Meteor Crater

The great thing about this trip is that we are driving by some really incredible scenery and we stop when something catches our eye. The SIRUS radio is fantastic and we are singing along to James Taylor's "You've Got a Friend" it is kind of like karaoke on wheels.

So here we are driving along and we see the signs for Meteor Crater. This is a must stop. Who knows they may have some Indian jewelry that we haven't already purchased in one of the numerous Gift Shops or Trading Posts that lure unwary traveler in all along the hi-way.

A piece of the actual meteor that hit 50,000 years ago.

Our astronauts train at Meteor Crater so that they are better prepared to work in craters on the Moon and planets.

One of the first scientists that investigated Meteor Crater upon NOT discovering the meteor under that ground (where he thought it should be) decided that it was a volcano. Wrong! We have Mr. Shoemaker to thank along with Mr. Barringer for the correct answer: METEOR! Mr. Shoemaker was the first US Citizen to be buried on the Moon. It was his dream to be the first geologist to go to the Moon. That was not to be. NASA though did honor him by taking his ashes to the Moon.

The hole left in the ground. Some of the rocks that were thrown into the air on impact were the size of houses! The dimensions of the impact site are: 1.5 miles across, 500 feet deep or a 20 story building could stand in it and the diameter is 1.186 km.

The crater as seen from the air. This is a must see stop. The geology is fasinating and the gift shop has great geodes.

And don't forget to stop at the Subway Sandwich Shoppe for your free cookie!