As our scheduled trip to Chaco National Park was cancelled due to the road not being up to scratch, requiring four-wheel drive in the dry and armoured personnel carrier in the wet, we opted for the lazy Sunday option. You don’t get much time off when your on vacation so we slept in, did a bit of shopping and headed to the dreaded “Denny’s” for lunch. Jen had the seniors omelette and I had the Alaskan Salmon. Total cost twenty bucks with tip. I should point out that the salmon was, according to the menu, supplied by The Alaska Seafood Company so there is a very good chance that the only Alaskan content was the supplier’s name. Are you riveted yet.

Having had our fill of gastronomic delights we agreed ( yes it happens quite regularly occasionally ) to visit the local park. The parks claim to fame being a “nature walk” around church rock and, on account it being a Sunday and all, we set off. The trail may have been a little rough but at least it was very badly marked. I confess, after some little time, I was beginning to wish I hadn’t decided to bring the Alaskan Seafood Company’s fish along for the ride.  After several attempts we managed to find the trail to the lookout and Jen having conquered her fear of falling to her death took some stunning photographs as usual.

It was unfortunate that while taking a macro shot of some local flowering weed that Jen fumbled and dropped her camera. Fortunately it landed softly so was not destroyed. Not so fortunately the soft landing was very fine sand which immediately swallowed the camera whole, only relinquishing its hold after it had filled all the delicate moovy in and out and zoomy bit’s with grit.

We finished the walk in a little over twice the recommended time, a bit of a record even for us, however I suggest that the odd sign here or there may well have helped cut our travel time.

Returning to town battered but not defeated we went in search of a replacement camera. Five pm Sunday in Gallup New Mexico there are not a lot of camera sellers about. Walmart (everyone cheer and sing the Walmart song, remember the song blog) had the only cameras in town, mainly because they are the only people in town having crushed the opposition with cheap prices and average quality stock. We didn’t buy a camera as the sand logged one still functions albeit with protestation.

By now it’s drink o’clock and guess what else you can’t buy in Gallup on a Sunday. Not even at Walmart.

“Lazy Sunday afternoon

I’ve got no mind to worry

Close my eyes and drift a-

Close my mind and drift away”

Thank heaven for The Small Faces.

The last, sand free, pictures follow……

The Goal. Top Of The Rock.

That’s me in the centre next to the tree

Church Rock.

Rock vs. Time.

View from the top.