Hitchhiking for a long time.

I 40 and its interesting people you meet along the way!

Dinosaurs and mannequins

After a morning hike on the white house trail at 7am, I returned to Thunderbird motel to pack up, ate breakfast, and hit the long road back to Flagstaff. The long and somewhat boring route when one gets to highway 40 must have been the reason so many strange, somewhat alarmingly bizarre roadside attractions were placed here in the first place. As I came over the ridge of another part of the dreary highway the madness appeared. Giant dinosaurs sort of crappy looking, with mannequins hanging out of their jaws, other mannequins posed by rusted out cars and school busses. It was creepy and bizarre and somewhat cool.

Canyon de Chelly

Escaping the desert heat I drove and drove up through Phoenix, and into the cool pines of Flagstaff. I had some great pizza, coffee at an interesting coffee house and just enjoyed the cool weather. I then broke free of the huge population, 50,000 or so of Flagstaff and hit the road East into the Navajo Nation. Heading East on interstate 40 for about 50 or so miles, I then made the turn North onto 191 further into Navajo land I ventured, until I reached my destination. Canyon de Chelly is a natural wonder that is so breathtaking even my photo will only give the viewer a glimpse or suggestion of its true beauty

Plain of the six glaciers trail

I had come near the end of the trial. After the tea house about one more mile and then time to turn around. This shot is on my way back, snow receding now and in the distance the famous Lake Louise. The 8.4 mile hike was rewarded with views that only can be described as breathtaking. Actually at some uphill, snow and ice filled trail areas I was breathless! What an extraordinary, visually sensational area this is. Banff National Park, just west of Calgary in Canada is a true wonder, I hope to go back.

Tea House on the "Plain of the six glaciers" trail

As I continued up the steep and sometimes snowy trail, the beauty all around me made the somewhat strenuous hike easy. Of course  a tea house built in 1927 that served tea and hot meals was also a factor in my decision to hike the Plain of the six glaciers trail.

The amazing Canadian Rockies

Standing still for a moment I realized the awesome beauty that was all around me. Sheer cliffs with ice and snow clinging to their sides and sparkling in the warm sunlight, I gazed in awe at the sight before me. How small I felt, insignificant in fact to the massive glaciers that perched upon their mighty mountain tops.

Surprise on the trail

As I worked my way up the trail, a surprise awaited me, lots of snow!  Treading carefully in my trail shoes, I made crunching sounds as my feet went deep into the white, powder. Luck would be on my side as other hikers had already created a footpath I could follow. Stepping into the tracks that determined my route, I suddenly broke through the icy, cold crust sending a large brick size piece of snow and ice cascading down into a fast moving stream. This was a reminder of the precarious path I was on.