2015 ZR-1 Road Trip to pick up my new (to me) 1995 Purple ZR-1

[QB93Z]

Thanks for all the good recommendations. We were not planning any side trips into Mexico.

Jim

[QB93Z]

On Thursday, we left Phoenix and drove north in I-17 heading for Sedona, AZ. Our plan was to drive the Red Rock Scenic Byway, AZ-179.





The Byway is well marked. When entering from the south, you enter Coconino National Forest and there is a very well staffed Ranger Station for maps, information and souvenirs. The first developed area encountered is Oak Creek, AZ. The view of the surrounding landscapes are stunning.





There are numerous pull off that allow viewing and photography. The areas around the towns contain many well marked hiking trails.





I must report that the roads and viewing areas were fairly crowded and congested. The best areas we found for viewing were near the Sedona Airport and along Upper Red Rock Loop Road on the western side of Sedona.


We left Sedona and drove North to Falstaff and then East to Holbrook, AZ. Our lodging for the night is Teepee #3 of The Wigwam Motel. Each "room" is a separate teepee with a double bed, desk, table, and chairs. There is a full bath, AC and cable TV. It is very retro and a lot of fun.




Jim

[-=Jeff=-]

Get your Kicks on Route 66

Very cool Jim

[G-Sting]

Looks like a blast of a trip with your beautiful lady and Z.

Enjoy,
G

[Rex Ruby]

Fun Trip!
Beautiful "new" car!

[QB93Z]

On Friday, we left the shelter of our Teepee and explored Holbrook, AZ. We found the largest Route 66 Mural on the wall behind a restaurant:




We drove to Petrified Forest National Park. The park is part of a larger area of Arizona called the Painted Desert. I was confused, thinking that there were two different parks, and I was missing a park. A friendly Park Ranger straightened me out.



I don't remember if I ever mentioned the value of a National Park Service Senior Pass. I got one a year ago and ,have not had to pay regular park admission at any National Park since. The Pass can be "purchased" (registered for) at any National Park for US citizens 62 years or older. For those of you who wonder, I do qualify.

Petrified Forest National Park is located on I-40 near Holbrook in eastern Arizona. The park is accessed from a 28 mile long, north-south road with a gate at each end. The points of interest in the park are very clearly marked and all of the roads, trails and facilities are in excellent condition.
The northern portion of the park is predominately a badlands area with beautifully colored, weathered sedimentary rock formations.




There is an interesting relic of the early days of Route 66 at the location of the original right of way:



Another portion of the park highlights the early people that lived in the area that is now eastern Arizona. There are several archeological sites of dwellings and several sites of petroglyph rock carving:




to be continued.....

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Neat stuff for sure!

Be safe!

[FU]

Well Jim I thought you were in your early 50's .

[QB93Z]

The third part of the park is the petrified logs. They are scattered throughout the southern section of the Park. A lot of the petrified logs have been exposed by the erosion of the sedimentary rock in the badlands. We hiked down into a canyon from the top of Blue Mesa:





Here are some pieces of petrified wood. The look like they were chopped off a log last week:




In some places the erosion has exposed and piled up large quantities of the "logs":




We met a couple from France who took a picture of us in the canyon:



After exploring the National Park, we drove to Santa Fe, NM and had a chance to visit with one of my brothers and his family:



to be continued......

[QB93Z]

Friday night in Santa Fe, we continued our Retro Motel theme and stayed in the Silver Saddle Motel. The motel was built in 1953 and is very well restored to its original condition but with modern facilities. We stayed in the Willie Nelson room.




On Saturday, we drove south from Santa Fe, but instead of taking I-25, we took a New Mexico Scenic Byway called The Turquoise Trail, NM-14 from Santa Fe to Albuquerque:




We stopped in the town of Madrid, NM. It is a former gold and coal mining town that was a ghost town for a while but has risen again as a artist community. There are a lot of cafes, shops and markets. The town still has an "off the grid" feel to it:






After our excursion, we got back on I-25 and drove to El Paso, Texas:




We arrived in time to visit the El Paso Museum of Art and see the exhibit of works by two of Lyndi's favorite artists, Wallisy Kandinsky and Franz Marc:



Jim