January 23, 2016
Meteor Crater
When we first started talking about going trucking we were excited to be able to see all kinds of cool things across the country. This doesn’t happen as much as we thought it might. We are regularly driving back and forth on I-40 from California to the east coast. The Meteor Crater is a National Landmark along that route in Arizona. We have said from the first time we saw the signs that someday when the time is right we are going to stop. We asked a few drivers over the cb if they had ever stopped to check it out and none had, they said it was just a big hole in the ground. Well, that time was right a couple days ago. We had nearly a day extra before our delivery, so we took a 6 mile detour off of I-40. For those of our friends that also drive big rigs…there is parking!
What is the Meteor Crater you ask?, well it really is just a big hole in the ground. But….it was pretty cool to stop and see, cuz it is a really big, big hole. It is the best preserved crater on Earth. Larger than it looks even in person. I know that sounds crazy and not possible…but look through the photos and see what can’t be seen unless being viewed through a telescope or zoom lens. We took the guided tour and walked all over the rim where they have paths. We watched the short movie they had and learned some cool facts about meteors. They also have an interactive discovery center which was interesting and informative. Their gift shop was pretty neat, as gift shops go. Filled with typical gift shop items, along with a large selection of fossils, all real, not reproduction. They also have a rock shop with a knowledgeable staff that was able to answer all questions! Well worth the detour!
Some facts about the Meteor Crater…that big hole is nearly a mile across and originally was 700 feet deep, but due to wind and other factors it is filling up, so now it is only 550 feet or so deep. To put that into perspective, if you placed the Washington Monument in the bottom, the top would be at eye level when standing on the rim of the crater. The circumference of the rim is about two and a half miles. To give you a better idea as to the crater’s size, imagine twenty football games being played simultaneously on its floor, while more than two million spectators observe from its sloping sides. It is a really big hole!!
