By the time we pulled into Hope, Alaska, we were out of ideas. We were halfway through our trip, but only 30 miles from where we had started.

The park ranger extended his hand, took the worthless rocks we had collected from a parking lot, and zip-tied them into a clear, plastic bag. It turns out theft is a huge problem in the Petrified Forest, and they’re not taking any chances.

Gun shots rang out and suddenly half the cast was dead.