Friday, 16th September - Albuquerque, New Mexico to Chinle, Arizona

Today we entered the 7th state on this trip, Arizona (The Sunshine State), and racked up another 265 miles bringing our total to date to just shy of 2000 miles.

We made a "side trip" off Route 66 to a National Monument, El Morro. On the face of it just another spectacular rock formation.

The reality is it is known as "Inscription Rock" as there are over 2000 signatures, dates and petroglyphs at the base of the rock evidencing Native Americans (who, incidentally, once lived in a pueblo on top of the rock), Spanish invaders who arrived from Mexico to convert the Native Americans to Catholicism (and, incidentally, to subjugate them) and more recently Americans who travelled through on their way out west, civil war soldiers and surveyors for a proposed railroad. So, why did they all stop at this place in the middle of nowhere? Simply because at the base of the rock is a deep freshwater pool - literally an oasis in the desert.

The view looking away from the rock is pretty spectacular, too.

After El Morro we briefly rejoined Route 66 at Gallup (lunching at Taco Bell) before crossing the state line into Arizona and driving to Chinle, a Navajo reservation and site of the Canyon de Chelly, of which more tomorrow.

Having left the magnificent Clyde Hotel behind in Albuquerque we rocked up at the Thunderbird Lodge, officially classified as 1 star.

One of the joys of this trip is that rarely are two days or stop-off points the same!

In the evening we were treated to an unexpected hour long outdoor performance by the Dineh Tah' Navajo Dancers, traditional, native dancers. Enlightening and enjoyable.

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