Ted Sees Old Trees

Ted got his first look at the Petrified Forest in New Mexico. He can't see where there could have ever been any trees there.

This is the largest petrified tree in Geronimo:

• The forest spans about 146 square miles of semi-desert shrub steppe and highly eroded and colorful badlands
• About 600,000 people visit the park each year
• The fallen trees lived during the Late Triassic, about 225 million years ago
• Other fossils have been found in the park including ferns, cycads, ginkgoes, and fauna including giant reptiles called phytosaurs, large amphibians, and early dinosaurs
• The earliest human inhabitants arrived at least 8,000 years ago. They grew corn in the area and built pit houses. Later inhabitants built pueblos
• More than 600 archeological sites have been discovered in the park

Ted visited the 9/11 Remembrance Garden in Winslow, AZ. The people of Winslow were one of the first to request pieces of the World Trade Center tower for theim memorial garden.

These are the two girders given to the people of Winslow by the City of  New York:

Ted tried to visit Meteor Crater on his way home, but the line was too long!

Instead, Ted pretended he was rubble from the meteor!

Ted finally reached Nevada, the last state between him and his home driveway!

 Ted got to see the bright lights of Vegas for a little while before he found out that the Electric Daisy Carnival patrons had booked every single room in the city! So he headed on to Barstow...

Ted got an early start this morning for home and arrived just after 1pm! Now he is home safe and sound and resting up for his next adventure:

In the first week of August, Ted will be traveling to the OC Fair to see Weezer in concert. He will also be going to the beach and taking a much needed vacation! Stay tuned!

Ted is Almost Home

 Ted is almost at the end of his first cross-country journey! He crossed into New Mexico yesterday and is ambling towards home today. Tomorrow he should be back in his own driveway!

I hear Ted wanted to see the buffalo at the Cherokee Trading Post, but this was all that's left:

Ted passed back into Texas! Check out a previous post for some fun Texas facts.

Ted visited the Leaning Water Tower in Groom, TX. The water tower no longer functions, and is purely decorative now. Ralph Britten bought it after it was slated for demolition and used it as a sign for his truck stop and tourist info center. For Christmas, the town of Groom lights up a large star on the top of the tower.

 Here is Ted at the New Mexico Border:

•  The Rio Grande in New Mexico is the longest river in the US
• Yucca, New Mexico's state flower, is used to make rope
• The world's first atomic bomb was detonated on the White Sands testing range outside of Alamogordo
• The "white sand" is actually composed of gypsum crystals
• New Mexico records the highest number of Catholics in any western state
• New Mexico's area is around 121,665 square miles, but has only 225 square miles of surface water area
• In Carrizozo it is forbidden for a female to appear unshaven in public
• More than 500, 100-million year old dinosaur footprints have been identified in Clayton Lake State Park
• At Lake Valley, miners discovered silver in veins so pure that the metal could be sawn off in blocks, instead of having to be dug out by traditional methods
•  In New Mexico, it is against the law to dance around a Sombrero
•  The town of Deming is known for its annual duck races

Ted found the famed Bates Motel, but he will NOT be staying there, no matter how much hot water they have!

Home again, home again!

Ted's Next Adventure:

Late last night Ted raced into New Mexico too fast for a good photo. Stay tuned for more Ted in  New Mexico!