I made really good progress and have us set up for Phoenix tomorrow.   More sun.  And now killer heat.  All was fine temperature-wise until sometime crossing through the mountains this afternoon south of Sedona and Clarkdale.  It’s after midnight now and still 80-something.  Expected to be 109 tomorrow.  And similar temps here for the next five days or so.  Good lord — I hope Sparkle’s A/C is ready for this!  I think I will continue racing through my lists so that we can get back up north for the rest of the AZ stuff — and eventually the Midwest and  Cincinnati which have got to be cooler!

Heads up — I will probably be taking a night off from Flickring and blogging this week — maybe even tomorrow night.  I’m hoping to hook up with someone for some food and drinks in Phoenix.  I’ll let you know when and if this happens — and, if so, I’ll make up for it with a double batch of photos the following night.

On with today.  We started the day in Holbrook and headed down to the Petrified Forest Gift Shop.  I had some reshooting of the dinosaur statues and teepees there.  And it’s about time for some shots of the kids as well:

 

On a petrified wood stump:

And a rare one with Fixie’s eyes open — and Nik’s mouth shut:

 

On the way back to downtown — this billboard — for the super neat place that doesn’t exist anymore.  It was like one of those drive-thru wild animal parks — but with dinosaur statues instead.  I loved it — and so did the dogs:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agilitynut/76613411/

 

A couple of signs downtown — and a question:  what are these perforated torch like things?
This is the Holbrook Inn sign.  I assume there were lights inside these — maybe even multiple lights inside which would flash and create an exciting effect.  But I’m guessing:

 

A similar thingie in cone form — at Brad’s Desert Inn:

I believe these similar lights in Memphis are static:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agilitynut/430034217/

 

This educational hand painted sign at the Rainbow Rock Shop.   Neat — with palm trees, cactus, carnivorous dinosaur, AND volcano:

 

More signs in Holbrook — I can report from last night that this one is only partially lit.  The sputniky thing on top has only one bulb operating:

 

Love the curvy arrow and frames:

 

Stewart’s Petrified Wood in Holbrook is a must-see stop.  Ostriches, statues… oh, and I guess a gift shop which I’ve still never been in.  Too early on a Sunday morning today — the gates were locked.  But still lots of fun stuff to shoot — including these enticing billboards:

 

St. Joseph has the famous saddled fiberglass jackrabbit statue for photo-ops.  But, more than that, I like this billboard sign:

 

On to Flagstaff.  OK, sign lovers and experts — what did this sign advertise for originally?  That shape is the give-away.  Big hint:  think orange and navy porcelain.  Another hint?  Chain drug store.  Here’s the reveal if you’re still stumped:
http://agilitynut.com/signs/rex.html

 

More faded beauties in Flagstaff:

 

This one reads “Tourist Home”:

 

A not-so-great cover-up — or just faded this way with time.  For the Downtowner Motel now — but I can’t quite make out the original wording:

 

On to Sedona.   Son Silver West has lots of signs — I was there for the giant rooster statue.  But this sign caught my eye — for a Husky gas station:

 

Eventually, to Prescott Valley.  This sign is modern but just weird enough to include here:

 

And this oldie.  I don’t know how much longer this place (and sign) will be around.  Pretty much surrounded by new development:

You may notice some brown haze behind the sign towards the bottom.  That’s smoke from the forest fire(s) going on around here.  My eyes have already been stinging and red from the dust and wind and dryness.  And now with the smoke, they’re killing me.

That’s it for tonight.  If it’s gonna be 109 tomorrow, I’m thinking ice cream is in order!