We spent the first part of the morning looking around the centre of Flagstaff. Dave enjoyed the railway station, and we found out about the founding and development of the town.
Next leg of the journey was Route 66 to Sunset Crater Volcano.
The approach was through basalt fields of black, blocky rock which often appeared
having strange shapes.
having strange shapes.
There has been much volcanic activity in this area in relatively recent times, and Sunset Crater Volcano is the youngest example, having appeared just before the Norman Conquest of England, in 1064.
Our walk gave us a good view of the volcanic landscape around us and showed clearly the stages of development of vegetation on a new landscape, through lichens, simple, solitary plants which need little soil and more varied shrubs through small trees to the larger Ponderosa Pines. These trees are much in evidence in the surrounding area.
Solitary plant making headway
I must admit to being a little disappointed, as we had read about the reds and yellows
of the rocks and, although there was plenty of red, the whole was not reminiscent of a sunset! Maybe it was partly because of the cloudy day.
of the rocks and, although there was plenty of red, the whole was not reminiscent of a sunset! Maybe it was partly because of the cloudy day.
We passed through a large range of landscape and vegetation before reaching Grand Canyon.
Once again, of course, a massive WOW!
Two dimensional photography simply cannot capture the grandeur of the spectacular landscape. Add to that the fact that a single still photo cannot take in the whole panorama and that the sun was hidden from view so the colours of the rocks and Colorado River are dimmed, and any photo here but is a pale reflection of the wonderful reality.
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