Day 176. Oct 17th. Wednesday Rest day in Holbrook, AZ

Busy rest day but warm for the most part.  Yesterday, I was enthralled with the “Rivers” running in the washes as they looked like Pepto Bismol.  They were so pink from the red soil and the water was thick.  I couldn’t get a picture and didn’t see it today.

I mentioned that I saw water standing in the desert.  Well, today I did get a shot of that.  I”m not lying.

Yesterday, we rode over Big and Little Lithodendron Wash.  Normally dry but raging from all the rain.  They are not rivers because most of the time they are dry.  But with the unusual rain they have had the last two days, they looked like a river.  I just loved the name.

So yesterday, Francis had three flats and ran out of tubes.  Allison had two flats and was over it.  I would have been over it with the first flat.  Both had flats from the wires of the tires that blew apart on the interstate.  I checked my bike tires today and found one wire in my tire,  pulled it out and hope to heck it didn’t go through to the tube.

Today, five of us went to the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest, courtesy of our two leaders.  We had a great time and even though I’ve driven through it before, it was exciting to see it again.  I was with six other guys and my senior park pass got all of us through at no charge.  Cool!

Now I could show you a shot from behind as they were all taking the same photo but decided there was more interesting things for you to see.

The painted desert is one of my favorites.  So beautiful.

After the Painted Desert we went through the Petrified Forest.  I just love the over 100 ft long petrified log which has been reinforced with concrete underneath it so it isn’t eroded away.

We rode on the interstate yesterday right along side all this beauty and would never have known it was there.  You can’t see it from the interstate even though you are within a mile or so from it in many areas.

Went to dinner at an Italian restaurant with four of the guys from today and thoroughly stuffed myself.  It was so good.  Good thing we had to walk a half mile there and back.  Had a really good time today.  Back on the bike tomorrow..