Dave & Dru Canyon de Chelly
So here you are, thinking you are about to see Canyon de Chelly (pronounced "de Shay" for all of you uneducated people who probably voted for Bush). Not so fast. En route to Canyon de Chelly we visited four corners, the only place in the U.S. where you can stand in four states at the same time, as attested in the photo on the right. Folks back east just don't know the excitement they are missing. Fortunately, we spare you from seeing the overwhelming barrage of local sellers that surrounded the focal point. But, you need not let it deter you, just go in, park, get out, click the obligatory picture, get back in car and leave.
From Four Corners we really did go to Canyon de Chelly, located in the northeastern part of Arizona. We sort of over planned our trip, and we realized that we could fit something else in, so it was a last minute decision to go to Canyon de Chelly and we are glad that we did. It's not well-known, but it is quite impressive. Below left looks up into the canyon from close to the mouth of the canyon. It is still inhabited by descendants from the original people who irrigate and farm the land below. About midway along the southern rim, there is the opportunity to hike down into the canyon to see pueblo dwellings. Dave jumped at the chance; Dru declined and retreated to the sanctity of the visitor center jewelry store. At the bottom of the hike one is presented with clift dwellings known as the White House, named for the white structure in the top center of the picture bottom right. It is truly impressive. How could they have built that? The hike down into the canyon is about 1.5 miles, dropping 800 feet or so from the rim. Then one crosses a creek and plods along through some sand. But suddenly the White House blossoms before you. Suitably impressed, Dave stood there in awe and clicked away. Just as he finished, he heard this noise. It was the sound of a motor, rumbling closer and closer. Then before his eyes appeared the tour bus, full of gawking, elderly tourist, many of which were even older that he!! How could this be? Dave seriously considered paying double the round trip fare for a one way ticket out so he wouldn't have to climb that 800 feet back to the top. But fighter pilot stubbornness prevailed and he trudged upwards. Alone.
Once back on top, Dave rendezvoused with Dru and they continued east along the rim. The two photos below are scenes they saw. On the left is a view from the eastern part of the canyon towards the west. On the right are two spirals that have defied thousands of years of erosion.
Oh yes, trees, we are suppose to be on the look out for trees. Son of a gun, there were no trees of interest here either, unless you consider those itty bitty things in the bottom of the canyon of interest.
Go to Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Natural Bridges & Hovenweep, Navajo Nat'l Monument, or Monument Valley
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