All Over

Ok vacation is history. Got to see a major chunk of Arizona and the bottom bit of Utah and all in all it was a very busy and full week. Back in Phoenix and catching a plane back to Atlanta early this afternoon. Should begin to see some regular posts here as I can pretty much count on Internet in the places I go. I had no real cell phone/Blackberry service/Internet in the Grand Canyon, Page, or Monument Valley. I did see a glimpse of service from some company called Smith Bagley while on the Navajo reservation in a place called Kayenta which is famous for its Navajo Code Talker exhibit in the Burger King.

I am glad I toolk the time to visit Monument Valley. It is a National Monument but is contained completely within the Navajo reservation and they pretty much have it under their control. You can (for 5$) drive around a 17 mile unpaved road that loops through some of the monument and past most of the major rocks. The best way to see the whole thing is to go to Goulding's Lodge and do the package that includes the all day tour. You get a Navajo guide and go to places in the valley that are restricted to guided tours only. These are only accessible via 4 wheel drive and way, way off the beaten path but you get to see Anasazi ruins, pertroglyphs and rock formations that you can't see on the self tour. With the package an all day tour cost $80.00 per person and includes a lunch of burgers cooked by the guide. Good value.

It is also quite eye opening to spend the day in the desert with a native guide and ask questions. Because of the extended drought over the last 10 - 15 years the Navajo have not been able to make a living like they traditionally have. They are now dependent on hauling in water from some of the deep wells that are around the valley as well as hay to support their tiny flocks of sheep and cattle. The drought is forcing them to abandon many of their traditional methods of living in the desert. this is most likely the same set of circumstances that forced the Anasazi to abandon the valley so long ago. Because of global climate change this the may be the fate of the majority of us in the not so distant future.

See you from Atlanta tonight or tomorrow.

Back to the real world...