Wupatki National Monument

At the end of March 2009 revisited Wupatki National Monument for the what ever number of times because it is at the top of the list for favorite places to go that doesn't get old. Located just north of Flagstaff, Arizona it is on a 30 some mile loop road where in lies another National Monument.

There is a lot going on out here and you can get an idea of that by taking a close look at the first picture which is of the main ruins a short walk from the visitors center.There are ruins just along the road requiring only short walks to explore. What's better is to take walks away from the main sites and you will find many things if you have a observant eye. It's fun. Most of these are meant to be illustrative with a couple that are pretty good but when you click on them and they get bigger they're all fun to look at.

                                            Panoramas pass all.

             The black rocks are cinder rocks at a ruin built on a higher part of the valley floor called the Citadel.

This picture shows one of the reasons why Wupatki is different. This is a ball court the only one I've seen. When you are viewing it around it and particularly in it envision what it must have been like with a game being played. This is cool stuff.

Directly behind where you see the sign just a few yards is a blow hole another thing that is unique at least it's the only one of those I've been around as well. There isn't a picture but at the link there is.

Look what we have here. A picture of the very same blow hole courtesy of Cujo and Dana. Thank you so much! It's working quite nicely as you can see. It goes the other way as well.

                                           This is what much of the terrain looks like .

Here is the reason for the cinder rocks and the blackness of the ground. The other monument is Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. There are volcanoes that popped off all over the place here and the picture at the top shows that.

Just Flowers

In a conversation with a flower person I came here to show examples of just that and used the flower tags on the right. There weren't that many to be seen. I like flower pictures and I like taking them. It's just fun even though you might have a picture already of the same thing but they're so pretty you just have to take a picture or two-maybe three.

Of course looking at flowers has nothing to do with the 74" of snow on the mountain and that spring seems like a lifetime away. Nope it's just flowers.

Before There Was I80 There Was Ole's And So Many Others

In many ways Highway 30 across Nebraska is similar to Route 66. These pictures were taken driving west. Some buildings go way back and all the neon is gone for the most part. So many roll their noses in disgust over the thought of driving across Nebraska. I detest attitudes like that as there is plenty to keep the imagination running full tilt.

The "Big Mamou" takes the prize if there was one for best name even though it must not go way back. It helps this route to the West from times gone by traveled by millions both ways live. I remember as a kid and a young adult how vibrant it was here. Ole's sign is probably the best. These pictures were taken last Friday the 15th. The pictures are more illustrative but there are a couple that have a bit of merit. After all most are window pictures.

There is a bit of text and want you to understand that in Iowa everyone was a farmer. Once the state line was crossed into Nebraska you were a rancher/cowboy. That's just the way it was back then.

           This place goes way back. Use your imagination and you can see Bonnie&Clyde parked here.

This was in Lexington and I can not make out the word.

This is a huge icon for anyone who travels east and west across the country on I80 located in Paxton which has a population of 634 if I remember correctly. I wanted lunch. They weren't open like before. I think they don't have to open for lunch now or something like that. This was not the building I remember.

In any case it's full of big game. Pretty damn interesting and a fun place to have lunch if this type of thing doesn't bother you. There's a story as well.

  
      This is a good one as I believe Ole's has been in business since the 30's.

         I see Bonnie again.

  Some of these places are no paradise that's for sure. I stayed in one in Grand Island. This is not open.

This was out in the middle of nowhere. To think that this provided a lively hood for a few people is interesting.

There were pumps in front of here at one time.

This and Oly's are real icons of the time. The stories that could be told about this if you could talk to the old timers. Notice the Caddy poking it's nose out. There was another as well. Not period but they fit.

Can't see what this says but it's from way back.

I saw a number of these in various states. This one is one of the better ones and might be in Ogallala. There were maybe 15 drive-ins seen on this trip with a handful still open.

     Remodeled but you can bet this place pumped gas for years.

I don't know what the heck this is but I like it. Only the parrot knows.