The Vermillion Cliffs to Arizona

Mondays drive took us through yet more spectacular scenery, as we wove our way through town to find yet another scenic route, the Vermillion Cliffs Highway.  We purchased a great book, made for truckers, that gives tips about turns and grades, and it has become our bible in deciding if we can manage a route.  This one actually seemed better than the one the GPS recommended, and we were so happy to have chosen it!  A few twists and turns, a few steep grades, but boy, the views!  The road took us right alongside the most beautiful scenery between  the Vermillion Cliffs  National Monument, and the Kaibab National Forest, through the Marble Canyon, and over the Navajo Bridge. And as the red cliffs faded away, the ghostly peaks in front of us slowly  revealed themselves to be the San Francisco Peaks, all dark green and smattered with the loveliest gold and orange, glowing in the afternoon sun, that we could only think must be the aspens in their fall glory. Quite a ride!

The only overlook on this road provided a nice spot for lunch!  Looking  closely we could see the straight line across the field that follows the cliffs, which is the road we were approaching. 

We got into Flagstaff, set up, and rushed off to the Lowell Observatory for the afternoon tours.  Now, Sas was not especially happy to have us rush off, as he was amazingly lovable after a full day on the road, and despite considerable time given to petting, his adoration turned into a real pout, laying facing away, and refusing our attention when he realized we were leaving!  I thought of him many times during the afternoon, but sure enough, he had forgotten and forgiven by the time we returned, and met us with unquestionable affection!


But I digress!  The Observatory has a fascinating story, built by Percival Lowell, a man from a prominent Massachusetts family who has a town named after them, and the funds to construct the domes that housed the telescopes, one of which discovered Pluto.....then, of course, a planet!  We discussed this fact, and many others, with our guide, as we were escorted into the domes and buildings, inspected the giant telescopes, and walked the very interesting Pluto Trail, where each inch represented 93 million miles between  plaques representing the planets.  And where would the stars be, he asked?  Well, we would have to walk to Los Angeles!

Rotunda Museum was the original science laboratory

telescope weighs 6 ton!  

This is the oldest dome and Clark Telescope built in 1896, which provided the first evidence of the expanding universe. 

The Ford tires helped rotate the heavy dome, built of local Ponderosa pine.  The wooden chair at top of ladder provided a spot for the observer.

These three photos are of Percival Lowell's Mausoleum, which his wife had built after his untimely death at the age of 61 as the result of a stroke. 

The Pluto Walk led to the Pluto Telescope dome. 

This telescope is an astrograph, which has no lens, but takes photos by making light marks on the glass plate at the end. 

We really enjoyed this experience, and Clem remarked what amazing patience this science required, sitting for hours in the dark, following the slow movement.

We went down into town and had dinner at a contemporary restaurant located in a historic plaza, and chatted with our waitress, one of the many youthful inhabitants of  the city.  I asked what we should not miss while visiting, and her number one answer was the Observatory!


 Returning to  Mars Hill  at dark, which arrived very early, since Arizona does not recognize daylight savings, we took advantage of the opportunity to  look through the Clark Telescope and witness the celestial skies.  We had hoped for the rings of Saturn, that our guide on the tour had mentioned we might see, but a cluster of  stars  that was part of the Milky Way was pretty awesome!