Day 5: Painted Desert and Petrified Forrest
Ayeeeee, back at it again with the shacka gang, we know y'all missed us!!!
We woke up at a crisp 5 this morning and packed up to head out of NMMI. We got on the bus and headed across open plains towards Arizona.
During this long drive, we saw millions of bushes, all the same species. As we passed through Albuquerque, New Mexico, it looked straight out of Star Wars with exquisite architecture. For breakfast, we had bagels with cream cheese and very refreshing crunchy grapes, which were absolutely amazing.
After driving through the desert for what felt like an eternity. The Grumpys blessed us with REAL bacon bits, chicken, ham, and cheese. We devoured it and left no crumbs.
As we pulled up to Arizona, we were petrified at the sight of the forest! After our group photo, we made our way to the top of the mountain to see the beautiful view of the Painted Desert. We learned that the trees turned into stone after millions of years of being in Arizona! We took many photos! (too many maybe) Afterwards, we were informed about our recent locations! We gained Einstein-level knowledge from our research presentations today. We learned that Ozzy Osborn got arrested for public urination at the Alamo in Texas. We also found out that the Carlsbad Cavern can fit 12 football fields in the Big Room! "If you think waiting for your food to heat up in the microwave takes forever, imagine waiting 225 million years to turn into a rock." - our very own Leah.
After driving through the petrified heat, we were hungry and got served chicken salad sandwiches with chips and grapes. This delicious meal fueled us as we approached the Grand Canyon.
We arrived at the beautiful Grand Canyon lookout and embraced the amazing views of the eye-catching canyon. We split into many groups and took pictures and looked over the edge to see just how deep the canyon was. The breathtaking views cannot be captured by pictures alone, but by experiencing and appreciating the gorgeous view.
We walked back to the park to get our things and set up camp, and then we walked a mile and a half as we made our way to the beautiful scenery of the canyon to watch the sunset. Many photos were taken, and many jaws dropped enjoying the views. On our walk back, we saw a big family of elk with four fawns and two mamas.
Eventually, we made it back to the campsite, and we began to pack our bags for the morning. The Grumpys provided us with breakfast, lunch, and snacks for our treacherous hike in the morning.
Even in the cold, we are all very, very excited to wake up before the butt crack of dawn to gather our hiking materials and head out for the once-in-a-lifetime hike in the Grand Canyon. Goodnight and peace out from the Dopest group, the Dopeys.
— LOVE: Reid Reagan Bynum Karleigh Owen Quinn AC Leah Taylen Amanda Emma Patrick Ella G and Emory
