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After we left home in our overloaded fake Jeep 
our 1st stop,after traveling through the Navajo reservation,after a quick stop in Shiprock to buy some really tasty tamales from an old Navajo guy,was at Four Corners,the only place in the US where 4 states meet:
Utah:
New Mexico:
Colorado:
Arizona:
We also had a Navajo taco,which is fry bread with meat &/or beans,cheese,lettuce & tomato on fry bread.Fry bread is what it sounds like,fried bread & it's absolutely wonderful,either as a taco or just drizzled with honey while still hot,yum.
We bought some small souvenirs & I'm sure the Navajo lady was flirting with me
Then one of the visual high points of the trip: Monument Valley.
You've seen it in 100s of movies,old Westerns & more modern shows,I'd always wanted to see it.The weather was rainy in spots & it was late afternoon,both of which made for some spectacular pics.Feast your eyes:
You drive a 17 mile loop,unless you hire a guide to take you off it,it was late so we didn't,just drove the loop & it was enough for us.
Then in an interesting encounter,we drove up to a fellow that was shooting video & I thought "I'm sure I know who that is".So we stopped & watched for a minute,then when he ended it he said his name & I excitedly yelled "I knew it was you!"
It was Bob Boze Bell,publisher of True West Magazine (yes I subscribe) & he's been on the History Channel's Wild West Tech,a favorite show of mine.He blogged about it(that's me on the right)
Got some vid of him & he graciously let the Mrs take our picture together:
He then handed out magazines to everyone,them being all foreigners who had no idea who he was!
Then as it was getting late we decided to look for a campsite.Note: you DO NOT camp just anywhere on Navajo land,if you step off the road you're trespassing.
The campsite at MV was suitable only for big RVs,but I'd seen a sign for a campground 7 miles up the road so we headed there.Went past the turnoff at 1st,then found it & drove into a completely deserted camp! We picked a spotat the far end,knowing that someone would be along to collect the fee & sure enough Lee showed up a bit later.We paid him (don't ask how much,you don't wanna know) & had a pleasant chat.
Now you'd think that I,being the generous person I am,would have offered Lee a beer.
Well,booze on the reservation is illegal.I have no doubt Lee would've gladly accepted it & not called the tribal cops on me but I played it safe.Before he left he pointed out the toilet facilities....an outhouse 100 yards away Me & the Mrs ain't particularly fastidious,so this was fine with us & we know enough to check it closely for snakes.
I'm tellin' ya folks,the finest facilities I've ever been in didn't compare to sittin' there the next morning with the door open,watchin' the hawks & crows swoop over the hills & ravines with the sun just fully risen
Then back on the road to central Arizona to see friends.
I'll continue this over the next couple of days as I pick out pics & arrange 'em.A friend of mine is using some of my pics as screensavers & if anybody wants to do the same please do.
oops,too many pics,continued in next post
our 1st stop,after traveling through the Navajo reservation,after a quick stop in Shiprock to buy some really tasty tamales from an old Navajo guy,was at Four Corners,the only place in the US where 4 states meet:Utah:
New Mexico:
Colorado:
Arizona:
We also had a Navajo taco,which is fry bread with meat &/or beans,cheese,lettuce & tomato on fry bread.Fry bread is what it sounds like,fried bread & it's absolutely wonderful,either as a taco or just drizzled with honey while still hot,yum.
We bought some small souvenirs & I'm sure the Navajo lady was flirting with me
Then one of the visual high points of the trip: Monument Valley.
You've seen it in 100s of movies,old Westerns & more modern shows,I'd always wanted to see it.The weather was rainy in spots & it was late afternoon,both of which made for some spectacular pics.Feast your eyes:
You drive a 17 mile loop,unless you hire a guide to take you off it,it was late so we didn't,just drove the loop & it was enough for us.
Then in an interesting encounter,we drove up to a fellow that was shooting video & I thought "I'm sure I know who that is".So we stopped & watched for a minute,then when he ended it he said his name & I excitedly yelled "I knew it was you!"
It was Bob Boze Bell,publisher of True West Magazine (yes I subscribe) & he's been on the History Channel's Wild West Tech,a favorite show of mine.He blogged about it(that's me on the right)
Got some vid of him & he graciously let the Mrs take our picture together:
He then handed out magazines to everyone,them being all foreigners who had no idea who he was!
Then as it was getting late we decided to look for a campsite.Note: you DO NOT camp just anywhere on Navajo land,if you step off the road you're trespassing.
The campsite at MV was suitable only for big RVs,but I'd seen a sign for a campground 7 miles up the road so we headed there.Went past the turnoff at 1st,then found it & drove into a completely deserted camp! We picked a spotat the far end,knowing that someone would be along to collect the fee & sure enough Lee showed up a bit later.We paid him (don't ask how much,you don't wanna know) & had a pleasant chat.
Now you'd think that I,being the generous person I am,would have offered Lee a beer.
Well,booze on the reservation is illegal.I have no doubt Lee would've gladly accepted it & not called the tribal cops on me but I played it safe.Before he left he pointed out the toilet facilities....an outhouse 100 yards away
Me & the Mrs ain't particularly fastidious,so this was fine with us & we know enough to check it closely for snakes.I'm tellin' ya folks,the finest facilities I've ever been in didn't compare to sittin' there the next morning with the door open,watchin' the hawks & crows swoop over the hills & ravines with the sun just fully risen
Then back on the road to central Arizona to see friends.
I'll continue this over the next couple of days as I pick out pics & arrange 'em.A friend of mine is using some of my pics as screensavers & if anybody wants to do the same please do.
oops,too many pics,continued in next post
Land of Enchantment doesn't just apply to New Mexico, and it's stunningly different from any place else on Earth.
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