and lightning striking down less than forty feet from us. It was rather unsettling. Adam was white knuckled on the steering wheel and Trista must have missed half the park because she couldn’t even watch.

We ended our stop at the Petrified Forest at the South Gate Museum to fetch another magnet and some postcards when we experienced the most startling thunder crash of our lives. It actually rattled the building! And the cashier was so nonchalant about it that our reactions humored her. Trista seriously jumped. We dashed to the car in the fat rain and headed out in the dark. Due to the Four Corners Monument construction until September we bypassed our original route and made way for Arches National Park. See you there.