Saying goodbye to John Wayne country...

During our last day at Gouldings, we went to the Museum.   It houses lots of memorabilia from the days the Gouldings promoted business at the Trading Post by hosting John Ford and his movie makers to film many John Wayne films.  What fun to see reruns of the films and recognize the monuments in them as the ones we had seen during our "epic" tour of the Valley of the Gods!  The museum also displayed the store and upstairs quarters where the Gouldings lived. 

The Trading Post

John Wayne Flick

Driving back to Arizona, we stopped at the Navajo National Monument where we saw a couple of educational films (basket-stitching, ancient Pueblo peoples) and did a little shopping.  Heat of 106 degrees helped the decision to skip the nature trail!

Navajo Hogan

We're settled in at Page, AZ for the July 4th holiday week.  Took a drive to one of Lake Powell's several marinas and enjoyed lunch.  We were surrounded by families with ski boats, water skis, wake boards, and last but not least, houseboats!  Made me think about what my next "rig" should be...

Next Rig????

Floating Restaurant

 

Sandstone "beach"

Following lunch we drove to the Glen Canyon Dam.  Prior to 1955 there was no Page, AZ.  At that time the Department of the Interior developed a water reclamation project to build the Glen Canyon Dam to: 1) provide a water supply for Arizona and 4 neighboring states 2) provide recreational opportunties 3) provide hydroelectric power for the region.  Work on the dam took several years and then it took another 17 years for Lake Powell to reach it's present size, the 2nd largest man-made resevoir in the USA.  We took a "dam tour", had a great guide and learned a lot about, well, a lot!

Bridge & Colorado River

Unique Lake Powell Landscape - white ='s 14 year high water mark

View from the top

Today took us to a whole new dimension in canyons, signing up for a guided tour through a slot canyon.  Located on the Navajo reservation, these slot canyons can only be visited "on tour".  No freewheeling here!  And thank goodness.... we drove 20 minutes on paved roads to get to the entrance to the park...

Antelope Canyon Tours

Then the driver jumped out, engaged the 4-wheel drive and we took off on a 4-mile drive over sand dunes...rutted from many, many tour vehicles before us.  What a bouncy, bone rattling ride!  But it was well worth it when we arrived at the canyon entrance and entered a dreamlike world beneath the desert.... our guide was a more proficient photographer than I, she took over my camera, re-did the settings and pointed out the best shots and angles during the whole tour!  Fantastic!!!  It was difficult keeping up with the tour as we were taking photos, listening to "guide talk" and trying to walk on shifting sands beneath (about 4 inches deept and very, very fine dry sand) but the photos made it all worthwhile.

The result of flash floods, wind, rain over eons...

Deeper and Deeper

Truely Amazing

Light Play - sorry for sideways!

More light play

I was there....

Swirls of sandstone

Bottom up view, gorgeous!

A trip to the Navajo Rim is planned for later today.... they tell me Horseshoe Bend is not to be missed.  Back at ya later...

Valley of the Gods, UT

Just when we think we've seen the best canyon views - we travel another byway and find more incredible and awe-inspiring landscapes.  And today was no exception.  We started our day with the decision not to pay the Navajo nation $20 just to gain access to their visitor center where we'd be encouraged to buy lunch and wares.  Then a guided tour of the reservation and "their" monuments would be another $50 or so per person.  Instead, we headed out on our own, in the truck, and got directions to the Valley of the Gods.  We drove about 30 miles on paved roads and then headed into dirt road territory.  I confess that the further along we went, the more times I found myself holding my breath and holding the steering wheel for all I was worth.  The most challenging was a hairpin turn with no wiggle room and a 4 wheeler coming in the other direction!  Still not sure how I did it. I'm posting a few extra photos as this day merits it:

P

"Painted Mountains"

Mexican Hat

Collecting More Sand

Is there anything on the other side?????

Delicate Balance

Massive Wall of Rock - 20 stories?

The we got to the hairpin.... this photo doesn't begin to share the 'fear factor'.

Hairpin turn...almost quit, but AAA out here? Then the other car came 'round the corner!

By this time the adrenalin was working and there was no stopping us...

Smooching Rocks?

Organ Grinder Monkey on Left

Frog Rocks - note smile & eye

San Juan River Bridge on the way "home".

I'm so glad we did the trip "our way".  It was a 17 mile drive that felt like 40, but it sure was fun!

Monument Valley Utah

We're back in Utah... at Gouldings Monument Valley Campground.  We're smack dab in the middle of Navajo country and got here early enough to do a little shopping.  But first things first... the roads between Mesa Verde, CO and here are atrocious!  Worst stretch of road since we left Florida.  But we got here safely albeit with a bad case of leg cramps.  And when we opened the rig - most of the stuff in the fridge was dislodged and scattered and in the dish cabinet three mugs were broken.  Guess the rockin' and rollin' was just a bit too much.  Ah well, a good excuse to buy some new souvenier mugs! 

Here's a photo of "the sleeping Ute" mountain on our way out of Mesa Verde.  Can you see him?  Head to the right, arms folded over chest....

O.K. maybe I've been out here in the desert too long... you've gotta have imagination.

On arrival we had a quick lunch, then headed for the local Indian Gift shops.  Got my eye on a couple of pieces, but want to be sure before buying.  I did, however, happen upon a very pretty hair barrette and it seems the sales clerk apparently didn't have pricing advice from her boss.... it's beaded on white leather and she sold it to me for $15!!!!  I do love a bargain...

I have now driven through canyons, looked down into canyons and climbed out of canyons - tonight we are camping in a canyon...

Campground Entrance

Campsite

We will tour the Valley tomorrow - either on our own or on a Goulding's Tour - I've been warned that the roads on the reservation lands are pretty ragged and that I don't want to take my truck out there.  Probably should heed the warnings.

So for now, just a couple of shots and we'll close....

Pam's House Salad - Yum!

A very tired Mr. Hobbs cooling off the hot parts.

Halfway...

Doesn't seem possible... our trip is half over.    Well, let me reconsider that.... when I look at the odometer.... when I look at all the photos.... when I re-read the blog... when I look at the itinerary book... then it does seem possible.  We have so many memories already.  And the Grand Canyon is still to come!

Today we enjoyed a more relaxed pace starting at a local gem/rock shop.  We each sorted through many boxes and display cases of rocks, slabs, crystals etc. getting lost in the possibilities of jewelry to be made.  Fun!  Then it was on to the Anansazi Cultural Heritage Center in Dolores, CO.  They are under the auspices of the Bureau of Land Management and are responsible for a great deal of archeological research and preservation activity.  Their collections are pretty amazing... here's a sample:

Beautiful Entrance

Zuni Decorated Cat

Zuni Artifacts

Zuni & Navajo Artifacts

It was a beautiful day so we enjoyed a picnic lunch  admiring the scenery;

June daisies the day before my anniversary!

I love these pinecone clusters...

Such a beautiful view...

The clouds were amazing...

After lunch we visited a shop specializing in Native American made jewelry and pottery.  So very tempting!  Case after case of tourquoise and silver jewelry.  Pam bought a gorgeous earring and bracelet set... I drooled.... I'm waiting to find the perfect piece somewhere down the road; I'll know it when I see it.    We headed back to the campsite and enjoyed a perfectly barbecued steak and veggies.  Fitting end to a great day! 

Almost out of superlatives!

Posting on Thursday.... here's what we did yesterday....  It was only a two hour drive from Moab to Mesa Verde but it took us to yet another state!  We're in Colorado and have two and one half days to "do" three activities.  After settling Mr. Hobbs in his air conditioned home away from home, we headed back to Cortez (10 miles back) as we had read about their Native American Cultural Centre and wanted to see Native Americans dancing and also hear Sam Sandoval speak.  Believe it or not, Sam is one of the remaining 13 WWII Navajo Code Talkers.  Quite frail and a little difficult to understand, Sam took us on a journey through his upbringing in a Hogan on the plains through his initiation to the "non-reservation" work life in Las Vegas (when it was a hick town) then on to his military career.  Initially, he registered for the draft and when he showed up at his local selection board was refused "because I was a full-blooded Indian".  Undeterred, he met up with some Marines, was impressed by their lifestyle and attitude and was one of 600+ Navajo boys recruited to attend the Code Talker training program in California.  He told us that it was actually a white man who had been exposed to the Navajo language in a mission school who suggested to the US Government that the Navajo were perfect to create an unbreakable code and help the war effort.  It was an incredible experience hearing his tale and I gotta tell you, you could hear a pin drop during the whole hour.  He was captivating...

Waiting their turn

Lovely Dancer

We also stopped at the Mesa Verde National Park and got our tickets for our Ranger tour...

T'was a long and winding road to the top of Mesa Verde... but the sights were worth the climb...

Canyons View

Mesa Verde

We had read the literature yesterday and talked with the Ranger about our "abilities" or lack thereof and he recommended Cliff Palace as the best choice for us.  So here's the view from the top of the canyon looking down at the Palace...

Cliff Palace from Above

And this is just a bit of the downward trip...

I confess that I really did think about the fact that I would have to climb back up as we descended.  But the chance to see the palace up close and personal was too good to be true!  So I kept stepping down, down, down.

This is what we found!  3,000 to 5,000 year old Pueblo complete with apartments, kivas (like a living room or community room), storage areas, pottery shops.  Wow!  The masonry was so gorgeous...and so old...and so perfect...and don't they look like models?  Trust me - they're huge!

Turrets

Palace rooms

Hi-Rises!

And, inevitably, there was the exit sign.... an arrow pointing up, up, up.  Fortunately, it was a curved path and I couldn't see what was coming up...we had been warned about the 8' ladders...two of them... but are you kidding me ? # !!

Looking up

Looking back at narrow passageway I just climbed through!

Am I having fun yet????

Yep, that's me with the ultra tan face (and a little reddened from exhaustion).  Glad to say I made it and glad to say I did it!  The Ranger was right - it's definitely, indescribably fascinating and beautiful. Bye for now.... another adventure tomorrow!