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birdfotos.com
Driving the Highways & Byways
of Arizona with Earle Robinson as he searches for Arizona Wild Life
and interest places to visit.
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One of worlds largest and best preserved Meteor Craters.
35* 01.1975 North - 111* 01.258 West
35 miles east of Flagstaff, Arizona & 6 miles north off I-40.
At the intersection of I-40 & Meteor Crater Road.
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The above image was on the wall in the visitors center.
I did not see any copyright signs on anything so I photographed it.
Also you see by the reflections it was behind a glass front.
This is a non profit web site and I consider everything in the way of photos a benefit for & to the images I put on.
If this image is in any violation of the Museums rules or copyrights please let know using your name & position
and I will call the museum to verify your notice & then remove the image.
Approximately 50 thousand years ago a meteorite traveling at 40,000 miles per hour struck this area.
Scientist estimate it weighed several thousand tons and was approximately 150 feet across.
The explosive force upon impact was greater than 20 million tons of TNT.
In less than a few seconds a crater some 700 feet deep and over 4000 feet across was carved out of the earth here.
It's estimated that over 175 million tons of earth was thrown out in order to form this crater.
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Climbing to highest lookout platform, here is a photo that I have pieced together of the crater.
3 photos pasted together.
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Highest look out platform
I don't know how high this platform is, but if there's a chance of wind or lightning, they close it off.
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Looking back down those long steps.
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From the highest lookout, looking at the lower platform.
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On display in the Crater's Museum is this fragment of the meteorite.
I is approximately 2 1/2 feet long, approximately 12 inches bottom to top and the same front to back.
It weighs approximately fifteen hundred (1500) pounds and is 90% iron.
The guide told us it was worth is in the millions,
however if anyone could pick it up and carry it their car they could have it for free. :-).
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This is their visitor's parking lot that they say was the original size of the meteor
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Be sure to see the movie, its starts on the hour & 1/2 hour, also take the rim tour.
They won't let you take it unless you have on full covered shoes.
They will also talk to you about the path condition, the high altitude and breathing problems.
The tour is one hour long and covers one mile round trip.
Our guide was named Bob and he started off inside the museum telling us about the meteorite that is on display.
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So, let's get this tour on its way.
If your as old as I am, I would suggest a walking stick.
I'm at home with these rocks because we are both about the same age :-) .
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I was just looking back to see the beginning of the tour trail.
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Every so often Bob would stop along the edge of the crater and tell its story to us.
And I mean it was on the crater's edge.
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About half way out a very pleasant surprise came into view.
YE, ole watering hole.
Every morning the park people would carry out buckets of ice and water and put them in this boxed in thermos.
I'll take a cup of water if you mind, and immediately someone handed me one.
You could also stop here on the way back.
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The original museum.
Looks a bit in need of repairs. I think, he said it was used in the 1920's, but don't quote me on that.
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Having trouble with my balancing, I did not go down to edge of this place called Picture rock.
It actually hung out over the edge and you could stand there and have you picture taken, (that is if you had feathers on you)
Not me, I just went part way and watched the others stand on the edge and it was some 700 feet straight down.
This was for the Young, the Brave, and the Foolish in some cases.
All I could hear was a parent yelling out, HEY, get back away from that edge before you fall in.
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After that walk, and when I got back, I went into their Sub Shop and had a sandwich & soda,
Wew, I know the walk must of been good for the old hart because I could really feel mine beating.
I do believe it's Siesta time.
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