September 9, "What a Glorious Trip"

Heading Out to the Northwest

1. From Columbus, GA to see my Aunt in Manhattan Kansas.

2. From Kansas to Badlands National Park, South Dakota.

3. Hill City, SD- Meet Caravan- side trips to Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park

4. Devils Tower, WY

5. Buffalo, WY to Cody, WY and Yellowstone National Park

6. Jackson, WY and The Grand Tetons.

7. Eden, ID to Pocatello (visit my cousin), then to Challis, ID via Craters of the Moon.

8. Challis to Missoula, MT to Jackson Hole and (West) Glacier National Park.

9. Glacier Nat. Park to St. Regis, MT, Coeur d'Alene,ID, Cooley City, WA and Leavenworth, WA

10. Yakima, WA to see Mt. Rainier

11. Yakima to Bend, OR and Crater Lake

12. Crater Lake, OR through North Bend and Waldport, OR to see the Pacific Coast

Miles traveled in RV - 4,259 mi.

States Visited - 12

Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon

Heading Home via the South West

1. From Waldport, OR to Susanville, CA then on to Lee Vining, CA to visit Yosemite National Park and Bodie Ghost Town.

2. Lee Vining to Caliente, NV then to Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, Zion Canyon and Grand Canyon, AZ

3. Grand Canyon to Page, AZ and on to Monument Valley to tour the Navajo National Park

4. Monument Valley,UT to Four Corners, Mesa Verde (did not tour this) and them to Durango, CO to tour and ride the Silverton Durango Train

Miles traveled - 2,092 mi.

States Visited - California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado

Homeward Bound

Miles traveled to get home - 1,600 mi.

Total Miles Traveled- 7,951

Miles spent getting lost, turning around, etc,- 49

Grand Total- 8,000

Places We Saw - Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devils Tower, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Twin Falls and Shoshone Falls, Craters of the Moon, West Glacier Nat. Park, Coulee Dam, Mt. Rainier, Crater Lake and the Oregon Coast.

Yosemite, Bodie Ghost Town, Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Four Corners, Silverton Durango Train ride

!!!!!Favorites !!!!!!

Favorite Town - Cody, WY

Favorite Mountains - The Grand Tetons

Favorite Monument - Four Corners

Favorite Waterfall - Tioga Pass - Yosemite

Favorite Tour - Monument Valley - "Navajo Spirit Tours"

Favorite Campsite - Icicle River RV Resort, Leavenworth, WA

Favorite Nat. Park Campground - North Rim, Grand Canyon

Most Interesting Campground - West Glacier KOA

Prettiest Valley - Willamette Valley

Most scenic drive - Hwy 101 Oregon Coast

Most Desolate Highway - Hwy 375 "Extraterrestrial Highway"

Most Terrifying Mountain Road - Hwy 9 (East) into Zion Canyon

Most Beautiful Sunset - North Rim, Grand Canyon

Most Beautiful Sunrise - Monument Valley

The End

and

Happy Trails to All

September 2-4, Durango, Colorado

We left the bewitching Monument Valley,

knowing we would have to come back again to this magical land.

As we drove Hwy 160 toward Mesa Verde and Durango Colorado, we realized that we would be going right by "Four Corners" Monument. There is a point on the map where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico meet. This point is marked by a monument so we drove to see it. How often do you get to stand in 4 states at one time!

Joe tried it the hard way, then together we stood in the four states.

Back on the road, Hwy 160, we drove on toward Mesa Verde and Durango Colorado. Our plan was to spend one night at Mesa Verde, tour the cave dwellings of the Puebloan Indians and then on to Durango. Now strange as this may seem, we had a feeling that Mesa Verde wasn't going to happen! So far ALL of our plans have turned out great, but this part just didn't set well with us. There was something about the place that made us feel uneasy. We canceled our registration and drove on to Durango.

We finally see green! For many miles it has been predominately adobe orange and sky blue, now we're in Colorado.

Our campground in Durango, United Campground, was a nice enough park but there were a few extra touches that made it great. There was a small corral that housed several miniature ponies. Joe just had to go love on them.

There was also a Trolley that would pick us up right in front of the campground office. But BEST perk of all, the Silverton Durango Train drove right behind the campground.

That one thing was worth the above average price of this campground.

We rode the trolley into town for a little sightseeing, lunch and to pick up our tickets for the train ride.

It's a nice town, but on this particular weekend, there was a large constituency of motorcycle riders. There was some kind of rally that's held here each year. But it was kind of exciting and they didn't cause much congestion.

We visited the railroad museum. The minute I smelled that diesel fuel, I felt my Dad right next to me. That's always a special feeling for me.

Our friends, Bill and Jane were not able to use their train tickets which are not refundable. They asked us to find someone who could use the tickets. We met the sweetest little family and they were not going to ride the train because there were six of them. With the free tickets, they all rode the train the next day. We had a terrific time with Melinda, James, Landon and Rolan.

So off we went for a day long train ride to Silverton, CO.

The train passed by our campground and people were out of their RVs, waving at us.

Melinda was born in this area and grew up here. She usually comes back on her birthday. This was a special treat because her oldest son had never been on this train.

The vistas were gorgeous. The train climbed to incredible heights. There were many times that I could not look down - just too high!

The train made two stops to replenish the water.

The Animas River flows down this valley in the San Juan Mountains.

This is the remains of an old mining operation, long since deserted.

Silverton was a gold and silver mining town along the Animas River during the 1800s. The train was used to haul silver and gold ore from the mountains. But soon, people realized it was the view that was priceless.

We had lunch at the Grand Imperial Hotel in Grumpy's Restaurant. This fellow probably isn't Grumpy, but he could really play that good old honky tonk piano music.

We had a delightful stay in Silverton, but at 2:00 we boarded

the train to return to Durango, a 3 1/2 hour ride.

For me, the train is my preferred mode of transportation

and I don't have to drive it!

The Durango Silverton is an historic, coal-fired,

steam powered narrow gauge train.

I caught a shot of him releasing steam. It was so energizing.

This is some of our crew.

More shots from the train.

There are many other activities available in the Durango area.

Hiking, Jeep and Dirtbike tours, Zip lining,

Gliding, Rafting.......you name it!

My favorite ........... Train Riding!

September 1, Tour of Monument Valley

We got up early this morning to meet our tour guide at 8:45. I had chosen Navajo Spirit Tours because the research said that they were particularly good with Navajo culture and all the guides are Navajo. I also talked with the company owner and I liked what she said about special features of their tours. Joe is getting all cleaned up for another day in the wild west.

I knew the vehicle would be an open air truck, but was not sure how I would like that. Knowing it was the best way to see the terrain, I still wondered if this cowgirl could handle it. It was great; like riding a bucking bronco!

Our guide, Larry, standing next to Joe, was a likable guy with a wealth of information about his people and the land. He is a descendant of a medicine man and he shared several stories related to healing people with herbs.

He drove us to the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park which is about 1 mile from our campground. He picked up other tourists at the View Hotel, the only hotel in the Park. From there we hit the road and what a road it was! I would NOT recommend taking your car over this rode.

Photographing this beautiful country has been challenging. Look at the difference between these two pictures. Getting the shot at the right angle and position of the sun can make a great picture or an ordinary one. Larry, our guide, joked that the Navajo called this formation the John Wayne. It is really called the Three Sisters.

These are called the Mittens. Notice there's a right one and a left one.

Some people might say there are just a lot of big rocks in Monument Valley, but if you understand the Navajo life and history, as well as the geological forces that created these forms, you have a better appreciation of this place.

Geography lesson 1: This is a mesa.

Geography lesson 2: This is a butte.

At one of our viewpoint stops, there were several Indian vendors , so once again, I got to admire their stunning jewelry. I prefer buying from the roadside artists, because the price is usually better and I like to promote private enterprise!

The rock formations are mostly sandstone but they contain other minerals like zinc. As with all the other places we've seen, Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion, the height of the mountain or plateau is caused by an uplift from volcanic action below the earth. Once the uplift of the mountains occurred then the rain, wind and snow determined the size and form.

The picture on the right is called The Totem Pole. For the movie, "The Eiger Sanction", Clint Eastwood trained for a mountain climb by practicing on The Totem Pole.

Our next stop was one Joe and I were really anticipating. We would get to meet a 99 year old Navajo lady who is still making rugs. She works inside this Hogan, located on her property in the Tribal Park. Hogans are maintained for ceremonial uses today, not as living quarters. Navajo people always enter a building in a clockwise direction - one of those little- known aspects of this culture!

Meet Susie Yazzie. She is the matriarch of a seven generation family. She speaks very little English, but her smile says it all. I just enjoyed being around her and listening to the stories about family life that Larry shared with us.

In this picture she is trying her best to explain to me what she is doing. I would smile and nod and then she would smile and nod. She even brushed my hair with some buffalo grass. Soooo sweet!

Larry is showing us how a baby carrier was made. If the baby was a boy, the first strap is threaded from the left side because that's how he would hold a bow. If it is a girl, it is threaded from the right because that is how she will hold her wool for weaving.

Joe checked out the construction of the Hogan. It is made of fir and some pine. No nails are used. The wood pieces are laid in such a way that the pressure from the top logs hold the bottom ones in place. Clay is used to seal the joints. If you mix the clay and water and place it into the joints to dry, on the hottest day of the summer, it will last for two years.

Most Navajo homesteads include a Hogan, a modern house

and a corral for animals.

Our next stop was to see the arches.

Human art blends with nature's art.

The contrast of the orange rocks with the blue sky

was so pleasing to the eye.

Can't have a Wild West without the wild horses.

Larry took us to an interesting rock formation that forms a perfect amphitheater. He stretched out on the rock into a reclined position and had us do the same.

He had us lie back, look up at the sky through the opening above us, then close our eyes. Then he sang for us in his native language. His voice was mellow, but strong, humble yet proud. The sound echoed off the surrounding rock and I felt so peaceful, almost euphoric. One characteristic that I've noticed in all the Navajo people we've met and talked to, is their contentment! They are satisfied with their lives, proud of their culture and pleased when people want to be a part of that. Larry made us feel like a part of his world.

I mentioned earlier about the blending of the architecture with the landscape. On the top of this hill is the View Hotel. You can barely tell it is a manmade structure.

The adobe orange of the rocks and ground are

accentuated by touches of green.

Our tour lasted about three hours and though my body was ready to rest, my soul wanted more.

We got all dressed up that night and enjoyed a wonderful meal at the Goulding Lodge.

We had to leave the next morning, but not until

I experienced a Navajo sunrise.