Day 5 - Destination ~ Taos

It was a long day, on a long and winding road, but the views were spectacular and worth the extra time.  Tomorrow is a long driving day, so this is it for tonight.

UPDATE:

Funny turn of events for our fifth day of travel in that both Scott and I knew we were going to Taos, however, thought we were going to Los Alamos.  In our minds we had such fond memories of Taos, like that cute little park across from Starbucks, and we wanted to visit again and relive that enjoyment.  As we neared Taos, I commented that I was not remembering any of the scenery we were cruising by.  Neither of us remembered the area being so run down and somewhat depressed.  Suddenly, and I don't know why, I turned to Scott and said, "That was Los Alamos we visited last trip, not Taos."  Things now were making sense.  Scott had tried to find the Ghost Ranch on the map and looked north of Taos, but told me it wasn't on the map.  Come to find out, it is, but it is north of Los Alamos.  Needless to say, the town we had enjoyed so much was Los Alamos, not Taos, and had we gone to where we thought we were going, I probably would not have missed the gorgeous sunset, we would not have been eating dinner at 9:15pm, and let's not leave out the fact that we would have enjoyed morning Starbucks in that cute little park!  Perhaps the name of this blog should be "Traveling With the Elderly!"  Now we can say we have been to Taos, and it's a pretty sure bet that we won't go back.  Writing down our travels is probably a good idea for any future trips.

Darrin Denny ~ Rock Artist

Darrin Denny, Canyon De Chelly Rock Artist ~ No, he's not a musician, but he is an awesome painter and also does etchings.  We met him at the Tunnel Overlook viewing area in the Canyon.  The Native Americans lay out their art creations at each stop.  Most say hello, but nothing more.  Darrin, however, went further by asking if we had just arrived in the Canyon, and so a conversation ensued.  He lives on the Navajo Indian Reservation and is part of the Naakaii Dine'é & Todik'=zhi (Navajo clans).  Since 1994, Darrin has been crafting one-of-a-kind rock paintings and etchings.  In his own words, he draws his inspiration  from the walls of the Canyon and uses various stones found in the area landscape. He told us a lot about the Canyon, including the fact that the lack of water is due to a dam that has been built to make a lake.  I asked if it was a lake for boating and he said yes, it is a recreational area.   Scott said that didn't seem fair, and Darrin's only comment was, "Agreed."  This kind of accepting attitude was witnessed time and again when talking with the Navajo people.  Rather than making a big deal of situations, they trust that the Creator will take care of them as they find new ways to cope.

The most impressive thing about Darrin was his trust.  Neither Scott nor I had enough cash on hand to pay for the piece we wanted to purchase.  I told him we just needed to find an ATM, and he gave us directions.  He wrapped up the piece, gave it to us, and said he would stop by our room at the lodge after he ran some errands.   Scott and I know we are trustworthy, but he had no idea.  This attitude of trust touched me deeply.  

Not only is the Darrin's artistry beautifully painted or etched onto the stone, but each piece tells a story.  The journey of the Navajo people is told on ours.  Whenever I look at it, I'll think of Darrin and his life on the Navajo reservation.

Day 4 - Destination ~ Canyon de Chelly

For as long as I have known Scott he has said, "Someday I want to go trek around Canyon de Chelly (pronounced shay, and is a National Monument).  Well, as most of you know by now, sometimes we don't make it to "someday", so time to get this one off Scott's list.

We didn't rush this morning.  In fact, we have not been rushing at all and it was only tonight that we looked at the clock in our car and realized it was an hour off.  Time hasn't mattered much except if we wanted to be out at sunrise or sunset.  The GPS was saying it was four hours to the Canyon, which meant one shift of driving each.  Scott drove us out of Sedona, I drove the boring 40 while listening to a country/western station on the radio, then Scott maneuvered the Indian roads, which weren't bad at all for two lane roads.

There was a point in the road where on the map it shows the green dots indicating a scenic route.  We grew increasingly concerned as the scenic road was not even as scenic as the I-40.  Of course, there was a lot of joking about it, but I really was thinking that this was going to be another "Odessa experience".

Odessa experience, you ask?  Yes.  During one of our trips across the country (hard to believe we have done this five times), Scott said we should go to the Odessa meteor crater since when he was 23 he passed it up when on a road trip because he could not afford the gas to go the extra 80 miles to see it.  Well, I am one for fulfilling lifelong dreams, and I thought it would be really cool to see a bonafide meteor crater.  Scott's two words to describe the Odessa meteor crater are, "Don't bother!"  It was more like someone had started to dig a basement and it had filled in over time.  Now, anytime we visit a place that is way less than we expected, we refer to it as the "Odessa experience."

We reached Chinle, the small town outside the Canyon, and we were still not convinced that this would be a good experience, but we kept driving.  We finally saw the sign directing us to the visitor center and then the Thunderbird Lodge.  After checking in, we drove to the end of the South Rim, Spider Rock Overlook and can say that we were not one bit disappointed!  The Canyon is beautiful shades of red, white, green, and the rocks actually sparkle in the sunlight.  Stopping at each overlook, we saw different aspects of the Canyon, including the fact that they do farming here.  All was good until the wind started ripping through with a sudden fierceness that left us wiping sand out of our eyes and coughing from the dust in our throats.

Heading back to the lodge we found what we thought might be a good place for sunset.  I think the difficulty here is that the Canyon is small and deep.  It's not like the Grand Canyon whose expanse across is probably as big as Rhode Island (hehe for all my East Coast friends).  Some light and shadow play made for a few good photos, but before the sun even went below the horizon, the Canyon went flat as if someone had just decided to leave and turned off the light.

All was good tho, since we were hungry.  The cafeteria here at the lodge is only open to 7:30pm so we knew we would have to go to Chinle for food.  I tapped into Yelp and found there was an A&W so we went all out!  It's been along time since I had a Coney Cheese Dog, and let me tell you it will be a long time before I have another one, too!  It was delicious, just as I remembered, and surprisingly, I have not had to eat a Tums.  As we were waiting for our food, we saw banana splits being served and there was just no way to resist that either.  I'm thankful we walked a lot today!

As we left the restaurant, a huge pack of dogs came running into the parking lot.  Over the years I have come a long way on my fear of dogs to the point of being able to actually put my hand out for a dog to sniff.  But, when I see them in a pack, I turn and get back inside as fast as I can without running.  Scott was at a loss of what to do, but a nice local came and herded them off.  Cultural differences.  I like my dog with me on a leash!

Off to Taos tomorrow, but before I end this tonight, the highlight of my day comes right after these words....  I've been to the desert on a horse with no name.....

Day 3 - Sedona

Mix a girl, getting up before sunrise, extreme heat, on the go all day, and a glass of wine with dinner and what do you get?  Someone who is too achy and can't possibly create a blog!

The highlight of the day for me was a visit to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, thus the collage.  The history is interesting and if you would like to read more, here is the site.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapel_of_the_Holy_Cross

We ventured to the vortex area of Cathedral Rock.  It was a little frightening to experience the lack of water here.  The last time we visited we waded in the stream and it was a refreshing respite from the heat. This time the stream was bone dry.  Not a drop of water in sight.  When we got back to the car after a short hike, I mentioned to Scott that I should have taken a photograph and compared the area to our last visit, but due to the heat and the dust, I didn't go back.  You'll just have to take my word on it!!

Bar vs. Table

 When traveling, Scott and I often sit at the bar rather than getting a table.  Why?  Because we always meet someone interesting!  Last night it was Mayling and her mother who is 86 years old.  Originally from Cuba, they now make their home in Miami.  The reason for their trip to Sedona is that Mayling is taking her mom to all the places that are left on her Bucket List.  We talked together for over an hour about life, traveling, family, jobs, food, and you name it!

Ed, the bartender at the Mesa Grill, which overlooks the runway of the small airport, heard Mayling talking about the bucket list.  He handed her a remote control device and told her to press the button five times.   She obeyed and suddenly the runway lit up right before our eyes.  It's the little things in life that make my day sometimes.  Of course, we "made friends" with the bartender two.  He made me his signature margarita that was possibly the best margarita I've ever had.


 

Day 2 - Destination ~ Sedona

Needles to Sedona...  It was more of the same....  barren land, trains running on both sides of the highway,  and dust blowing across the open expanses.  Due to starting my day on a sleep depravation status, I was soon turning the wheel over to Scott.  I dozed to the sounds of Country/Western tunes, and was pleasantly surprised when I opened my eyes 30 minutes later when I saw pine trees everywhere.  We started the decent into Sedona making one stop at a vista view.  We were on a mission to get to the lodge, settle in and venture out for sunset.  The plan was to spend on night here and I think part of that might have been the fact that neither Scott or I are into the tourist scene.  The actual town of Sedona was hopping, and at some point in my life would have been very enticing, but when we came to the opposite edge of town, I felt relieved to be out of the fray.

Our Aussie you-know-what was guiding us along to the Sky Ranch Lodge, which is located right next to the Sedona airport.  Scott had scouted out this pet-friendly place on the net.  He said it was only given 2-stars, but that the reviews averaged 4.8.  Well, it's an adventure, right?  And really, after spending yesterday in a Motel 6, what could possibly be worse?  

This place is not even close to a Motel 6.  It is fabulous. Gorgeous grounds, great views, and the airport doesn't operate at night since it's mostly helicopter scenic tours that use it during the day.  We are up on a huge hillside, overlooking Sedona.  Pathways meander through the property, and they have even made a beautiful patio just for viewing the sunsets.  The Mesa Cafe looks out onto the runway of the airport, and was the perfect place to have dinner.  Well, it's so great that we are staying an extra day!!

At some point I'm going to tell a story about the people we've met so far.  Some highlights include bucket lists and runway lights.  Now, though, I'm heading for my pillow as sunrise is right around the corner.

Day 01 - Destination ~ Needles, California

Due to technical difficulties and, I'll admit, Mac operator error, this will be short tonight.  The good news is, I think I have it figured out!

One thing I like about road trips is the amount of stuff I can bring along.  Over the years, Scott has become an expert at arranging everything by a sort of "need to get to" system.  Had we decided to fly, we each would have brought one suitcase and one carry-on, so why we need all this stuff is a bit comical to me when I really think about it.  Then there is the added chore of getting all the valuable stuff into the motel room.  After tonight, I think Scott might be considering some kind of pack animal over a dog.

Speaking of dog...  Bella is an excellent traveler.  She either sleeps or sits quietly watching the World go speeding by.  Every time we stop, she gets out too and she's quickly learned the routine.  Last time we traveled like this with her, she was only six months old.  Two years has made a huge difference in how often we have to stop for her and, although she preferes it, she no longer requires only grassy areas as her relief station.

We arrived at our destination, Needles California, just a bit later than we had thought since we spent some time in Ludlow so we could stretch and take some pictures.  We decided to drive along Route 66 for a bit, and were surprised when we went 70 miles on it since there was no way back onto the highway before that.  There is not much to see along that route except for Joshua trees, trains, and a few cars.    We made a bet on how many trains we would see before we got back on the main road.  I said three, and Scott said seven.  I thought he was nuts but, sure enough, there were seven, which ended up being four more than cars we saw.

Reservations for this trip have not been made in advance.  We are winging it since we have a tendency to wake up in the morning and say, hey, instead of going there, lets head over that way.  So far it's worked, but this is only the first night.  I really thought there would be plenty of open motel rooms in Needles, because who would want to spend Memorial Day weekend here?  Well, of course people will spend warm holidays in Needles!  The Colorado River meanders around it!!  The parking lots are filled with cars towing boats and jet skis.  Thanks to BringFido.com, we were able to get a pet friendly room at the Motel 6 (yeah, the light was on), which is the same place we stayed last time we were traveling East.  Not the best room I've seen, but certainly not the worst either.

The photo collage is an overall statement of the day.  The only thing missing is a picture of Juicy's Famous River Cafe where we ate dinner.  I was so hungry, I forgot to take a picture first.

So, by now you are probably thinking, if this is short what will an ordinary entry look like?  Ok, so I got carried away!  

More tomorrow.....