Arizona Pictures

These are all the pictures I took when I drove out with Brad Jones to visit Michelle in Arizona June 25th–July 3rd 2003.

Petrified Forest National Park

This is where Michelle has been living and working all summer. She's an intern doing paleontological survey work. Our first day there, she took us around the park.

My first, second and third pictures from the first scenic overlook.
Michelle and I at that same overlook. It was windy, OK?
One, two, three pictures from the rim trail to the old hotel.
Several petroglyph pictures from the Puerco Pueblo. Note the image of a stork (or some other bird?) carrying a newborn in the second picture.
Two more petroglyph pictures. These were taken through a telescope a newspaper rock.
Michelle, looking like she doesn't want to have her picture taken.
Apparently somone disagreed with some of the facts on one of the informational signs, so they took it upon themselves to correct it. They're right, the latin would be arboreus or arbor.
Another correction, this one in Spanish.
A shot from the blue mesa trail.
Brad and Michelle, walking down said trail.
One more picture of blue mesa.
Two pictures of Michelle, looking cute in my visor.
Oh wow, some actual petrified wood.

Flagstaff

We went to Flagstaff for the day with Michelle's fellow interns Becky and Jeff. I found time to snap a few pictures while we tossed the disc around in a park. It was really weird to see grass.

Becky throws a barefoot backhand.
Jeff, with his own backhand.
Brad ponders who he will throw to.
Michelle throws a forehand to me. I should put the camera down maybe.
Michelle throws a backhand.
Michelle, with another good-looking forehand. too bad I couldn't get the reverse angle.
Delighted to see grass, Michelle shows off her gymnastic talent.

Canyon De Chelly

Michelle, Brad and I took a little northern roadtrip to see Canyon De Chelly National Monument. What's the difference between a national park and a national monument anyway? You'd think a monument would be manmade, but the canyon clearly isn't. Also, in case you're wondering, it's pronounced "duh shay".

Michelle stands by the overlook at the head of the white house trail.
The titular house, viewed from afar.
So many impressive views from the overlook.
Looking down into the canyon, you can see a little house. People actually still live down there.
A wider view of the same area.
As Brad and Michelle start down the trail, this is the view to their right.
More trail, more scenery.
Brad and Michele look back.
Brad appreciates the scenery behind him.
The weathering of the rocks along the trail has generated some interesting textures.
Can you see the lizard? Look closer.
Brad is just happy to be out of Champaign.
This guy is easier to see, but still, very well camouflaged.
In accordance with anecdotal wisdom, we let this one lie.
Michelle and I made it to the valley.
Interesting vegitation down here.
Michelle walks over to see the white house.
Just a last look around the valley before heading back.
Four more overlook views.
Our shadows take a last look at the canyon.

Miscellaneous

A couple pictures that just don't fit in anywhere else.

The sign outside our motel made me laugh. It made me think of Space Ghost actually.
We took the highway of evil to Canyon De Chelly.
"Roommates": Michlle, Jeff and Becky.
On our way through the bible belt, Brad and I saw this cross in Oklahoma that claimed to be the largest in the western hemisphere. We're not convinced it's larger than this one in Illinois. We didn't care enough to go check though.