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The half-mile path led us around the west side of the rim, giving us spectacular, unfettered views of the crater.
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I huffed and puffed up the first hill (there were many small hills), but after that I did well and managed to stay at the front of the pack. There were more than a dozen of us in the group.
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The guide stopped several times to point out interesting sites and lecture about the history and geology of the crater. It gave us all a chance to catch our breath.
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I tried to imagine the magnitude of the impact, how the ground must have rumbled and rolled, how powerful the sound of the blast must have been. All life within 20 miles of the impact would have been killed.
The tour stopped for a final photo op at the outcropping of red rock I pointed out in my last post.
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The guide offered to take this shot of Dylan, Sarah, and me on the ledge above the crater floor.
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The first picture on this post, with Dylan seated on the red rock, was also taken here.
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The steps on the left lead up to the highest observation deck, while the path on the right leads to the lower platforms. Here, Dylan and Sarah wrestled over the telescope.
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At the bottom of the crater are unsafe mine shafts that have been fenced off. An American flag and a 6-foot tall plywood Astronaut are attached to one fence, but they aren't visible from the rim with the naked eye.
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He managed to capture one, but it escaped. Here he is pursuing it off the path. I reminded him that nasties like scorpions also inhabit the area!
Finally, we climbed a long flight of steps to the top observation deck. My legs ached, but the view was amazing!
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The high-desert plains stretched out more than 40 miles in all directions. In the further distance were the volcanic mountain ranges so common in this area. Gorgeous!
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In this shot you also see one of the lower platforms.
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The wind had really picked up by this time. Dylan was leaning into the wind, shouting, "There's nothing but air behind me, Mom. You might wanna hurry up and take the picture!"
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You'd think wind erosion would be a concern (it reaches 100+ mph in this area), but it doesn't disturb the interior too much. They receive less than 7 inches of rain annually, which helps prevent water erosion.
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It was a great, impromptu day trip, an opportunity to see the hand of God in the world around us.
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And time well spent with my children!
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