GOD’S MONUMENTS = BIG ROCKS!

One of Dave's Panoramas of Monument Valley

Arriving in Monument Valley just after lunch, we entered the Navajo Park and thought we’d “knock out” the 17 mile loop and then have the rest of the day to explore.   After less than 3 miles, we decided the guided tour was looking better and better!  The road was rutted and our little truck was shaking our bones!!!  We abandoned the road and decided to drive up to Valley of the Gods.  The roads were much improved and the scenery was amazing.  There’s really no way to describe this beautiful, yet baron and hostile country.  Photos help, but do not convey the vastness:

Back at camp, we made arrangements for a guide on Saturday.  Saturday morning began with a video call to Abbie and Ella.  We told Abbie that we were playing in red sand and how it had rained mud.  At 9:30 we met Frank, after having to insist on the closed car (versus an open truck with even bouncier seats than ours and much dust) we were off.  Frank told us about the rock formations we were seeing and how  they were formed when the sea receded and erosion took over.  He took us into some parts of the park that weren’t on the 17 mile loop and we saw arches, petroglyphs, and the Sun’s Eye and God’s Ear.  At The Big Hogan he played as haunting Navajo flute for us while we lay on the cool shaded rocks (well Dave took video!!) (Go to Dave's blog to see the video and hear the flute - Frank and his brother have taken their flutes to Europe twice!).  The natural acoustics of the amphitheatre amplified the flute perfectly.  We learned about hogans and how the Navajo culture is very matriarchal, with the Grandmother being the main decision maker and holder of the cultural string (so watch out Abbie and Ella!).  After 3 hours on rocky roads we returned to the RV where we both crashed until  it was time for dinner and a movie in the RV Park.  We segwayed up the hill and toured the Goulding Museum and John Wayne’s cabin and then saw Stagecoach where the scenery behind the movie was the places we had explored the last 2 days. By the way, the cactus are imported for the movies, there are no cacti in Monument Valley, especially no Sonoran ones with the arms....lol  Frank said, they brought in both cacti and snow!

Arch in restricted area of Monument Valley

Hole in "Big Hogan"  more of the restricted area

Deb and Dave in Arch

Before marriage males live in Teepee Hogans...

...and women live in octagon Hogans and then 
invite the males in after marriage - they
cannot visit their Mother-in-law's Hogan
until after they are married.

Petroglyphs from 700 AD

The Sun's Eye

A field of wildflowers - it was really even more colorful

PS... Becky Van Dyke Wins!! North Dakota will be my last lisence plate...

 I just saw Montana and Wyoming in the RV Park at Page!!