Day 129 (Tuesday 11/27/12)- Red Rock State park, AZ

We actually paid for a park today. State parks are not covered under our parks pass and typically run about $10. We feel that generally the best sites have been designated as federal lands. We had already seen many of the breathtaking red rocks that make up Sedona's backdrop but due to the city charging a $5 hiking fee we had yet to actually experience the rocks by foot. Today we did just that, hiking in Red Rock State Park up to a wonderful vantage point and having lengthy discussions which nature tends to bring out along our hikes. 
The scenery was grand but made the sudden change of landscape much more striking. We had arrived on Sunday with the trees full of bright green, yellow and red leaves and now, just a few days later, the leaves were already falling in mass exodus. I guess there is no place where autumn can last forever.

 

Days 127 & 128 (Sun 11/25/12 & Mon 11/26/12)- Sedona, AZ

Knowing that Sedona would still have lots of weekend traffic, we thought it would be better to spend the day in nearby Prescott. The beautiful country in between was a wonderful bonus. The town of Prescott, though nowhere near as grand as Sedona, does have two things going for it- good shopping and a movie theater. This is how I spent the day; Isaiah-waiting outside of various craft stores.

Monday was more productive. At Tuzigoot National Monument's visitor center we learned about the early inhabitants of the area. Unlike other recently toured ruins the people at Tuzigoot settled in a hospitable environment, with water and plentiful food. They also had access to a much needed nutritional element and highly esteemed religious instrument by mining salt from the mountains.

They traded their salt for exotic items like Macaws. Their resources explain why people inhabited this area much longer than most Ancestral Publeoans sites, but they too eventually left for unknown reasons.

For the rest of the day we toured Sedona. We visited a church built on a cliff, saw two coyotes streak across a trail, seeming to (but hopefully not) be chasing a hiker that had just started down the same trail, and lucked upon the most beautiful sunset we have ever seen, having turned down a side street at random, to park and discuss plans, where we noticed a collection of locals watching the sun start to fade, only after a few minutes they left. We too thought the sky was done with its show. Isaiah was even taking pictures of the hills in the afterglow when I told him to turn around. The sky seemed on fire. It was spectacular.

Rounding out the evening we visited an outdoor shopping plaza which was hosting the Festival of the Trees. Local businesses had decorated Christmas trees in different themes to raise money for charity. With trees at $500 a pop it appears the charity will be fully funded this year.

Tuzigoot

Fiesta Tree at the Festival of Trees

 

Day 126 (Saturday 11/24/12)- Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater & Wupatki parks, AZ

　
Never having heard of it, I must admit I wasn't terribly excited about Walnut Canyon. My vague disinterest evaporated when we entered the visitor's center, precariously perched atop a canyon rim.

There we read about the Civilian Conservation Corps and all the great work they did in the 1930's. Something new we learned was the CCC program was only for unmarried men and they were required to send home $25 of the $30 they earned each month to support their unemployed families.

We followed a path down into the canyon, wrapping around several cliff structures and even got to go inside a few. Looking out across the canyon we spotted several other inaccessible dwellings hidden in the forest. We also learned about a plant called 'Mormon tea' which was used by early Mormon pioneers to treat all kinds of ailments and also happens to be a stimulant.

Next were two interconnected parks. The first one we came to was Sunset Crater Volcano. The site of this 800-year-old volcanic eruption remains nearly unchanged from what it looked like soon after the devastating event. There were beds of lava rock and the side of the mountain was coated with black rock. After having visited Idaho's Craters of the Moon we looked at Sunset Crater as a gateway to Wupatki park, where we found some of the most intact ruins we have come across yet, all the more impressive considering they were constructed atop hill sides instead of set deep in protective caves. Several features make this park unique and memorable.

The first building, a three-story pueblo, was all alone, miles from the rest of the village. Resting on a huge hill it is thought to have been a lookout point and was perhaps home to the important members of the community, given that at the time three-story structures were big projects and very unusual.

The next Pueblo was special too. Not quite as tall as the first but impressive in length, it includes a community room, a ball court and a mysterious blowhole. To this day researchers cannot explain how the hole was used, but perhaps like us visitors enjoy it all the same. (Isaiah's hair didn't photograph as dramatically in the wind as mine).

Thinking the day couldn't be improved we drove into Sedona. Even with the traffic jam, Sedona and the drive there was amazing. We now understand why people speak of it so fondly.

Walnut Canyon

Sunset Crater

Wupatki- The blow hole

Wupatki

 

Day 125 (Friday 11/23/12)- Petrified Forest, AZ

Having heard good things about the Petrified Forest we both were looking forward to today. Another reason might have been our sleepless Black Friday night as shoppers rolled endlessly in and out of the parking lot. By the time we went into Walmart at 6:30 in the morning we were happy to see that the most crazed had left and a much smaller and less zealous group of shoppers had replaced them.
The Petrified Forest is actually divided into two parks. They call the first portion the Painted Desert. There wonderful, colorful and wavy formations span into the great distance. Stopping at the Painted Desert Inn we got to take a step back in time and see how restaurants were, complete with beautiful Native American wall murals and a menu with .45 cent hamburgers.

In the ladies room I met the French version of me. She and her partner, the french woman told me, had flown to British Columbia, bought a van almost identical to ours (though not nearly as colorful) and drove to AZ where they found work and saved money for their next destination- Panama. After Panama they are hoping to take a boat to Japan. Though their grand, globe circling plans humbled our modest excursion, they provided traveler solidarity.  I looked on knowingly as she washed dishes in the bathroom sink, something I am very familiar with. Adeu to our new friends as we greeted the Petrified Forest. Unlike any other forest, the remains of thousands of trees scatter the otherwise desolate land. We were able to get close views of logs with agate, amethyst and all sorts of other beautifully colored minerals. We took two walks in the park. The best and most colorful was the Crystal Forest.

An interesting note: we found there is a huge theft problem here. One ton of rock and petrified wood goes missing....each month! The theft explains why the current landscape, though beautiful and unique, contains a smaller forest than we were expecting, much smaller than in years past. Though every year the park receives letters and packages with confessions from guilt ridden robbers returning their stolen artifacts, those with a conscious aren't enough to replenish the landscape.

Glass tile ceiling at the Painted Desert Inn

In the Painted Desert

In the Petrified Forest

 

Days 123 & 124 (Wed 11/21/12 & Thu 11/22/12)- Gallup, NM

Today's goal was to travel to three spots. Though we didn't make all three, it was a scenic failure.

The first of the parks was lovely El Morro. Within the park are a couple of sites that would interest any student of history.

A stroll down Inscription trail takes you back in time with numerous petroglyphs from ancestral people who first resided in the area. Next are fancy scrolls carved by Spanish explorers. Then autographs of pioneers who came through to access the pond at the base of the rock. Last you see U.S. military graffiti left from an expedition to survey the land. An ancient timeline of average people, a craggy visitor's log.

In the opposite direction is a trail, which like most everything else you find in National Parks, were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (a group of young men working in the 1930's ) who made a natural staircase out of the rock. We made it to the top and found an ancient ruin scene. It is believed that Ancestral Puebloans lived here in the late 1200's and left behind them a now crumbling legacy.

The second park on our list encompassed a large swathe of land. We drove through a section of it and it was nice, but the visitor center was not where our GPS claimed, so we were unable to get any details about it. We then found, but couldn't access, the last park on our adventurous schedule- Sky City pueblo homes perched atop a cliff. On the way there we passed a group of frantic looking Native Americans. We assumed they were selling their art. When a group of people waves wildly for you to stop, you might consider listening. We didn't.

We continued the drive and finally pulled into the visitor's center. It was there and only then that we learned that visitors can only come on the weekends. We managed a quick view of the homes above us and returned to the highway.

Our adaptation of Thanksgiving meant we didn't have to wait as long as most do to eat. An instant Thanksgiving breakfast buffet! This also meant naps by noon. A full day of strictly lounging. Of course nothing was open anyway. Our feast had to be tailored to present circumstances, but we creatively ensured we weren't missing anything. This meant substitutions like Jojo's for mashed potatoes, cranberry juice for sauce and green bean surprise (the surprise being it was cold and clearly not a casserole).

In the evening we watched the delightful Moonrise Kingdom, the sweetest of love stories, especially considering the lovers are twelve and awkward and in Wes Anderson's twee, custom wardrobed universe. Apparently Black "Friday" now begins on Thursday evening and many people are serious about it. There was something very strange and wrong seeming about being in a Walmart filled to capacity with thousands of Native Americans on Thanksgiving having the same consumer lust as everyone else.

Inscription trail at El Morro

Inscription trail at El Morro

Ruins at El Morro

Day 122 (Tuesday 11/20/12)- Canyon de Chelly, AZ

 Starting in AZ, briefly crossing into UT and ending in NM you can imagine today was a busy one.

Our first stop was the Navajo National Monument in AZ. Down a short trail we walked to an overlook and saw the remnants of what was once a small village. The remains are so fragile you cannot go inside them, but at the overlook, seeing the valley below you, its easy to imagine homesteading on the edge of a rock face.

We then drove to Monument Valley, crossing over into UT. Monument Valley is best known for being the backdrop for many westerns, most notably "Stagecoach" and "Searchers." As we drove we pictured cowboys riding alongside. "Easy Rider" and "Forrest Gump" were also shot in the area.

Our final site for the day was Canyon de Chelly. The National Park had been highly recommended by friends and we went with high expectations. The amazing views of the canyon did not disappoint and the drive was wonderful. There was, however, something quite different about this park. Located in the middle of a reservation, in eastern AZ, far removed from any major cities there is a desperate poverty, the worst we have ever seen, and surely near North America's poorest. As we drove the landscape grew more and more disheartening. Wild dogs roamed along the highway, several dead on the roadside. Everywhere we stopped, including within the park itself, we encountered someone asking for money.

No one was unkind or pushy. One young woman asked us for money for food for her and her baby. Another came up to our rolled up window, knocked, and asked for change. In other spots in America we, unshowered, in a rusted 20-year-old van that is clearly our home, might be the ones given spare change. Other areas we've gone through seem to have considered tourists and tried to redirect them around unpleasantness, but here the poverty was overwhelming. We were intellectually aware these areas existed, and have been through several Native American lands on our trip, seemingly a bit more prosperous, here was heartbreaking to witness. We were unprepared.

We crossed into New Mexico where we settled in for the night.

Navajo Monument

Canyon de Chelly

Canyon de Chelly

Canyon de Chelly

 

 

Day 121 (Monday 11/19/12)- Glen Canyon Dam, AZ

At first glance the town of Page, AZ seems like a typical small town with nothing to do. In great need of a relaxing day we had planned to spend the day lounging and maybe seeing the nearby dam should we find the time. Since it is a really small town we arrived at the dam after breakfast.

Multiple park rangers and local police were surrounding the area and eyed our approaching van with great suspicion. Entering the visitor's center we learned that we happened upon the dam right as they were about to release water, in response to a flood warning. Visitor's from all over were crowding the windows, anxious to see this rare event.

As a nearby cousin to the Hoover Dam on the eastern side of AZ, controlling the Colorado River, Glen Canyon dam acts as a storage facility keeping flood waters at bay. One terrible flood came in 1983, devastating a huge tract of land. The dam was running at the time but the engineers had been surprised and miscalculated and the dam overflowed. When floods returned the next year the engineers had learned from their mistakes and were able to drain water in advance of the flood. In the end the damage was negligible especially considering the second flood was larger than the first.

After a long wait, torrents of water finally spewed from four huge pipes. It is difficult to fathom or describe the amount of water we saw released but we could have stayed all day to watch. Instead we got, finally, for at least part of the day, to relax.

 

Day 120 (Sunday 11/18/12)- The Grand Canyon, AZ

There have often been times on the trip when we have wondered how things have gotten their names. Is Death Valley an appropriate name for a thriving desert community? What about the Golden Gate...it's frickin' red! Yet when it comes to the Grand Canyon it is indeed, and in every way, grand.

Arriving early in the morning we stopped at the visitor's center, which excepting a giant orb representing Earth and a caged scorpion, had nothing of note. It was here we learned that, fortunate for us, the shuttle system was still operating. We hopped a bus for our first hike.

At Pima Point you have the option of two trails, one winding gracefully through the trees on a safe, paved path or the hike we chose. Now I say hike, but maybe should say near death cliff walk. This trail of sorts runs right along the canyon's edge and, as to be expected, has views like none other. As we wove along the twisting path, side stepping loose rocks, we talked about how instant death would be if we stumbled. Fortunate for us we didn't and enjoyed every minute of this thrilling experience.

It would be impossible to top this first hike, but for the rest of the day we tried. Riding the shuttle all along the South rim we got varied views of the canyon and got out a few times to get closer views of the park's most popular overlooks-Hopi, Mohave and Powell.

Finishing our canyon adventure we hiked the well known Angel Bright trail. This trail, that eventually winds all the way down to the canyon floor, is a good reminder that what descends must return. We glided along the path stopping to get pictures of rams along the trails edge and a Mule deer that followed us on the trail for quite a while. The steep incline was unsurprisingly less enjoyable, though a man with a flute played as we climbed, making it more bearable.

 

Day 119 (Saturday 11/17/12)- Flagstaff, AZ

Sucks.

Day 118 (Friday 11/16/12)- Las Vegas, NV

At the cheapest pool yet Isaiah and I spent the morning swimming, working out and taking a shower. $2 doesn't buy much though, as the workout room is dwarfed by most home gyms and I saw a cockroach slip out of a shower drain.
What to do after a cockroach sighting? A buffet. A small Chinese buffet, one that had surprisingly delicious tortilla chips, french fries, and fried chicken.

For dessert Isaiah had a delicious surprise...a chocolate factory tour. Forrest Mars, creator of the Mars candy company, after "retiring" created a line of finer, more expensive chocolates, naming the brand after his mother Ethel who inspired his love for chocolate. Here we got to try samples, view the factory and tour the large cactus garden which was dressed up for Christmas.

In a hurry to see Hoover Dam before dark we had to skip the garden's light show. In the end it was dark when we reached the dam and so got a quick and crappy picture at a pull out and headed into Arizona.

Day 117 (Thursday 11/15/12)- Las Vegas, NV

　We again started our day at Circus Circus. Having a more flexible schedule we caught four shows.

The first two acts worked with silk suspended from the ceiling, dangling from it and gracefully twirling themselves in it, the third man balanced on a wire and juggled. The last act we saw was Zuma Zuma. Featured on America's Got Talent, this group of four guys was not only our favorite act but was clearly the biggest crowd pleaser. Mixing acrobatics, strength and balance they put on a great show which included flips, tricks, dancing and limbo. We even got to see them practice after their routine had ended. All the shows were incredible, Zuma Zuma merely had the best showmanship.

At the M & M company store we watched a 3-D movie of Red and Yellow on a quest to reclaim his "M" which he gambled away at the Poker tables.

Turns out we are addicted to T.V. rating and went back to CBS Studios to rate another show, even without a paycheck. The show was a sarcastic and very funny pictionary game show. We'll see if it makes it to air.

Last was Rio and their free "Show in the Sky" which was incredible, but not for the reasons some might mention. Sure women pranced in lingerie and hunky but fully clothed men danced around them. There were several shows, each with a theme- going to bed, taking a bath and of course, for the final number, leather and chains. The female singer was really good, the songs decent (vastly superior to Sirens) and the dancing adequate. The stage show, though, was not the best feature. The ceiling mounted circling mobiles that rained down Mardi Gras beads were better. And better still were the "Flair" bartenders who juggled and spun and balanced bottles and poured free shots down women's gullets. But the absolute best moment was realizing the shirtless and incredibly fit male singer was Jaymes from the Amazing Race. The boy can dance...He is a Chippendale afterall.

Excalibar Casino

New York New York Casino

Fountain show at The Bellagio Casino

Zuma Zuma performing at Circus Circus Casino

Jaymes from the Amazing Race

Free shots!