Another Hole in the Ground

On my way to the Petrified Forest, I'd driven by signs for a meteor crater.  I was intrigued, and saved it for after my National Park tours.  It also promised to be a shorter day, and I was flying back to Michigan on a redeye.  I make brilliant decisions because I had class the next morning.  I wasn't really functional, but that's beside the point.

Meteor Crater was disappointing being seen after the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert.  Yes, it was cool, but it was privately owned.  They charge too much money and don't let you do anything but go on a tour around only part of the rim.  They don't let you descend into it.  I had just done bigger changes in elevation than that the previous two days.  I was displeased, but the tour was pretty good.  The tour guide told the stories of how the history of people trying to figure out what it was.  My favorite part was the fossil discussion that emphasized that at one point, this harsh, barren desert was a lush, watery paradise (which was also clear in the Petrified Forest because water needed to be around to petrify the wood).