An Arizona Adventure

May 27, 2014 – An Arizona Adventure

One week ago, my friend Gale and I were sitting by the banks of Oak Creek in Sedona, enjoying a gourmet breakfast and sipping coffee at a very upscale resort called L’Auberge.  And no, we didn’t stay there.  We couldn’t afford the rates, but we treated ourselves to a decadently delicious breakfast that included melt-in-your-mouth beignets with raspberries and fresh cream.  We had driven up from Tucson the previous day and spent a pleasant afternoon strolling around town, shopping in numerous jewelry and craft stores, and admiring the stunning views of the red rocks.  

View from our hotel balcony in Sedona

At L'Auberge in Sedona for breakfast

 After our Sedona breakfast, we drove to the northeastern corner of Arizona, stopping in the Petrified Forest National Park, where we braved whipping winds to explore the fossilized remains of trees from millions of years ago.  We also caught a glimpse of several 1950s era motels, including the Wigwam Motel, on the old Route 66. 

Petrified Forest

 

The Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona (on Route 66)

 Our route took us through an unearthly landscape, with few plants, and even fewer signs of animal or human habitation.  However, the hills rose in horizontal stripes of rust, cream, pale green, and tan, giving the area its nickname, the Painted Desert.  There are very few towns in this area.  When we needed to revive ourselves, we couldn’t even find a Starbucks.  We had to settle for ice cream from a local supermarket, where all of the signs were in Navajo as well as English. 

The Painted Desert

Signs in Navajo at the supermarket in Kayenta, Arizona

We were so busy enjoying the scenery that we didn’t pay much attention to the car’s navigation system.  But when we thought we should be nearing our destination, the “town” of Chinle, the onboard navigation system started playing tricks on us.  First of all, it suddenly switched the time by an hour, and then it couldn’t find any of the roads we were looking for.  The reason for the problem soon became clear.  We had crossed onto land that was part of the Navajo reservation, which covers a vast amount of territory in the northeastern part of the state.  While the state of Arizona doesn’t switch to daylight saving time, the entire reservation, which also covers land in Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, makes the change.  We originally expected to arrive at the Sacred Canyon Lodge at 5:30 p.m. but it was actually 6:30 p.m. when we checked in.  

On the road to Chinle (near Canyon de Chelly)

Blue corn pancake at Sacred Canyon Lodge in Chinle

 Fortunately, the lodge’s restaurant was open until 7 p.m.  Unfortunately, the choices were limited, and chicken fried steak, Salisbury steak, green chili stew, and fry bread didn’t sound very appealing.  Thank goodness for the lonely plate of tuna fish salad on lettuce.  Breakfast offerings were definitely more interesting.  A big puffy blue corn pancake gave me the energy I needed for our morning exploration of nearby Canyon de Chelly.  We took a two-hour long private jeep tour since there are no actual roads through the canyon.  Our driver, who spoke the Navajo language, made frequent stops so we could get a look at the ruins of Anasazi cliff dwellings (more than 1000 years old), petroglyphs made by Anasazi, Pueblo and Navajo inhabitants of the canyon, amazing vistas and rock formations.  We also saw the houses of Native Americans who still raise animals and grow crops in the canyon.  Of course, these structures were quite small and without electricity or running water.  In addition, almost all of canyon dwellers also have houses on the rim of the canyon.  

  While Canyon de Chelly was beautiful and impressive, our next destination was absolutely awe-inspiring.  As we approached Monument Valley by car, the rock formations appeared to rise out of the mists (actually dust) in the surreal desolate landscape.   

On the road to Monument Valley

Wisely, Gale had booked our room at The View hotel nearly a year ago.  This is another Navajo-owned property, the only hotel that is actually located in the valley.  What makes it so special is that every single room has a balcony looking out at the incredible view.  The hotel was quite a bit more modern than Chinle’s Sacred Canyon Lodge, and we greatly appreciated The View’s non-historic plumbing.  Meals in the hotel’s restaurant, however, featured many of the same choices.  Rather than face another dinner of tuna salad, I chose the green chili chicken stew.  I was hoping for something with a distinctive Native American flavor, but the mixture of chicken, green chilis and root vegetables was very bland.  I guess I’ll have to go back to the Mitsitam Café at the Smithsonian’s American Indian Museum for some truly interesting Native American food.  But back to northern Arizona – you don’t come to this region for the food.  The scenery of Monument Valley easily makes up for what the cuisine lacks.   

Looking out from our balcony at The View in the late afternoon

Looking out from our balcony at The View in the late afternoon

Morning sun on the red rocks

Our 3-hour morning jeep tour of Monument Valley once again took us bouncing over rocks and ledges.  We had to hold on tight so we weren’t thrown from the open vehicle on several occasions.  (After this experience, I will never complain about the potholes in our neighborhood again.)  Words and even photographs can’t begin to capture the scale, the beauty and the majesty of the valley.  Millions of years of water and wind have carved formations that the distinctive rock formations.  The valley holds a certain spiritual power and it’s easy to see why Native Americans used various sites for ceremonial purposes.  In the 20^th century, Hollywood discovered Monument Valley.  Dozens of movies, ranging from westerns to science fiction, have been filmed there. 

After a morning scrambling over the terrain in the bracing wind, I was looking forward to a Navajo taco for lunch.  This Native American specialty turned out to be a piece of fry bread topped with pink beans, iceberg lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and shredded cheese.  Then it was off to Flagstaff for the final leg of our road trip.  While we were driving south, we noticed that at least half the sky was covered with what appeared to be a thick cloud.  It was only when we reached our hotel in Flagstaff that we learned about the forest fire that had broken out near Oak Creek in Sedona the day after our departure from that town.  Even with the smoke, the scent of fresh pine trees filled the air in Flagstaff.  The town, which is at nearly 7000 feet above sea level, has a charming and historic downtown area.  

Historic Flagstaff

 As we drove back from Flagstaff to Tucson, the elevation dropped to about 2400 feet above sea level.  Pine trees gave way to saguaro cactuses and other desert plants.  

Desert flowers in bloom in Tucson

Back at Gale’s house, as I was preparing to pack for my return trip, I found holes in the soles of my hiking boots.  (Granted, they were three years old.)  Rather than wear them on the plane, I left them behind for the trash collectors in Tucson.  But I’ve already gone to REI and replaced them with a new pair of Merrells.  Now I’m ready for my next adventure.