 
The BIG news this week is that both classes have now
completed the state of New Mexico and are virtually running
and walking in Arizona!! Congratulations!
The 4th graders have regained the lead and are currently
ahead of the 5th graders by 4 miles. Both classes have less
than 700 miles remaining on this journey and Arizona is
going to be 388 miles to get across.
The 4th grade class is 10½
miles into the state of Arizona. They're currently in Houck,
Arizona - a town of about 1,000 people and 97% of them are
American Indian. The town sits at 6,042 feet (about twice as
high as Missoula in elevation) and the month of March is
when Houck gets most of its snowfall for the year... so you
might want to think about crossing this area with snowshoes
on! Keep in mind that Arizona did not set its clocks ahead
one hour this past weekend as most of the other U.S. states
did. The states of Arizona and Florida do not observe
daylight savings time.
The 5th graders are 6½
miles into the state of Arizona. They're currently in
Allentown, Arizona - a settlement of only a few American
Indian families. It may be a place to stop, knock on a door,
and ask for a glass of water... but that's about it. At
least the 5th graders are in Arizona... they're 7th state of
this 8-state journey.
Arizona is one of the most thinly populated states in the
U.S.A. This is harsh but beautiful country. The air is
clear and sharp and the mountains rise spectacularly from a
rather flat landscape. Cattle are raised in northern Arizona
and the ranchers in this state are from generations of
cattle ranchers. Stories of shoot-outs and lost gold mines
are still told by the people in Arizona who lived through
those days. Nighttime on a clear Arizona evening is amazing.
If you stand out in the Arizona countryside... away from any
city lights... the stars appear incredibly bright in the sky
and are quite a show to see!
Both classes have been doing very well on this Route 66 trek
and now only have Arizona and California left to conquer.
Which class will reach the finish line first? Will it be the
4th graders? Or, will it be the 5th graders? Time will tell.
Thanks for stopping by this milepost update.
Click Here To Read The Next
Journal Entry > >
|
5th Grade (42 students): Added
27½
miles this week.
Their total is
1,578½
miles.
They have 699½
miles
left and are 69% done with the trek.
