Get your Kicks

10/25/09

After a really restful night (sarcasm) in a Motel 6 in Holbrook AZ I had a pretty enjoyable day. I started off by heading over to Petrified Forest national park where I was able to check out the Painted Desert as well as the Petrified Forest. The thing that blew me away is the fines for removing any rocks or petrified wood from the park. This junk is available for like two dollars in the gift shop or at a number of roadside stands but could result in a three hundred dollar fine. They basically pat you down on your way in and out of the park to prevent the theft of these stones because apparently visitors remove tons of them each year. The park itself was pretty cool, with a lot of views which showed the different striations and layers of rock. The tall buttes with different layers of white, red, gray, orange and yellow were very impressive. I took some pictures in both black and white and color which showed the extreme contrast. While this place may look barren and bleak looking at the same pictures in black and white shows how much color there really is out there. I did the hike around Blue Mesa on the self guided trail. The hike was listed as moderately strenuous but was only about a mile long. Going down this trail through mountains of gray bentonite (the stabilizing component of calamine lotion) was a pretty amazing experience. The most profound aspect of these badlands was the silence. For most of the walk the only sounds were the wind and my boots on the gravel. It was extremely peaceful and beautiful. I did see a few other hikers on the way back up the hill, but for the entire loop trail was just me and the silence. I am very glad that I made this trip, being there on that trail was one of the most peaceful times that I have ever had. I am really glad I made the trip partially because the silence made Chinle sound busy. I would definitely recommend this hike for anyone taking Interstate 40 through eastern Arizona.

After the hike I headed up to Ganado and then on to Chinle. This weekend was pretty awesome, but probably the best part of this weekend is that I am basically done driving on route 66. The first few horus being on route 66 a few weeks ago I was pretty impressed. To be driving on "The Mother Road" or heading down "America's Main Street" was something that felt like it would matter. Maybe it lost its mystique after its 3rd state, or maybe I just got bored of driving. First of all Route 66 isnt a real road anymore, after 1985 it was decertified as a highway and now exists only as state routes and "Business route 40". The tourist trap culture of route 66 remains and I have just about had it with "Amazing" attractions and "Authentic" Indian trading posts (where everything is made in India). I have found better quality products made by authentic Native Americans for significantly cheaper when patients try to sell goods in the Hospital or at the overlooks in Canyon de Chelly. The towns and exits where you can visit "Route 66 Landmarks" are run down little backwaters which are not even a blip on the map. It feels like a whole culture has been developed in order to pedal nostalgic crap from when route 66 actually mattered. Maybe it is just that I am not very sentimental, or that I never had much route 66 culture, or that I simply prefer to look toward the future rather than focusing on the past, but I am glad that I dont have to get my kicks on route 66 anymore.

My goals for this week are simple, survive. Pinon clinic on Tuesday, Grand Rounds and Journal club on Wednesday, 4 corners and Mesa Verde this weekend.

-O