Sunday 18th May

Left El Rancho after a late and expensive breakfast, to make the detour to Window Rock home of the Navajo Nation. Great photo opp. plus bought some hand made navajo jewellery. Took highway 12 down to the Interstate 40 again, managed to take a slight detour somewhere and ended up doing a 3 mile stretch of dirt track which according to the maps doesn't exist! This was VERY interesting! Saw gophers scattering out of our way as we passed. Thought we'd better rejoin main road asap, stopping in Chambers for lunch. As it was Sunday not much else was open so we missed the route 66 diner. Took a long detour through the Painted Desert (fantastic coloured rock formations) and then the Petrified Forest not quite what we imagined as there is not much actual forest left, seems to have been 'spirited away' for various commercial reasons! Making jewellry being one. Absolutely nothing to be seen for miles on the road between the end of the Petrified Forest and Holbrook, our overnight stop. As it was very very hot, we were extremely thirsty when we arrived - a stop at the local Safeway was a must.
Stayed in teepees overnight (with mod cons), actually quite sweet.