Reward at the end of the rainbow

Greetings from Victorville, our first pit stop!

Arizona is very dry, flat and hot so they have to invent things of interest for the motorists....we did not stop...what is your best guess?

Alrighty then.......

We have been to the Mesa Verda Cliff dwellings but Walnut Canyon is very unique.  The homes are built into the side of sheer cliffs and to get water they had to travel 1/2 mile straight down to the canyon.  Besides the fact that this area is covered in snow in the winter.  They were built around 1100 and left in 1250 for the motel 6. Very cool and extremly interesting. 

The mountain in the middle of this picture is where most of the dwellings were; as the community grew they branched off to other mountains and the only way to gain access was to go to the bottom or top and then up or down.  They did have the first telephone system by shouting across the canyon to one another.  I guess you could say anything you wanted because by time they got over to beat you up they would be pretty tired.

We did do a lot of driving and did not have our V8....and we can not figure out how to edit the picture once it is in, turn your computer to view.

Rain, Rain Rain...a quick little thunder and lightening show and then...a nice beautiful rainbow. 

The Petrified National Forest, yes we got in free as well as the cliff dwellings on John's senior lifetime pass!

The visitor center was closed but we were able to drive throught and soak in all this beauty.  We wooped up some hotdogs and coleslaw...ahh life is good!