Exploring the Southwest

Since leaving Sandi and family in California, we've seen a lot of the Southwest in the past two weeks. Our first stop was Fort Mohave, where the temperatures reached over 100 degrees (but, oh well, it's a dry heat!) and vegetation was scarce. We appreciated the time spent with Diane and Bill Vigeant, old friends from Colorado Springs, where we could relax, laugh, get tips full timing RVing, do our laundry, and wait for the remnants of Hurricane Rosa to pass. We did take a couple of "field trips" -  first to Oakman, an "almost" ghost town in the nearby mountains with donkeys wandering the streets with lots of tourists and the next day to Lake Havasu City to see the London Bridge spanning the Colorado River. In both cases we had nice walks and lunches in local eateries, but were glad to return to the air conditioning!

By Wednesday, October 3, we thought it was safe to head out of the desert and up to the Grand Canyon. On this trip we are trying to be more spontaneous, so, of course, we did not make any reservations at the Canyon campground. We just crossed our fingers and hoped to get a spot. As luck would have it, the campground and the RV village at the Canyon were full. So we turned around and drove about 10 miles south to a forest service campground we had seen. They had lots of spacious, shaded sites available (for the huge sum of $5/night), so we were content to enjoy the rest of the afternoon and evening there, hiking and relaxing.

We arose at 5 a.m. the next day so we could experience sunrise at the Grand Canyon. Unfortunately, it was quite cloudy and the sunrise was not as spectacular as we had hoped. Nevertheless, the canyon was still beautiful and we enjoyed an early morning walk along the rim (in 40+ degree temperatures, I might add. Colder than expected!) The Grand Canyon takes your breath away and no pictures or words can really grasp the essence of the experience - everything, our lives, our worries, our troubles, are put in perspective. The canyon is vast and its rock layers span nearly 2 billion years, which is unfathomable. Who am I, but a speck? Our times, but a thin moment in geologic history. What will we leave behind? How will we be remembered? This question, we were to learn quickly, will haunt us the next few weeks as we explore more of the southwest.

After being drenched by a sudden downpour later in the morning, we returned to our RV to change into dry clothing, and then returned to the park when the sun returned in the afternoon. We hung around, hoping to see a beautiful sunset, but were again disappointed. Too many thick clouds in the west, but, still, the experience was awe-inspiring. (Lew is always looking for the perfect picture, which wasn't there, but everything else was wonderful)

Our plan was to leave the Grand Canyon the next morning by way of the east entrance and head up to Monument Valley. Fortunately, Lew encountered some Dutch neighbors at the campground who asked us about the road closure. Road closure? Yikes! Apparently the road we needed to take north after leaving the Park was washed out until Sunday. Well, one of the nice things about this sojourn is the fact that we have few absolutes, few deadlines to meet. This was an opportunity to prove we could be flexible. Can't go there? Ok, if we have to go south to Flagstaff anyway, why not head east to Aztec, NM to see an old friend I hadn't seen since I graduated from high school 53 years ago! Why not, indeed? So we went.

It was along drive - which we vowed we wouldn't do - but it was worth it. Besides a reunion, which was great, we were treated to a trip down to Chaco Canyon, which we hadn't anticipated. It was amazing. I had no idea who the Chaco people were or what incredible building techniques they had perfected some 1000 years ago. Chaco Canyon was a central location for all the people living in this four corners region, and beyond - a trade center, a ceremonial center, a central gathering place for far-flung peoples. I am so glad we had the opportunity to visit here and feel the power of the place as people long ago must have felt that power, that specialness.

The whole southwest is dotted with these ancient settlements. These people, the ancestral puebloans, forged a culture that still lives today in many of the American Indian tribes - the Hopi, the Apache, the Navajo, and many others - people that the invading Europeans called savages. But these people had developed a complex social organization, deep religious customs and ceremonies, amazing irrigation and agricultural systems, precision building techniques and sophisticated methods of communication over a wide expanse. They revered the land, wisely learned how to live in a sometimes hostile environment, and developed a way of life that lasted for hundreds of years.

I am humbled by what they accomplished with so little. I wondered if my experience at Chaco Canyon could prepare me better for what I was about to learn at Canyon deChelly. I don't think so. I'm most of the way through that experience, but will leave my musings for another post. I need to think. It's all a bit overwhelming. My emotions are raw.