Petrified and Riding In The Dark

Today my goal was to put some distance from Santa Fe towards San Diego while avoiding the wild fires in Arizona. I left Santa Fe while it was 65 degrees and I had to use my riding jacket for the first time. Quite a change from 100 degree days. I took 25S to Albuquerque and headed west on 40 towards Flagstaff. I stopped near Grant NM to get gas and met a guy that was headed to Colorado Springs from Phoenix. He said it was his first long trip without his brother. Funny, this is the same scenario for me too. Not his brother but mine. The countryside flew by and I stopped in Gallup NM to get an ice cream cone for lunch. I couldn't find the place that I was looking for so I stopped by a McDonald's and asked a female security guard how to find it. Of course she had no idea but made up a route that took me the long way around the town. I ended up back where I got off the highway. I did get to see the New Mexico Women's Correctional Facility though. I had to settle for a chocolate shake at Blake's Lotaburger. Back on the road for a few more miles and what pops up but a sign telling me that the Petrified Forest National Park is coming up. I pulled off the next exit and cruised all 28 miles plus most of the lookouts and points. The Painted Desert was awesome and the petrified trees are amazing. I liked them so much that I put two sections of 3' by 2' in diameter on the back of my bike to bring home. Nah, I'm just kidding you can't take and of that stuff with you it's illegal. Plus they probably weighed a couple of tons. It would have played havoc with my gas mileage. Due to all the time I spent in the park I left sort of late and ran into the slowly sinking sun from the west. As a matter of fact it was right in my eyes for about 45 minutes. After the sun set it got cold and it got a little dark with my sunglasses on. I had to stop again and change glasses and put on my jacket for the second time today. I finally got into Flagstaff around 8:30, but it was really 9:30 since I gained another hour. Tomorrow I head west and south towards San Diego. The t-shirt now has gone over 2600 miles and is none the worse for wear. I drove 428 miles today.