FROM THE COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND TO THE ROUTE 66 CASINO

PASTORAL SCENE AT THE HUBBELL TRADING POST

Wind came up about 5 this morning & shifted our temporary picnic top satellite dish slightly & that was the end of that for the morning news.  Didn’t feel like getting out there in the chilly winds, in the dark & in my pajamas to wrestle with that dish anymore.  Had enough of that Wednesday!!

SUNRISE THROUGH THE COTTONWOOD TREES

This was a traveling day for us so we busied ourselves at first light packing things up & stowing things away.  Took on some water & dumped our tanks.  I was glad we were moving on because the weather deteriorated rapidly as the temperature dropped & the winds picked up.  Felt very fortunate that we had such a great warm sunny day for our Whitehouse Ruins hike on Wednesday.

  

ALONG THE WHITEHOUSE RUINS TRAIL

Winds were heavier than we thought as we rolled out of the campground around 8.  Skies looked very dark north of Chinle.  Luckily we were headed south & away from that.  Bucked a ferocious head wind with a touch of rain & snow all the way south but once we turned east we had the wind on our rear quarter & it just kinda worked in our favor.  Still had to hang on with both hands today though.

NOT MUCH CHANCE OF ME PUTTING ON MY HAT THIS MORNING

Stopped in at the historic HUBBELL TRADING POST in Ganado.  Lots of Navajo arts & crafts here but I kinda liked the old dusty barn with all it’s great animal smells:))

 

 

THE HISTORIC HUBBELL TRADING POST IN GANADO ARIZONA

On our way to Gallup NM we drove through a pine forest & how nice it was again to see tall green trees.  I think it was around noon while motoring through a little place called Window Rock that we sadly crossed the State line out of Arizona.  Thank you Arizona for all the great memories this past winter again.  You are truly our home in the Southwest.

Gallup New Mexico saw us climb aboard I-40 under sunny skies heading East.  The wind was at our backs & we sailed right along.  A Walmart stop in Grants filled up our larder & it was nice to feel some warmer air again.

Moved our clocks ahead to mountain time shortly after pulling into the large Route 66 Casino just west of Albuquerque New Mexico.  I think this is a first for us in staying at a Casino parking lot.  This place is huge with acres & acres of pavement.  Decided to walk over to the ROUTE 66 CASINO & see if we could track us down some cheap eats.  Well, we did find some eats.

 

This may surprise some readers but I happen to really like Casinos.  But I like them for a different reason than most folks.  Ever since walking into my first Casino while at Photo Convention in Las Vegas back in the mid 80’s I’ve been like a kid in a candy store when around them.  I love the lights & all the vibrant neon colors.  Love the wildly designed carpeting & décor.   I am a very visual person so all the twinkling strobe lights, glass ceiling balls, & just masses of colored lights everywhere appeal to me.  Each slot machine has it’s own profusion of neon lights & with rows upon rows of slots my eyes are just dazzled by the motion of striking colors. 

 

I would love to take my cameras into a Casino sometime just to photograph the lights.  And then there is the sound.  And then there is the people.  And, and, and…..Kelly & I once flew to Vegas for 4 days in the early 90’s just to see all the razzle dazzle Casinos by night & tour the surrounding desert by day.  But, that’s another whole blog & in case anyone is wondering, neither Kelly or I have any interest whatsoever in any of that gambling stuff.   Oh, & we did grab a bite to eat in the Thunder Road Steak House & Cantina.  Loved the old car décor but we ate too much:((  Noticed that 80% of the people in there were Indian folks.

 

And, before I forget, I have a few parting thoughts about the Cottonwood Campground in Chinle Arizona.  The campground is situated perfectly for day trips into Canyon de Chelly which is right outside the campground.  The park is free by the way.  Nice paved roads & lots.  There is a dump station here but no electric & no water except at the camp host site.  Nice big Cottonwood trees as well.  Also like the fact that there is reasonable room between the staggered sites & RV’s are not all lined up in crowded regimented rows.   There are a couple pull through sites as well.  However, there are a few things about this campground people should know.

 

OUR OVERNIGHT SPOT AT THE ROUTE 66 CASINO WEST OF ALBUQUERQUE NEW MEXICO

First & foremost is the fact that this whole area up here in northeast Arizona is Navajo land so there are some differences.  At the moment this campground is run by the National Parks board & is free.  The Navajo people are wanting to gain control of this campground & if that happens I don’t imagine it will be a free campground anymore. 

 

While at the Cottonwood campground don’t be surprised if when you look outside your window you see a horse looking back at you.  This is free range land so horses & cattle are on the roadways.  Be very careful while driving in the park because you could very easily encounter horses on the road.  We did.  Beware the large rocks in the campground they have put all over the place along the roads & around the campsites.  I watched a 5ver driver tangle his rig up on a couple rocks.  Impatient driver’s fault & not the rocks fault.  Dogs roam through the park at will & the barking of dogs through the night will for sure keep lite sleepers awake.  

GROANER’S CORNER:((

Q: What do you get if you cross a sheepdog with a rose?
A: A collie-flower!

Q: How can you if you have a stupid dog?
A: It chases parked cars!

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Technorati Tags: Route 66 Casino,Hubbell Trading Post,Chinle,Albuequerque,Cottonwood campground,Thunder Road

HIKING THE ‘WHITEHOUSE RUINS’ TRAIL AT CANYON DE CHELLY

REST STOP FOR A LUNCH BREAK WHILE ON OUR WAY TO THE TOP OF THE CANYON RIM IN THE DISTANCE

How nice it was once again to see that big old sun creeping up over the horizon & beaming through the Cottonwood trees.  Nights are still down around freezing here but daytime temps are perfect for hiking.

Poured over some more travel plans this morning again.  Had hoped to do Monument Valley but will probably save that for another trip when the weather is warmer & we can combine it with some time in the 4 corners area of Colorado, Utah, Arizona & New Mexico.  Would like to do that trip in the early fall sometime.  We have switched our ‘going home’ priority to simply a ‘warmer weather’ priority so will head in a southeasterly direction Thursday seeking out a warmer pocket of air maybe in New Mexico or Texas.  No need for us to hurry home.  I just get a little ‘antsy’ sometimes traveling long distances between points A & B.  Just like to get out there & ‘git er done:))

SECTIONS OF THE TRAIL CAN BE SEEN WINDING DOWN TO THE CANYON FLOOR….WE ARE HEADED FOR THE TOP LEFT OF THE PHOTO & TURNING RIGHT

It was the ‘no wind’ factor this morning that put the icing on the cake for a beautiful sunny clear day.  Out the door & off we went to the Canyon’s South rim & a place called the Whitehouse Ruins Overlook.  No, nothing to do with the Whitehouse in Washington!!  It is here where the 3 mile round trip begins & it’s approximately a 600' descent to the Canyon’s floor.

 

WE ARE ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN

Right from the beginning one is awed by the sweeping scenic views of the Canyon.  The words, marvelous & spectacular come to mind.  Yes, even awesome:))  We quickly realized this trail will now go into our travel books as the most breathtaking scenic trail we have ever been on.

 

The trail winds it’s way to the bottom using switchbacks.  Steps have been cut out of solid rock in places while other sections contain loose gravely stones & sand.   Parts of the trail lead over the very rock that forms the Canyon’s walls.  By hiking standards it is an easy trail with no hand over hand rock scrambling involved.  If height bothers you it might be advisable to bring a blindfold as you navigate some of the narrower sections along the cliff face. But, you don’t really want to do that & miss all the incredible beauty every foot of the way.  This is a trail to be done slowly because there is just sooooo much to see as you descend.

 

We started the hike at 9:40 a.m. & set foot on the Canyon floor at 10:40.  A nice leisurely walk of 40 minutes with lots of photo stops along the way.  Now, instead of looking down into the Canyon we were now at the bottom looking up at the massive & towering rock cliffs all around.  Have I used the word magnificent yet.

TRAIL IS CUT ACROSS THE STONE FACE IN CENTER OF THE PHOTO 

It was a short walk across the valley floor to a foot bridge crossing a small flowing stream.  We could only imagine how beautiful it is here when the many Cottonwood trees are dressed in their summer coats of green.   Horses leisurely crazed under the trees amid cactus, cholla & Juniper trees.  We could see the distant Whitehouse ruins nestled into the cliff face just on the other side of the Cottonwood trees.  The Navajo people were here too with their tables of many Indian crafts.  Some were working on their art pieces as we walked by on our way to look at the fenced off ruins.

 

COMING & GOING PAST THE NAVAJO VENDOR’S TABLES

The Whitehouse Ruins are similar to what we saw at the GILA CLIFF DWELLINGS in New Mexico a couple years ago except that these Whitehouse Ruins were a bit more intact.  Again, just Google Canyon de Chelly for all the historical info on this very historical Navajo land.  Tragedies in this Canyon date back many years to the day Spaniards arrived & killed many of the ancient people living here.  It happened again in the late 1800’s when U.S. Cavalry soldiers entered the land & killed many of the Navajo natives who called this Canyon their home.

THE WHITEHOUSE RUINS AS SEEN FROM GROUND LEVEL

THE WHITEHOUSE RUINS AS SEEN FROM A HIGHER VIEW POINT OVERLOOK WITH A TELEPHOTO LENS

Made our way back through the Native Craftspeople, crossed the stream & at 11 a.m. & began our daunting 600 foot climb back up & out of the Canyon.  We had dressed warm in the cooler morning air coming down but it wasn’t long & we had peeled off jackets & shirts heading up.  Our first stop along the way was at a wooden bench under a Juniper Tree.  Out came the Turkey sandwiches & bottled water.

I once again marveled at our great & good fortune to be here where we were, doing what we wanted to do at a time in our lives we are still able to do it.  Sitting on that bench surrounded by indescribable beauty made me wonder aloud where we would be a year from this day at this same moment of time.  Sometimes, it’s just not best to wonder aloud.

 

WE BEGIN OUR LONG HIKE TO THE TOP

It was onwards & upwards as we put one foot in front of the other & concentrated on the climb ahead.  With a few more break stops along the way & a few seconds here & there for photos we steadily closed in on the high rim of the Canyon.  And then there it was, the final few yards to the top.  It was 11:50 a.m & our ascent had taken us 50 minutes, which surprisingly was only 10 minutes longer than our descent.  We both felt it was an easier climb than we had both anticipated & was not as strenuous as some of our other hikes in the past. 

 

A LOT OF HARD EFFORT HAS GONE INTO MAKING THESE TRAILS

Canyon de Chelly is a long but narrow Canyon.  Not as long, deep or wide as the Grand Canyon but just as stunning in it’s own beautiful uniqueness.  This is a Canyon where the ordinary person can hike to the bottom & hike themselves back out again in a matter of hours.  For anyone traveling in Northeastern Arizona do not miss Canyon de Chelly.  It will not disappoint you.

AT LAST……. WE NEAR THE TOP

We were back at the rig shortly after noon & just cruised through the rest of the afternoon.  Had to reset up the tripod a couple times in the last couple days because my duct tape fix continued to become weaker with each puff of wind.  Finally, it was beyond setting up anymore so I had to revert to option number 2.

GROANER’S CORNER:(( 

A tutor who tooted a flute,
Tried to tutor two tooters to toot.
Said the two to the tutor,
"Is it harder to toot, or
To tutor two tooters to toot?"

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The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
 
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

Technorati Tags: Whitehouse Ruins,Canyon de Chelley

OUR FIRST LOOK AT CANYON DE CHELLY

The sound of sleet has a sharper sound on the rig’s roof than rain does & it was a sleeting sound I heard off & on during the night.  At first light I could see patches of white ground outside.  We had got ourselves some snow.

It felt sooooo good to see the sun rising through the trees of the campground.  Shafts of light beamed through our windshield lifting our spirits & immediately began a warming process in the rig.  The temps outside were totally freezing & made worse by a stiff breeze.  But, no matter, we could see sunshine & that was good enough to motivate us out the door by 9 & into the Jeep.  We headed off on the North rim drive of the CANYON DE CHELLY NATIONAL PARK.  A canyon that after being here for a few days we hadn’t even seen yet.

Noticed there was an increasing amount of snow on the ground as we gained altitude to our first stop, Antelope House Ruins.  I won’t give you the histories of the stops we made because all that can be found on line if anyone is interested.  What I will give you are my thoughts, feelings & some photos of the Canyon.

KELLY STOPS TO CHAT WITH A COUPLE ALONG ONE OF THE WALKWAYS

It was brutally cold & windy as we stepped out of the Jeep & headed for the Canyon rim.  Even if there wasn’t a Canyon here, the landscape was a work of art all on it’s own.  Mother Nature’s wintery hand had touched the shrubs & rocks with skiffs of snow.  A blue sky laced with white puffy clouds had turned the land into a picture post card photographer’s dream.

My first gaze into the Canyon was like no other because I realized right away this Canyon was like no other I had seen before.  The height from the edge of the accessible rocky ledge to the Canyon floor far below was dizzying.  Cows looked like ants.  The colors & morning hues were overwhelming as the sun cast slow moving cloud shadows across the greening valley floor.  Towering sandstone cliffs caught the sun’s rays to bathe themselves in unending colors.  Never had I seen a place like this before.

Our time at the rim was marred only by the biting cold winds which seemed to go right through us.  Had forgot my mitts, winter hat & had not thought to wear my lined winter pants.  Kelly’s nose was running & my fingers were froze with each photo I took.  Would have loved to stay there & relish in the beauty & history before us but we had no choice but to retreat to the warmth of the Jeep’s heater.

If I were to describe every stop we made along that north rim this morning & try to describe what we saw I would be sitting here at the keyboard all night.  I can tell you that we we spent a couple hours seeing everything we could before returning to the rig for a break.

An hour later we were back into the Jeep again & off to do the South rim of Canyon De Chelly.  We made the last stop at the end of the road, our first stop.  This is where I finally got to see…..Spider Rock.  When you think of Canyon De Chelly you probably think of Spider Rock because it is the most identified & photographed feature here in the Park & with today’s lighting conditions it was looking especially beautiful.

THE TALL SPIRES OF SPIDER ROCK ARE IN THE CENTER

We stopped into all the other overlooks on the way back to the rig including the White House Ruins location.  We will return there in the morning & descend a mile & a half into the Canyon itself.  It is the only place where people are allowed to hike in Canyon De Chelly. 

Now, I have two problems tonight.  I have completely overwhelmed myself with 264 photos today & have not yet begun to edit them.  Second, our internet connection is very poor & Monday night’s blog took 73 minutes to Publish.  If I load this post up with photos I could be here for days waiting for it to publish.  So, I will add a few pics & go with that.  Again, when we get home with a proper high speed connection I will put together a complete photo album on Canyon De Chelly. 

      

Since going with a Verizon Air Card a couple years ago I think this is only the second time we’ve been in a dead zone for coverage. 

Like most other RV’ers out here I grew up in the late 40’s & early 50’s listening to radio in the days before television.  We had a big old floor model & a couple counter top ones & I have many memories of endless hours listening to those great old radio shows.   For anyone out here with an interest in those old radios, check out ERIK'S RV BLOG for a trip down Memory Lane:))

THIS FELLOW ASKED KELLY TO TAKE A PICTURE OF HIM AT ONE OF THE OUTLOOKS

GROANER’S CORNER:((   You might be a redneck if your Jeep Pickup truck has a new sunroof because the shotgun fell off the rack when you slammed the door.

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The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
 
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.