This summer, the our mascot went on a new adventure to Arizona! Now he's excited to share his trip with you.
To kick off the summer, Staggy took a trip to the other side of the country- Arizona!
The 5 hour flight from Logan Airport left at noon, but when the plane landed in Phoenix, it was only 2:00, due to the three hour time difference.
The first stop was in Sedona, a place well known for its red rock formations and beautiful views. After a short hike and a bit of climbing, Staggy reached the top of Bell Rock, a popular tourist destination where you can look out over a gorgeous view. The peak of Bell Rock is also known to be a special spiritual place to connect with nature, called a vortex. Staggy can’t confirm this legend for you, but he can tell you that it was worth the hike.
Though the rocks of Sedona appear to be red, they are actually made of white particles of sand that have a rust coat around them. Because of this, it is easy to draw or write a message by using a small piece of limestone as a crayon. Staggy made sure that the whole world knew he had been there, but still respected the environment around him and didn’t vandalize. The message was written in sand and will blow away in the wind.
Just north of Flagstaff lies a group of extinct volcanoes, called the San Francisco Volcanic Field. There are over 600 volcanoes here, but Sunset Crater caused the most recent eruption which happened just 9 centuries ago. As pressure underneath the volcano built all those years ago, it did not erupt from it’s peak like most do. Instead, it exploded from the side, causing a lava flow that goes on for two miles. Today, it is a hiking trail for all people (and stags) to enjoy. Except for the native americans, who believe that the lava is the blood of giants!
These ruins may seem fairly small to us now, but they were actually the tallest, largest, and most expensive buildings of their time. Experts disagree on what it’s purpose was. Some say that it was a collection of homes, housing 300 people. Others say that it was a massive marketplace. Nobody knows for sure if it was any of these things, but they do know that it was built by the Anasazi tribe, which mysteriously disappeared for reasons still unknown to us.
Staggy’s last stop on vacation was at the Grand Canyon! This picture was taken at the South Rim, where the maximum depth is 6,093 feet. It brings in about 5 million visitors each year, and for good reason. It’s considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world!
Staggy loved his trip to Arizona, and loved sharing his trip with you! He's excited to see you again soon, when he's exploring another part of the world!
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