Monday, May 3, 2010

Four Corners Adventures- Days 1 & 2: Monument Valley

It’s been three years since Dad and I went on an RV adventure, so we were long overdue. I packed up the dog and drove up to Kanab UT for the latest adventure. Sonnie, my dog, was quite excited, though I’m not sure he knew why. He did get a car ride, though, which he loves! He was positively drooping by the end of the almost six hour drive, but no worries! He sure perked up when we got there!

I got the RV packed up with my things and the groceries I brought. Went to the store for the last minute critical items (ice cream!) and were early to bed. We got a nice an early start, and off we went! Sonnie was snuggled comfortably in the backseat, enjoying the open windows in the back of my dad’s truck for sight-seeing. We stopped at the Navajo National Monument for a break, walked Sonnie and went into the visitor’s center. We decided to walk one of the trails and got to see some amazing little ruins under a cliff overhang. They are called Batatakin, and are one of the largest cliff dwellings of the ancestral Puebloan people. It was inhabited for only a short time between 1250 and 1300 AD. I believe I read that based on tree rings, they found that there was a 30 year drought that likely drove them out among other possibilities such as social, religious and other pressures. The visitor’s center had some pottery, and a Hogan set up (one inside and one outside) like it would have been years ago.

There is another ruin, the largest cliff dwelling in Tsegi Canyon called Keet Seel. It’s beautiful and rather large. It’s also a 5+ hour hike, so we didn’t go to see it. Batatakin is a smaller version of it, and was quite a treat following a walk of under a mile. Betatakin means ‘ledge house’ and Keet seal is from an altered Navajo word meaning ‘broken pottery scattered around. The village also have Hopi names, Talastima and Kawestima. The people who lived here are called the Hisatsinom by the Hopi, and Ansazi by the Navajo, though modern descendants of these people go by the term “Ancestral Puebloans.” The cultural subgroup of people who live in this vicinity are known as Kayenta, which is also the name of the town close to Monument Valley.

We headed onward to Monument Valley, passing through the small town of Kayenta. Nothing much to say about it! Approaching Monument Valley was beautiful, and somewhat like approaching Sedona AZ in that you get a flash of bright red color here and there, then all of a sudden it opens in front of you with a beautiful landscape with shades of reds, oranges and browns. Bright blue sky, puffy white clouds. As alert as Sonnie was for the whole drive, he really pooped out and I have a great pic of him snoozing just as it was getting beautiful.

We got pseudo-directions at the entrance gate, paid our fee and were on our way. But we had no clue and saw the visitor’s center, so we went in there figuring we could go to the information center. It’s huge and really nice with a glorious view of the buttes and mesas of Monument Valley. We went in to find the visitor’s information center is closed, yes closed, on Saturdays and Sundays. Spectacular! We took in the views then went back to the RV. I couldn’t help but give some treats to the two dogs roaming the lot, then we went to a lot that we suspected was the ‘primitive’ Navajo campground. Yup, two little porta-pots and a couple of picnic benches. But, it has the most glorious views!

We got set, grabbed a quick bite and decided to do the 17 mile loop around the park before it got to late. We were glad we did as it took a couple of hours to navigate the rather pitted roads. Good thing for trucks! The drive was amazing and yes, I took lots of pictures! We stopped a bit to take it all in, then headed back to the RV. The wind is blowing and is quite loud, but at least the rain held off. It was supposed to rain all weekend, and now just tomorrow is scattered thundershowers. I’ll take it!

Only a few RVs are in this park so it’s pretty quiet (well, except for the wind!) There’s a few tents as well, which are obviously quite tough people! Given the weather expected tomorrow, they’re gutsy!

I’m sure it’ll be an early night for all of us. Sonnie’s hurting a bit and is limping on a back leg. I don’t have enough of his arthritis meds for the entire trip, so going to try to find a vet in the next town if we can. He’s a trooper though, and is trying to play fetch in our little RV!

Tomorrow we’ll explore the area a bit more, doing some driving in areas north of the park. There’s supposed to be some smaller parks in the area that are quite beautiful. Overall, it was a nice drive and not all that far.. around 4 hours to get here, even with the stop. The ride was beautiful in parts, too.

I just read that the Navajo reservation is close to 25,000 square miles, and is the largest Native American reservation. Over 200,000 Navajos live here. Amazing considering the landscape: beautiful, but quite desolate. Scattered with small, mostly rickety-looking buildings. A good number of horses, donkeys and cows grazing, and lots of areas set up for Navajo crafts to be sold. Interestingly, alcohol is banned from the reservation, though there is a significant issue with drunk drivers here.

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Also known as Snow and Other Four-Letter Words!

This post will be liberally sprinkled with four-letter words! Sonnie woke up around 6 today needing to be one with nature. I got up to let him out with Dad helping him down the stairs. It was pouring, but we expected scattered thundershowers today so that was ok. Sonnie attended to his business, and Dad let us back up. I decided to try to go back to sleep to the sound of pouring rain. I woke again to hearing the sound of quiet and thought “cool! It’s clear out.” Opened the curtain to ‘@#%” Well, not exactly, but another four letter weather word: SNOW.

Um, #$%&. What the hell is a girl now from Phoenix going to do with @$%^. I mean, snow. I didn’t exactly prepare for it either. The weather was supposed to be in the high 50s today with lows in the high 30s, so I brought a pair of jeans, a pair of pants, a sweatshirt and a sweater thinking that I had WAY overpacked with warm clothes. BAH! Hopefully it’ll start clearing as the temps increase today, but we’ve gotten a good 3-4 inches in just a few hours.

Sonnie decided mid-morning he needed another nature break, so out I went after bundling up in as many layers as I could find. Thankfully I brought a water-resistant soft shell! I wasn’t sure if he’d ever seen the snow, and he loved it. He was rescued from the Tucson pound two-and-a-half years ago so he may have seen snow if he lived in the outskirts. He went trotting away snapping at the snow and seeming quite happy with himself. Then he got to write his name in it! The joys of being a boy, I suppose.

He wanted to walk a bit but I didn’t, so back to the RV we went, where I will stay hidden and bundled until we leave this hellhole. Frozen hellhole that is!

Had planned to check out some of the surrounding little parks and areas. Dad just mentioned that he’d like to get information on how bad the snow is around, and said ‘hey, let’s go to the information center.’ HA! It’s closed.

A dozen or so other RVs came in during the evening and they are all still here. I’m just glad we’re not in a tent! There were three or four outside last night!

Sonnie seems to feel better today too and is moving around a bit more than he was. He was limping and his back leg was pretty stiff. I unfortunately didn’t bring enough of his arthritis pain meds, so if we’re able to leave here tomorrow I’ll try to track down a vet in a nearby town to see if we can get some.

So, unsure if we’ll get stuck here, or if we’ll be able to move on tomorrow morning as planned. Good thing I have a few good books! I guess it’ll be an adventure! @#$%&! :o) All part of the fun of travel and hey, beats getting stuck in an airport!!

mid-day update: More snow!!!! 6 inches!! Spoke with a guy in one of the other RVs, took some pics, took a very happy dog for a romp and bio break, then ran back in shivering. Dad dug out the truck. Hoping we can leave tomorrow! The pop-out is covered in snow which may pose an issue. Guess we’ll see, nothing we can do about it!! At least the white out conditions are over, and the slow is slowing up a bit. Hopefully for good. One of the dogs from the visitor’s center appeared in the campground, the black and tan with long fur. Poor thing was soaked and patrolling the place.

At least I can see the beautiful buttes now, covered in snow. Interestingly the weather on the radio is declaring a high of 56 in Kayenta and scattered rain showers. Really? We have seen rain since 6 am! No mention of snow at all in the four corners area. Very strange.

It’s now early evening around 6, and the snow has stopped and it’s warmer out. What’s that mean? MUD. Lots and lots of mud. Should be an interesting time getting the RV out of here tomorrow, but at least we plan to leave early when it’ll be frozen so hopefully it’ll be easier. We settled in during the afternoon to read and both napped a bit so we should be well rested for the trip tomorrow!

The buttes look beautiful now, covered in snow. Another big RV is coming in now, struggling in the mud but making it’s way ok. It’s been a nicely relaxing day, much more so than planned but that’s ok. Part of the adventure of traveling.

Mud, More Mud, and oh @#$% Where’d the Dog Go?

Eventually all good things must end, and Sonnie heard the call of nature. I looked out the window, and the beautiful snow was replaced by a beautiful gelatinous glop of red mud. Well, duty calls. Thankfully I brought my Keen sandals. Oh what a sight in fleece pjs, keens and socks, gloves and a softshell jacket. Oh yeah! Dad lifted him down the stairs and all I heard was ‘splut’ as Sonnie sunk in the mud. We walked a few feet and lower and lower he went. “Um, how about you go potty, big guy, before I lose you in this?” No one loves dragging me across wide open spaces quite like Sonnie, but as the mud raised to his belly, I think he thought better of it and decided to go for it with a gusto. We had towels at the ready when he was up in the RV, and did the best I could rubbing him down to clean him off. I just can’t wait until the next potty break. Maybe he can make it until morning. Maybe?

We went to bed early planning to get up really early with the hope of finding frozen ground.. not only to be able to walk without the risk of sinking in, but to be sure we could get the truck out! We'll see....

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