10/15/07: Day 6: From Sky City, NM to Window Rock, AZ
First, maps of the day:
View of route from Acoma Pueblo to Window Rock (courtesy of Google)
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Overall trip map, so far: St. Louis to Window Rock with overnight stops marked
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We decided to eat breakfast "out" in the Casino restaurant. Karen had the blue corn pancakes, and I had huevos rancheros, and we shared fry-bread. It cost twice what we spent for dinner, but it was too much food. So Karen pulled out her new collapsible Tupperware� containers, I expanded them from flat to the necessary size, and in to those our leftovers went. Karen is planning to begin as a Tupperware rep as soon as we get home.
After breakfast, we packed up and were on The Road by 10:30.
That is, we took old route 66 (The Road) from Acoma Sky City to U.S. 666 at Gallup. Actually 666 is now 491, for superstitious reasons.
On the way, we stopped at Grants, the former (and possibly future) capitol of Uranium extraction in the U.S.
A snapshot of some signage along Route 66 in Grants, NM.
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The Uranium Cafe seems deserted. Grants was once the Uranium mining capital of the U.S. After prices plummeted in the 1980's, the town started to die.
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We stopped to see the Mining Museum in Grants
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Karen cautiously examines a (probably real) mass of yellowcake uranium in the mining museum.
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Karen poses with a drill bit as Dan evokes her dentist.
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The town was a boom town of the mid-20th century. You can still see its glory, and they are trying to keep the town alive with art and commerce.
We later stopped at the continental divide. Just for fun.
The continental divide on Route 66 is a great excuse to separate marks from moolah. Karen is in this shot.
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Some signage from an earlier enterprise at the highest point along Route 66
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A defunct tourist stop on the great divide. Time marched on.
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Driving along Rt. 66 is about 20 mph slower than on I-40, which is usually visible near or farther on one side or the other. But 55 on 66 uses less gas, and is more relaxing. There is much less traffic, and more time to admire the scenery.
Colorful containers from China traverse the U.S. to a Cosco near you. Parallel to Rt. 66. THis was shot from the moving car!
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Lunch break at Red Rock state park, a nice place to camp. Karen wanted to, but I pointed out the below-freezing forecast and her dislike of letting a motel room get below 75.
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We headed up from Gallup to Yah Ta-Hey, and turned left on State Road 264 toward the Navajo capitol at Window Rock. We stopped at the Tribal Museum to get some advice, and then booked into the Navajo Land Inn and Suites (a former Days Inn). We're now up to $70/night!
In our room at the Navajo Land Inn and Suites in St. Michael, AZ. Dan is at his computer, again.
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After resting for a while, we headed over to the Window Rock Tribal Park to get see the window itself at sunset. We were misinformed by the desk about the actual time of sunset, so we only caught the end of it.
Window Rock just before sunset.
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Window Rock is the site of several Navajo memorials. This one is to the Code Talkers of WWII, who made the capture of Iwo Jima possible.
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Kids will be kids. This sign is on the grounds of Window Rock Tribal Park.
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Moon over sunset in Window Rock Tribal Park
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The Tribal Park (like a National Park for the Navajo Nation) contains memorials for Navajo war dead, as well as several civic buildings for the Navajo Nation.