Dec. 20. South of Flagstaff

Dec. 20
   Arizona is a land of many landscapes and we have decided to see as many points of interest as possible.  The weather is warmer a little bit south of Flagstaff so we will be camping again in the RV.
We both enjoyed the city of Flagstaff.  There is a diverse population here with a comfortable friendly atmosphere.  The mountains that surround the city are beautiful and green with pine trees. Flagstaff itself is about 7000 feet above sea level which makes it high and dry.  The days were warm and sunny but the nights are very chilly.  Leaving Flagstaff, we drove south to see two particular sites, Meteor Crater and Walnut Canyon.
   I was not particularly interested in seeing the crater but Mark was and I am very glad that I went along. It was a massive hole in the earth that was caused by an object from outer space 50,000 years ago.  A meteorite hit this arid landscape and created a hole that is one mile across and 2.4 miles in circumference and 550 feet deep.  The magnitude of the meteor hitting earth at 26,000 miles per hour has left its mark.  This is the best preserved meteor hole on earth due to the dry climate here. Many scientists come here to study the impact site and examine fragments of the meteor.  It is because this site is so intact that scientists have proven that this is, in fact, a meteor crater and have used this to prove other meteor craters around the globe.  Prior to 1960, most scientists believed that all craters were volcanic.  Eugene Shoemaker confirmed that this crater was not volcanic but a meteor.  He had studied underground atomic test sites and compared his data to prove that this was an extraterrestrial impact on earth.
   Astronomy has come a long way in understanding space since 1960 with so much yet to learn.  We were privileged to visit the McDonald Observatory in Texas and now to see the evidence of objects hitting the earth with such magnitude has deepened our curiousity about what understandings lie ahead in the field of astronomical science.
 
   Our next visit was to Walnut Canyon. This was relatively close to the meteor crater so we were able to see both in one day.  The canyon was established in 1915 by President Wilson to preserve the natural ancient cliff dwellings that are clearly visible.  There is an “island loop walk” that is steep and strenuous route that decends deep into the canyon.  In the center of the canyon is an outcropping of a large land formation referred to as the “island”.  The loop trail took us around the island with clear evidence of the cliff dwellers living spaces.  The 250 steps that brought us to the island were straight down.  It is difficult to imagine how these people carved a living here in these steep cliffs. We were able to walk down steps; there were no steps for these ancient peoples.  Their’s was a culture that lived in tight family groups and farmed the land on the rim of the cliff.  I can’t imagine the fortitude of these native people who climbed up and down all the while carrying food supplies to their cave-like dwellings.  It took me a half an hour to climb back up the staircase.  I was glad to have done the trail inspite of its difficulty.
   We have spent a lot of time in the area of the southwest known as Indian territory.  The beauty of this land is in the quiet landscapes. The monochromatic colors paint a stark scene seemingly void of life. Today Native Americans live in small communities in mobile homes with no sign of greenery.  The air is dry and the land is brown and dusty.  We are reminded often that water is life; it is not a renewable resource.  It makes me appreciate how much I take water for granted.
   From viewing the meteor crater to the homes of the cliff dwellers, we have reached back in time to further understand our changing earth.  Impacts from space and ancient people have brought us closer to knowing ourselves.  How will we save our cultures and this planet?