From Utah to Colorado

Yesterday, we left the charm and natural beauty of Bluff, Utah and made our way northeast across the Four Corners region. Passing through Navajo and Ute ("Yoot") tribal lands, we were saddened to see the mining, oil drilling and other industrialization taking place which we believe benefits the tribes very little. The actual Four Corners Monument is closed for construction, so tourists can't simultaneously put one limb in each of four states for the usual photo-op. Still, the novelty remains and we drove to the spot anyway just to say we'd been there.

By late afternoon, we arrived to Mesa Verde National Park and found our way to the campground, four miles up the mountain at a fairly high elevation. Since dogs are not allowed on any of the park's trails, we each took turns going on an ecstatic bike ride along the "Knife's Edge Trail", which truly hugs a cliff's edge and is the site of frequent rock slides. Just before sunset, I built a cairn in honor of a dear friend who is undergoing a health crisis, laying the rocks one on top of the other with prayers for her healing and recovery. Our Navajo guide at Monument Valley had told us how Native Americans use stone cairns as prayer offerings, so I decided to make one especially for our friend who is in our thoughts daily at this time.

Today we realized that the roads at Mesa Verde are under major construction, and after a bumpy ride to the remote Visitor's Center, we learned that it would be an even bumpier ride to the even more remote site of the famous Puebloan cliff dwellings that make Mesa Verde such a draw for the tourist crowds. With reports of hour-long traffic jams on the road to the cliff dwellings and a cold wind blowing in from the north, we turned tail and decided to head for Durango, leaving Mesa Verde for another day when the construction is complete and we have a smaller vehicle with which to navigate the long drive deep into the mountains. It was somewhat disappointing to leave without seeing the sites for which Mesa Verde is so famous, but the traffic, crowds and plethora of construction vehicles were enough to turn us away in the end.

Durango is a welcoming city with a vibrant center and many shops and cafes. We were luckily able to bring Tina right into a downtown indoor mall where we ate an inexpensive lunch and made use of the free WiFi. Campgrounds here are expensive, but being a captive audience, we found a spot not far from town and even got to watch the famous (and pricey) Durango-Silverton narrow-gauge train go by our campsite.

After 28 weeks and almost 7 months on the road, we are indeed feeling some weariness in our traveling bones. Today the electric cable for our rig seems to have given up the ghost and will need to be replaced. As I came to grips with the situation, I was particularly feeling the challenges of this stage of the journey, even as I reminded myself to feel grateful for such an adventure. Although out casita in Santa Fe will "only" be 600 square feet, that great expanse of living space will no doubt feel relatively luxurious compared to what's feeling like the cramped quarters of our rig.

I must admit to some grumpiness over the last few days (transition days can be especially hard), and a broken electric cable, a return to colder weather, and other troublesome issues can detract from the moment if they're allowed to do so ("if" being the operative word). Still, a rainbow graced the sky over the campground just a few minutes ago, reminding us that the gold we've been seeking is indeed still within reach (something that Mary continues to tell me ad nauseum, since I'm such a slow learner).

Tomorrow, we will probably end our brief sojourn into Colorado and head south into our new (temporary) home state of New Mexico, The Land of Enchantment. With the 1st of June quickly approaching, we realize that this mobile lifestyle is about to come to a close---at least for a while, anyway---and there is still no time like the present to seize the day and make the most of what we have.

---Keith

A Weekend in Bluff, Utah

After the excitement and overstimulation of The Grand Canyon and the wonderment of Monument Valley, we are enjoying a weekend of rest and relaxation in the tiny town of Bluff, Utah. Utah has a great deal to offer in terms of natural wonders, and while we're reluctant to leave after only several days in the southeastern corner of this beautiful state, we will indeed depart tomorrow with a plan to return at another time when we can spend at least a  month exploring the many breathtaking places that fill the Utahan landscape.

Bluff is named for a 300-foot red sandstone bluff that towers over the north end of the town, and it is a tranquil magnet for many RV'ers and international travelers who are passing through on their way to various sites of natural beauty. We even found a vegetarian cafe/art gallery and small attached house that are currently for sale, and we entertained the cinematically interesting notion of buying the place and making a new life for ourselves right here in the middle of what some people would call nowhere.

With clean and chemical-free showers and WiFi at our cozy campground, we feel like we're in the lap of luxury after four days of "dry" or "primitive" camping at Monument Valley and the Navajo National Monument. "Dry" camping means that there is no sewer, water or electricity available for campers, something that we can do without for several days, but the need to dump our waste tanks, fill our water tank, charge our batteries and take relatively long hot showers ( ! ) does make campgrounds with "full hookups" periodically necessary (and comparatively luxurious!).

On June 1rst, we will move into our temporary rental casita in Santa Fe, so we're now facing the final two weeks of this leg of our journey. Settling into non-mobile life will be an adjustment after more than seven months on the road, and we assume that Tina will most likely make the adjustment more easily than her human companions. Once in Sante Fe, life will indeed be different and we do look forward to more regular socializing, a sense of community and belonging, being only 90 miles from our son and daughter-in-law, and being nearby to a number of good friends. Life on the road is a very positive addiction, and we certainly foresee another chapter in this journey in the not-too-distant future.

Meanwhile, the red sandstone and gorgeous scenery of Utah beckons, as does the beauty of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. The next two weeks will be rife with adventure and fun, and our arrival to Santa Fe will also bring with it many surprises and a welcome sense of rootedness, however temporary it may prove to be (or not).

Here's a photo of a heron that alighted in the pond next to our rig last night for some evening fishing.....

And this is an incredible local spring-fed swimming hole that we discovered this afternoon.....

We are so grateful for these 28 weeks on the road, and will continue to give thanks for the adventure of a lifetime that will truly never end.

More Images From Monument Valley

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

What can we say about our experience at Monument Valley? We arrived to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park after a relatively short drive from Navajo National Monument and a stop at a local flea market in the reservation town of Kayenta.

Approaching Monument Valley, one is immediately struck by the magnificence of the rock formations that dominate the landscape. Like most tourists, we paid our entrance fee to the park, wandered the Visitors Center, admired the view, and scoped out the guided jeep tours on offer from a dizzying array of tour companies. Being protected and sacred Navajo land, outsiders can drive into a portion of the park if they have vehicles that can maneuver the rutted roads, but only local guides can take you into the areas forbidden to outsiders, and these magnificent portions of the park are beyond breathtaking in scope and beauty.

We negotiated with several tour operators but lacked a feeling of comfort with what was being offered, twice walking away to ruminate on whether the cost was an expense that we were willing to incur. Wandering through the parking lot to return to our rig and leave the park, we ran into a couple from South Carolina who were themselves negotiating the price for a two-and-a-half hour jeep tour. Through a series of conversations with representatives from two different companies, we and the other couple agreed to split the cost of a two-and-a-half-hour tour with a guide who would lead us on a journey that would include the cultural and spiritual aspects of the Navajo and their sacred land. This promise of a deeper experience beyond a simple bumpy ride with a cursory geological explanation made going on this trip a no-brainer, especially since Tina was invited to come along!

As synchronicity and serendipity would have it, our guide Brian Tom was a thirty-something Navajo man of deep spiritual wisdom who guided his jeep over rutted roads with the same aplomb and skill with which he could espouse the creation myths and sacred stories of his people. Not only were we taken to spots of breathtaking beauty and power, Brian drummed and sang ancient songs for us in order to share more deeply the spiritual significance of the formations, petroglyphs and stone sentinels that we were beholding before our upturned and awestruck faces.

Coupled with creation stories, myths, and Navajo tales of humor and humanity, Brian shared openly and honestly with us about the deep corruption within the Navajo Nation’s government and local tribal councils. He also confirmed the prevalence of alcoholism, unemployment, diabetes and heart disease, and the in-fighting and turf wars that continue to plague the wider community.

Many Navajo care deeply for their people, serve in the Armed Forces, and work hard to improve the quality of life for all, but an underlying frustration with the governing bodies who control the purse-strings of the nation is apparent, especially as the Navajo president is currently under investigation for economic malfeasance. We are also acutely aware of how the United States government has itself misled, disenfranchised and otherwise neglected and abused the Native peoples of this land since the inception of our country several centuries ago, even as Navajo and other tribes continue to contribute greatly to the economy, armed forces and rich culture of our nation as a whole. 

We have long understood that life for Native Americans is difficult at best, even as sovereign people living within the United States yet not entirely of it. Underneath it all, there is a love for the land and the mythological forces that shaped it and delivered the Navajo from what they call The First World to this world, which is known as The Fourth World.

Not having always been comfortable with Native Americans and understanding how to bridge the cultural divide between us, this experience opened my eyes and heart especially, since Mary had previously spent time with the Piscataway Tribe in Maryland and Virginia, attending sacred ceremonies and celebrations as an honored guest.

At several points during our tour, Brian had us sit and listen as he sang and drummed sacred songs from the Navajo tradition, and we were moved to tears from both the beauty of his voice and his earnest and deeply held traditional beliefs. Brian’s words of wisdom about life, love and community spoke volumes to our hearts, and the gentleness and beauty of the Navajo way of life greatly moved me. As he explained, there are truly no curses or harsh words in the Navajo language as there are in English, and since homes are understood to have ears of their own, no harsh language or raised voices are permitted in traditional Navajo homes where only gentle and respectful communication is welcome.

After our tour, Mary offered Brian a traditional gift of tobacco in addition to a monetary gratuity. Tobacco is sacred to Native Americans and is used in prayer as offerings to the gods and forces of nature that rule the traditional way of life. Moved by her offering, Brian took a bracelet of “Ghost Beads” from his own wrist and offered it to us in return. These beads are used as a means of comfort from nightmares and bad thoughts, and Mary tied this sacred object around my wrist as Brian looked on, and I am wearing them as a symbol of letting go, of welcoming love and ease into my life, and of remembering to be grateful for the many gifts that permeate my existence.

Visiting Monument Valley could have been just another opportunity for beautiful photographs and the enjoyment of an area of intense natural beauty. Rather, it was an experience of spiritual significance and cross-cultural sharing that will long be remembered as a watershed moment for me personally, and for us as a couple.

Our deepest thanks to Brian for the gift of his time, knowledge and spiritual insight, and our humble thanks to the timeless Monument Valley and the many spirits who inhabit and animate this very special piece of the earth. 

---Keith

PS: More photos of this magnificent area to come......

Navajo Country and The Painted Desert

Here are some images that we would like to share with you as we traverse the exquisite Painted Desert, where the clouds reflect the reddish hue of the sand and stone. If you care to, click here to listen to the 10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant song entitled "The Painted Desert" as you view the photos. 

Although the landscape is somewhat stark, it is beguiling and entrancing to the eye. Reading Terry Tempest Williams today, we read these wise words from the book "Pieces of White Shell" which reflect our own desert experience: 

"Give the country a chance......You will find yourself in unfamiliar territory at first, where the vastness is disquieting, the starkness leaves you empty. You will walk among rocks that tell time differently. Your skin will burn and your hair will lighten. You will find a waterhole and kneel with cupped hands. The reflection you see will not be of the person you once were. Neither is the land." 

Grand Canyon Haiku

Blue sky eagles fly

Red canyon walls glowing wild

Weary hikers smile

This simple Haiku above was written by a child--and it remains my fave. I saw it at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and it sparked a series of my own. Enjoy!

Safe perch atop Grand Canyon

Fear of heights now past

Condor land below so high

Perception deceives distance

Flattening the depths

Rock reality prevails

Ancient history presents

Boulder color show

Majestic mountains speak

Paleozoic looming

Red wall limestone warmth

"The Great Unconformity"

Patient carving of canyon

Erosion gorges

El Rio Colorado

Ever deepening river

Sulfate smog above

Still magnificent beauty

My heart sinks with the sunset's

Final pink of day

Spirits depart from earth here

At Grand Canyon's fragile edge

The wind has carried

Dear David's ashes away

Ancestral Pueblo people

Seasonal nomads

The Painted Desert beckons...