Flagstaff, Az

I have driven through Flagstaff several times but this was the time to stop, especially since they had a really nice YMCA where we could begin the day with showers. We parked at the train station/visitors' center and really found the adjacent historic area inviting as did many others that were just wandering about. This wheeled cart was used to drag logs out of the forests.



Geocaching led us to this lumberjack and the 1945 tractor close to the train station.



Lumberjacks seem to be very popular in Flagstaff. When I remember this area I think if the beautiful Aspens north of town, not of cutting trees.



But a few fun murals make any town more interesting.



I think this is my first American hostel to spot on any of my travels. I guess a lot of young Europeans come here going to and from the Grand Canyon. This is a good use for an old hotel.



We had a fun after breakfast snack at Macy's and then ran into an arts and craft show in the park. It was a very good visit to the town but they don't allow rv parking at their Walmart so we chose to go sleep cheap. It is a shame that some people abuse the privilege that we so enjoy in Walmarts.

Standing on the corner

The song Take it Easy by the Eagles began to run through my head. I couldn't remember many of the words other than "standin' on the corner in Winslow, Arizona." Well, why not. I have never been to Winslow. This was such a fun stop. Tourists from everywhere, many on Harley's, were congregated on the corner taking turns. Leon fit right in.



I chose a spot by the old Indian in front of the very busy gift shop on the corner. The nice ladies inside turned out to be our tour guides for the town.


We had no clue about the La Posada Hotel. It was designed by the famous Grand Canyon architect, Mary Colter, and is the last of the great Harvey Houses of the 1930s. All passenger trains from Los Angeles to Chicago of the Santa Fe system stopped at this showplace. I so liked the flowers and the southwestern architecture that had it not been full for the Memorial Day weekend I would have booked a room in a minute.






We enjoyed a stroll down the new walkway alongside the tracks to go to a festival. It was so windy hardly anyone showed up so it was a no go but the walk was tremendous in the warm Arizona sun.






The town appears to have been pretty run down and is making its way back as a tourist stop but that is just my observation of this place on old Route 66.



Not far down the road is an attraction that Leon visited in the 1960s when he was driving across Route 66 on the way back to California after his stent in the military in Kentucky. The meteor crater hadn't changed much in the past almost fifty years, but the visitor center around it certainly had. This was his only view of the crater back in the day.




After we climbed a series of steps to a platform high above the crater we had a much better view but it cost more than the 50 cents he had paid too!
A huge iron nickel meteorite or dense cluster of meteorites, estimated to have been 150 feet across and weighing several hundred thousand pounds, struck here with a force greater than 20 million tons of TNT about 50,000 years ago. It left this bowl shaped cavity that was 700 feet deep and over 4000 feet wide.



Everyone in Winslow was talking about the new casino not far away that was having its grand opening but it sounded like a camping opportunity to us. After a nice supper at the restaurant we spent the night in the not so level parking lot at Twin Arrows Casino near Flagstaff. We went through the casino but spent not a quarter.

Painted desert

We drove south on the reservation to get back on 40 but headed towards what we hoped would give us a view of the painted desert.



Along the way we passed many Indian homes on the reservation. They sure live better than they once did and all seem to have electricity. The Navajo have their own roads, police department, schools and courts and pretty much govern themselves. Still most home places have the traditional hogans, a round, cone-shaped structure which was originally made from wood packed with mud. They were used for homes or ceremonial purposes.









We arrived at a place called painted desert park and there was this huge depression in the ground with all the pastel colors I expected to find.








Back to I40. What a wonderful side trip this was.

Canyon de Chelly

This isn't my first visit to this area, but I wanted to share what I find to be an incredible place with Leon. We arrived in the afternoon and made a drive up the south side of the canyon's rim. Spider Rock, an 800 foot sandstone spire, is probably my favorite stop and the 7th and last of the pull outs for viewing along the 37 mile round trip drive.




Pipes were mounted at several stops so you could get a view of where to look for an ancient ruin. People have lived in these canyons for 5'000 years.



Cottonwood Campground is located at the fork of the north and south rim drives. It is run by the Navajo and used to be free but now there is a $10 fee although there are no hookups or water. It was so windy and dusty below the Cottonwoods that we felt fortunate a limb did not fall on us.



The next morning we made a leisurely drive along the north rim, a 34 mile round trip drive. We saw several ruins which are difficult to find among the sheer rock walls as they blend in so well.




The Navajo still raise sheep and cattle and farm the fertile valley floor. Visitors are only allowed in the canyon when accompanied by an Indian, but there are jeep tours down into the canyon. An exception is the 2.5 mile hike down into the canyon to see the White House ruin. I did that once and that was enough.


At each stop there are one or two Indians selling their crafts. This man has painted rocks while other stops included Navajo jewelry.



Long shadows were cast early in the day. Walking out to the vistas was almost like visiting a gardens.


Various desert plants were in bloom and the prickly pair was almost blooming. The Indians use the red fruit for dye; the peeled pads of the cactus reduce bleeding; the fruit and pads are also edible.


At the back of the steep cliff across the canyon is an ancient ruin. The Indians used networks of ladders to access these ancient homes.


A closer view.


And in the dark recesses of the sheer wall is yet another ruin.


We thoroughly enjoyed this stop along our westward journey.

Hubbell Trading Post

Several miles up the road at Ganado is an old trading post that is now a national historic site. It is the oldest operating post in the Navajo Nation. Since 1898 the mercantile has sole grain, supplies, Native American art, and groceries. Hubbell family members operated the post until the National Park Service bought it in 1967. That always makes me wonder what is original and what us restored although I believe they do a good job of preserving our past.










This just makes me think back to the way things once were. I am always intrigued by the fact that my grandmother moved to New Mexico in about 1916 with her two young sons.










It was a warm and windy day and the wind blowing through the cottonwoods was also stirring up quite a bit of dust which was everywhere. Sometimes you just have to catch a little nap when you can before it is time to move on.



On to Canyon de Chelly.

Window Rock rocks

The main government of the Navajo Nation is in Window Rock, Arizona. It should be no guess as to how the town got its name.



In this little tribal park by the rock is a statue and memorial to the code talkers of World War II. The Japanese were never able to break their code.




I enjoy the area just realizing that I am in Navaho territory. I realize that many of them still speak Navajo most of the time if not all the time. Their architecture impresses me with how it blends with the surrounding landscape.









We had lunch and proceeded north towards Canyon de Chelly. It is always nice to have a diversion from driving on I 40.

Santa Fe

We began the day early with a visit to Vantastic Vans in Amarillo. Although they were booked til Friday they would take a quick look at Hernando to see where the water leak was. About an hour later the broken hose was replaced and we were totally pleased with their service and most appreciative. We now had a tank full of water for coffee, flushing, drinking, etc.

I have debated for years as to whether I wanted to visit Santa Fe as I thought it was just a larger version of Taos. Well, it is, but what a pleasant experience. We first descended upon the plaza on the heart of old town.



Here we had a picnic while we checked out what we wanted to do while people watching.




We had fun watching a little girl chase the pigeons while we ate our sandwiches. Soon a little boy came along and started wandering among the pigeons. She quickly approached him and took charge. She grabbed his shirt and offered her apple. He tried to get away but she persisted. Soon they were wandering through the park hand in hand.



We really enjoyed wandering through old town window shopping and admiring the adobe architecture. The Palace of the Governors was the seat of government for centuries. It is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the United States having been built in 1610.



Today the Native American vendors line the wall sitting in the shade and selling their crafts.


Museums and art galleries are abundant in the historic area but it just seemed like an outdoor kind of day, so no, we did not go to the Georgia O'Keefe Museum and I will probably regret that later. I always like to hear church bells and we were treated to the experience several times by the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi.

The store windows were filled with western art and crafts. Silver and turquoise is abundant.








I debated buying some plastic flowers in bright colors and then I came to the real ones at La Sena Restaurant. This was an old casa that has been converted into an outdoor restaurant and shops. At this point I wished we had forgone the sandwich.






After we toured the old town area we drove down Canyon Road, a narrow street lined with shops. The front yards are full of artwork trying to entice the tourists to visit.








As we turned off Canyon Road we were surprised that the streets nearby were dirt as we drove through the neighborhoods. We always like to see how the folks are living outside the tourist areas.






After a lovely day, westward we went to the Walmart in Grants, New Mexico. The weather couldn't be better; warm days and chilly nights. Life is good.