7-23-17

We were supposed to leave at 7:00 because we have a long driving day but I overslept my alarm which was set for weekdays only for the first time on this trip so we didn't get out of Chinle until 8:00. A short drive down to Hubbell Trading Post and we arrived at 8:25. The ranger was doing the morning chores of feeding the chickens and offered the kids to help. They gave hay to the horses and then took some to the sheep and llama. They asked her good questions and the llama even ate from Luke's hand. We then went into the visitor center and explored the exhibits. There is a loom that visitors can use to weave like the Navajo rug makers. Like loved it and the ranger taught him a good bit about it. We also got to tour the Hubbell home and learn a little about this family that was a friend of the Navajo people. The ranger also answered our questions about poverty, living on the reservation, how to get housing, what life was like. It was a very good conversation and while we look at some of their houses as being so poor they are happy which made me feel better.  We left there around 10:00 to head to Petrified Forest. 

We drove about an hour and had lunch in the shade at the visitor center. Lorelei completed her junior ranger and then we drove the 26 mile road, stopping at the overlooks, walking amongst the treerocks. It was pretty cool. Back out the same way we had come, I drove 45 minutes to the New Mexico rest area to pick up a map and make a bathroom stop. We aren't stopping to see anything in New Mexico on this trip but the map will come in handy later. Scott drove about 225 miles and we stopped for gas and a snack. I drive for the next two and a half hours while the kids watched a movie in the back seat and we arrived in Amarillo about 10:00. We lost two hours from the time at the Petrified Forest but we will be on Central time until next Saturday. New Mexico was pretty boring, empty field after empty field with the exception of Albuquerque. We only have tonight in Texas as we continue east into National park sites in Oklahoma.