The Road Trip East Continues; Visiting The Giant Meteor Crater, The Wigwam Motel And The Sacred Shiprock

Five image panorama of Meteor Crater Natural Landmark (click to enlarge)
Olympus E-M1 Mark II, Panasonic/Leica 8-18mm f/2.8-4 lens @ 8mm; 1/1000th sec. @ f/9; ISO 200

From Flagstaff, Arizona we started our long journey back east to Virginia.  Our first stop would be the giant meteor crater about 6 miles south of Interstate 40, just west of Winslow, Arizona (You know Winslow—"Sanding on the corner in Winslow Arizona such a fine sight to see.  A girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford slowed down to take a look at me".  They actually have the corner decked out with a sign and a flatbed red Ford.)

I have a university degree in Geology and this artifact has always been of interest to me. I've seen it when flying over the area in a commercial airliner.  Twice before, I missed it when driving by (it was closed) and I definitely wanted to stop and see it this time.

The meteor crater was formed about 50,000 years ago and is about 3900 ft. (1200m) in diameter and 560 ft. (170m) deep.  When the meteor hit, it upthrust the surrounding rock strata about 150 ft. (45m).  The object that created this hole about 3/4 of mile across is thought to have been only 160 ft. (50m) in diameter.  It is thought to have struck the earth at a rate of 8 miles/second or 12.8km/second.  Their presentation indicates is is the most intact meteor crater on earth and has been and will continue to be studied by scientists.

The meteor crater, a bit surprisingly, is privately owned and a visitor's center, Discovery Center and grounds are very well done.  We had a nice visit, watched a short movie about the crater's history, climbed down a bit into the crater, visited the Discovery Center and were on our way in about an hour and a half.  I thought it was well worth the visit.

Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona (click to enlarge)
Fujifilm X-T2, 16-55mm f/2.8 lens @ 16mm; 1/240th sec. @ f/8; ISO 200

Our next stop was in Holbrook, Arizona, home of the Wigwam Motel on old Route 66.  I'll let you look it up if you want more information, but photographically it is rich.  People still do stay in the wigwams each night as it is a working motel.  This is the second time I made some images of this visually interesting property.

From Holbrook, we continued our way east.  I wanted to visit Shiprock.  Shiprock (the actual rock versus the small New Mexico town of the same name) is sacred to the Native Americans and is about 9 miles off the main road to get close enough to photograph it.  

Shiprock rises 1583 ft. (482m) above the desert floor.  I wasn't sure how close I could get to it without being asked to leave but I drove to a dirt road onto which I could turn in and park. There was another car parked there and I noticed a well dressed man about 20 ft. up a hill crouching down photographing this noted monolith.  We greeted each other and he told me that he was a beginner photographer and would I allow him to see how I was going to set up my camera.  Of course, I replied.

Shiprock in northwestern New Mexico at the center of the Ancestral Pueblo culture (click to enlarge)
Fujifilm X-T2, 50-140mm f/2.8 lens @ 84mm; 1/450th sec. @ f/11; ISO 200

I picked out several compositions, told him what I was doing, let him look at the LCD on my Fujifilm X-T2 with the 50-140mm f/2.8 lens attached, and answered all of his questions.  I knew that I was giving him too much information at one time and was afraid he would suffer from information overload and not remember much of it.  I told him I would give him my business card and I would contact him after I returned home and promised to help him in anyway I could.  He then gave me his and it turns out he is a Navajo Nation judge!  Former police chief meet the judge!  A nice coincidence.

He went on his way and I continued to photograph a bit more, moving a little closer trying to work the shadows on this monadnock.  I really wanted to photogaph it just before sunset to have the sunlight parallel and very warm coming from the left but timing did not work out.  Next time.  I'm including an image of it here and will probably post another after I return home.

From Shiprock, we continued east to the city of Farmington, New Mexico where we settled comfortably in a hotel looking forward to getting a good night sleep.  We had dinner in a locally owned diner, which is our preference, avoiding chain restaurants whenever possible.

Next post, we visit the narrow gauge steam railroad in Chama, New Mexico then travel on to Taos, New Mexico, which has some very visually interesting and historically photographed structures. I think you may recognize them when you see them.

Join me over at Instagram @dennisamook or my website, www.dennismook.com. 

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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