Sept 29th: Canyon de Chelly

Sept 29th, Wed:  Still in Cortez, Colorado with weather in the 80's during the day, sunny but the nights get cold enough for the furnace.  This is great:  every morning Blue gets up before us and starts his morning "whine".  It's time for his morning walk with Roger.  Gretchen gets a little quiet time and/or time to update the blog.  Life is great.

We visited a Canyon that was spectacular.  Only downside was that is was almost a three hour long drive to get there.  We have a rental car that is most uncomfortable, a Kia. Canyon de Chelly (pronounced "duh Shay") is back in Arizona and on the Navajo reservation.  There were seven overlooks that included ruins  from 22 rooms to 80 rooms inhabited about 900 until 1200 A.D.  The last stop was to view Spider Rock, a monolith 800 feet tall.  It is amazing how the Indians lived back then and still do now but on the canyon floor as farmers.

We bought a beautiful Navajo hand made vase and the Navajo lady, without a front tooth, was very appreciative because 1 of her 8 children has braces and a payment was due in two days!  Or so she said when Roger tried to negotiate with her on the price!!

We have been back and forth in Arizona now for a couple of days and realized that today will be our last day to visit in Arizona.  Geez, the trip back is fast coming upon us. 

picture:  back seat driver
picture:  Canyon de Chelly's first overlook with active Indian farms which you can see on the bottom right..
picture:  Canyon de Chelly warning sign to hold onto pets, children.  800 feet cliff ahead!  Blue turns his head away cuz he cannot look down!
picture:  dwellings from 900-1200 A.D.  However, no one is home today.
picture:  Looking over the 800 foot cliff.  Yikes!  Good thing there is a railing here to hand on to.
picture:  Spider Rock.  Sure doesn't look like it's 800 feet tall.  We see tent campers down there.  You cannot go down with a guide.  But they don't have any water, electric, a pot to pee in,  and the night will be cold.  Give us a motorhome anyday!  Alcohol is forbidden on the reservation, so this is truly the meaning of "dry" camping. 
picture:  On way to Spider Rock.  Sign says 200 yards and Roger reminds Gretchen that this will be like walking 4 football fields (down and back).  You know, that she has disk problems where walking can be painful.  Thank you, Roger, for your observation.  Love ya.
picture:  three horse's asses.
picture:  Somehow they get over the fence to run on the road.  So far we have seen sheep, cows, and now horses who have been through the fence.  Still looking for that Road Runner.

Sept 28, Friday: Cortez/Four Corners

Sept 28th, Friday:  UTE mountains are spectacular as always.  And there was the legend of the Sleeping UTE as picture follows.  This is interesting.  We then went to the four corners.

Question:  what are the four states that make up the four corners? 

On the way back to our campground from the four corners, we stopped at a casino.  Can you imagine?  And we won and we lost!!!   It was fun. at the UTE Casino.  Those Indians are making quite a profit on us pale faces.

So Gretchen has a taste for Mexican food and we were recommended to go to Pepperhead in Cortez, Colorado and it was great.  Rellinos and soft tacos satisfied our Mexican taste buds.  They even surved them pretty looking! 

Off we go to the Cortez American Legion to swap license plates.  Have only one left for Dodge City, Kansas. 

Hey, there is a full moon and we took Blue to the 3-acre off-leash park.  This was a good time for him and we tossed the ball to one another but Blue ignored us!  So the humans got their exercise and Blue went to sleep when we got back to the campsite.

Campfire and now bed time befor a trip to Mesa Verda tomorrow.

picture:  Legend of the Sleeping UTE:  looms over Tomaoc, protects town from western winds.  Legend has it that this is a Great Warrior God who had come to help fight against evil ones causing much trouble.  A battle ensued, and the Warrior God was hurt, so he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.  Look carefully at the  mountain and you will see him:  head points north, arms folded across chest, feet (even toes) are all clearly visible.    Colors will  give signs that he is changing his blankets for the season.  One day, the Utes believe, the Great Warrior God will rise again to help his people fight against their enemies. 

pictures:  Roger and Gretchen in all four states at the same time!  Answer:  Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona.  Who else do you know that have been in four states at the SAME time???  Gretchen butts Utah with righr hand in Arizona and Roger butts New Mexico and Colorado, left hand in Arizona.  Confused? 

picture:  "dream catchers" that we already have and have bought for the grandchildren to ward off nasty night dreams.
picture:  UTE mountain
picture:  Oh, No another casino that we donated to but it was a fun donation since we won and then loss!
 pictures:  Mexican wonderful food at Pepperhead in Cortex, Colorado.    Roger had rellinos, enchilladas, and Gretchen had soft tacos, beans and rice.  That's a pepper on Gretchen's taco not a star fish!  This was a meal looking forward to since it had been several weeks since we had Mexican.  And the margaritas were the best!
picture:  Roger at the Cortex, Colorado American Legion to exchange plates.
picture: full moon...............watch out for vampires, wolverines, great warriors, and drunks.
picture:  Roger and Blue at a 3-acre off-leash park at ths Cortez KOA.  Running and playing
picture:  camp fire with the Warrior God in background. 
picture:  oops another picture of Roger and Blue................love em both.

Sept 27th Thurs: Hopi/Hogan

Sept 27th, Thursday:  Travelling day beginning at Knab, Utah, then thru Arizona again, then New Mexico again, and finally crossed our 35th state of Colorado!  Cortez, Colorado will be our home for the next three nights.  It will be good to "settle down"!

Went through Indian reservations of Hopi and Navajo but there are really no such thing as reservations anymore.  Just houses way, way out there on farms and the towns are small and run down.  With 50% unemployment, you will see them with their vendor stations selling jewelry, arts, and crafts.  We found nothing but one stop exciting to buy a spirit carving of, none other, than the Road Runner.  He is to protect us.  And he is used actually in ceremonies.

picture:  Lake Powell, Page, Arizona.  Look at the white sides that indicate that this lake is down at least 30 feet.  Better get a lot of snow this winter.
picture:  This house is called a Hogan.  Built in harmony with the universe and all living creatures on earth.  The roof is in the likeness of the sky.  The walls are likeness of the Navajo's surrounding:  the upward position of the mountains, hills, and trees.  The floor is ever in tough with "Mother Earth."  When the hogan is finished, a medicine man blesses the home.  This is a sacred dwelling.  You will see many of these throughout the reservations.  Some stand alone, others have bigger homes built next to them. 
picture:  another Hogan
picture:  Painted desert mountain
picture:  This and the next picture shows how to board down your roof to protect from the wind.  Yes, that is correct, use tires!  Just throw them up there and wa-la your roof is safe.  We think.
picture:  Watch out moo-cows.  Your next stop could be Burger King!
picture:  Out-houses that are in plentiful here in Arizona.   They are about 50 yards away from the house/hogan and always face away from the buildings.  Hey,  who made that smelly s*&#t??
picture:  Our 35th RV State = Colorado
picture:  The Road Runner carving that is to protect us.  Three flutes that sound and Gretchen can play them and sound just like a Hopi!  We bought these from the Hopi that just finished making them.

Sept 26th, Wed: Zion National Park

Sept 26th, Wed: After a quiet, no-camp-fire-again-campground in Glendale Utah, we took off for Zion National Park. Weren't sure we were ready for another national park but this one was so much different than Grand Canyon. So we were glad we made the trip. Two tunnels took us into the park with the second tunnel was made one way at a time so we could travel in the middle without scrapping the sides or top. It was pretty cool.

You wound up and you wound around and could see three curves on the return way way down there. Another road not for the light of heart.  Gretchen would say to Roger, "Hey, look at that.........when you can!". 

Spending the night at RV Corral in Kanab, Utah. Tomorrow back into Arizona going through the Navajo and Hopi Indian Reservations. Heck, we may even stay the night at one of their campgrounds even though alcohol is prohibited. Heap em not good idea to drink that fire water, we guess!

picture:  First glimps of Zion and the twisty, hair pin turns coming up.  Speed limit 15 was too much!
picture:  First tunnel was no problem.  Plenty of leg room.
picture:  Second tunnel was one way.  You can barely see the sign above the stop sign that says 13'-1" tall.  We think we are over 12' so must be certain to stay in the middle of the road.
picture:  View of the mountain that we will be passing through
picture:  Road down yonder that we will be on
picture:  Another road way, way down yonder in Zion
     Why can't they make this road straight????

Sept 25th, Tuesday: Grand Canyon North Rim

Sept 25th, Tuesday: After our night at the Page Walmart, we headed off to the Grand Canyon North Rim. This is miles and miles and miles of nothing. No wonder the North Rim is less popular than the South. However, upon approaching we see more and more trees/bushes that make this a beautiful, scenic drive. The Quaking Aspen are turing their one and only color of yellow. This amid the green pines is quite a beautiful scene.

More greenery is found at the North Rim and the South. We took a walk to a rock overlook and Gretchen was experiencing some vertigo. Had to hold onto Rog and not look over the edge too much. What an experience. Again without guard rails.

We have travelled up hill from 4,000 feet to over 9,000. This actualy was a very pretty drive. A little hairy in places and Gretchen kept asking to make sure he doesn't drive over the edge! Not a drive if you can't handle the heights and hair pin turns.

Back down and now we have entered our 31st RV state of Utah. Another hard to find campsite but found one in Glendale, Utah. Town is within walking distance and small. Gretchen asks at the desk about a lounge. The lady just looks at her. So Gretchen thinks she doesn't know what a lounge is and says to her "bar". The lady then says "In Utah?"..............oops forget about the Mormons and the drinking laws. Remembering her ski days when one person would join the bar and then bring in 20 freinds. No such club here, so to the motorhome for refreshments.

Gretchen asks Roger if he wants to look for a two or three wives. He says, "Sure. A couple for housekeepers!"

picture:  suck in for the drive through
picture:  miles and miles and miles of this
picture:  looking left from above
picture:  looking right from above
picture:  Climbing from 4,000 to 9,000 at Grand Canyon North Rim route.
picture:  Quaking Aspen trees
picture:  Grand Canyon North Rim walk.  Roger looking for gold?  Can you tell the masive height that we are walking around?  Gretchen's stomach is flipping!
picture:  petrified tree just as Gretchen was!
picture:  remains of 2001 fire that destroyed over 3,000 acres
picture:  Utah - our 31st state