We stayed two nights in Flagstaff, AZ, two nights in Chinle, AZ and two nights in Gallup, NM. Each day was packed with activities.
Our first day in Flagstaff, we visited the Museum of Northern Arizona, where we were given a docent-led tour by Chris.
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| This museum has won many awards, including the best regional museum in the USA |
The museum is dedicated to the cultural and natural history of the Colorado Plateau and features several exhibitions and rooms, including the Geology Gallery.
Merle Graffam, a member of the Museum's paleontology team working near Big Water, UT in 2000, discovered a toe bone that led to the excavation of this dinosaur, from the Late Cretaceous period, 93 million years ago.
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| Therizinosaur - Graffam's Sloth-Claw Dinosaur |
Monday afternoon we took an excursion to nearby Walnut Canyon National Monument, located 10 miles southeast of downtown Flagstaff.
We hiked the Island Trail, with a descent of 185 feet and 240 stairs. It is a pretty canyon that hugs the cliff edge and brought us face-to-face with 25 cliff dwelling rooms along the trail.
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| Looking across the canyon, from the top of the Island Trail |
Not sure why they call it the Island Trail...
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| Making our way into the canyon |
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| One of the ancient cliff dwellings |
Tuesday involved about 3 1/2 hours of driving as we made our way northeast to Chinle. There are 24 of us on this program and our mode of transportation is 3 passenger vans. We arrived at the Hopi Cultural Center around 10:30 a.m. We were given an excellent Hopi pottery demonstration by the husband and wife team of Dorothy and Emerson Ami. Dorothy learned pottery from her uncle, Mark Tahbo, whose pottery is priced between $750 and $8,000. In 2001, Dorothy was listed as one of the "Top 10" Artists to Look Out For in the magazine "Native Peoples."
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| Dorothy and Emerson showing us their skills |
It takes approximately two weeks from the initial step of finding the clay embedded in the nearby mesa, until the pottery is fired in the kiln and finished.
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| This is ready for the kiln., which will give it a glossy finish |
Lunch was at the Hopi Cultural Center. We were given a huge slab of blue corn fry bread, and then filled it with our choices of refried beans, chili, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cheese, salsas and sour cream.
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| Mom and her authentic Hopi taco |
After lunch we drove 10 miles to the village of Old Oraibi, which is the oldest continually inhabited American settlement, located on the Third Mesa. It was established between 900 to 1,000 AD. We were given a tour, but photography was prohibited.
It was a two-hour drive from Oraibi to our next home away from home, Chinle, AZ.
Wednesday we loaded the vans at 8:30 am for the short drive to Canyon de Chelly National Monument, which is on Navajo tribal lands. Ten of us embarked on a 3-mile hike on the White House Ruin Trail. The upper part of the trail is built on a sandstone surface and the lower part of the trail is sand. White House Ruin was built between 700 and 1200 AD. It was a beautiful hike with ideal cool conditions.
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| The view from the top of Canyon de Chelly |
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| The rock formations are spectacular |
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| We're making our way toward the bottom of the Canyon |
And then we arrive at White House Ruins, a well-preserved archeological site.
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| White House Ruins in AZ. (Actually the White House in DC is more of a ruin.) |
We were privileged to see the petroglyphs upon the Canyon walls.
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| Pictures tell the story |
In the afternoon we boarded 4-wheel drive vehicles for a scenic field trip into Canyon de Chelly with certified Navajo leaders. Daniel Draper shared stories with us of the "Ancient Ones." Last year, PBS did a short 13-minute documentary on the Navajos, Canyon Song, which featured his daughters, Tonisha and Tonielle.
We made several stops along the way and got out of the vehicles to view petroglyphs.
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| What do these symbols mean? |
We got caught in a few rain showers, and were able to view several waterfalls.
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| I risk getting my camera wet as I snap this photo |
After dinner Wednesday night, we were in for a real treat. William Yazzie, a Navajo elder, gave us a 1 1/2 hour entertaining performance. He told jokes along the way, but focused on the music of the various tribes of the region. I particularly enjoyed the song he played on his flute.
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| William tells us about the Navajo culture |
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| William plays a lovely melody for us |
Thursday morning we said goodbye to Chinle and headed toward Gallup, NM. En route we stopped at the Hubbell Trading Post and Hubbell House. John Lorenzo Hubbell was the most important Navajo trader of his time. The trading post was founded in 1883 by Hubbell, who promoted Navajo arts and crafts. In 1967, the National Park Service took over management of the Hubbell Trading Post and House. We were given a guided tour of the House, which is furnished as it was back in the 1880s when the Hubbell family lived there. It is filled with an amazing collection of Southwestern Art and Native American arts and crafts. The ceilings are covered with beautiful authentic baskets.
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| Hubbell Trading Post |
Inside the Trading Post various arts and crafts and jewelry were for sale. We were fortunate to see a local woman weaving a rug. She works five days a week, 8-hour days, and it will take her 5 months to finish the rug. The prices of authentic Indian rugs don't seem so steep to me anymore.
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| A woman's work is never done |
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| The ceiling in the living room at the Hubbell House |
Our next stop of the day was Window Rock Tribal Park and Veterans Memorial. Window Rock is the capital of the Navajo Nation. The Memorial honors the many Navajos who served in the US military. These soldiers have finally been recognized for their role as Code Talkers, whereby they used their native Navajo language to create a code that was never broken by the enemy during World War Two. Historians now (2001) give them credit for helping the US win the war. Sadly, the Navajos weren't even given the right to vote until 1948.
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| Window Rock - a beautiful park designed and built by the Navajos |
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| Mom and I enjoy Window Rock |
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| A memorial to honor the Code Talkers |
After lunch, we were given time to explore the Navajo Nation Museum on our own.
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| A colorful display at the museum |
And then we were off to
Friday, our final day, was the grand finale of the trip - a visit to Chaco Canyon! Chaco preserves one of America's most significant historic areas - the major center of ancestral Puebloan culture between AD 850 and AD 1150. Chaco functioned as the central hub for ceremony and trade for the pre-historic Four Corners area.
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| Arriving at Chaco, after a 2 1/2 hour drive |
Pueblo Bonito represents the zenith of Anasazi culture. It is the largest and most famous ruin in Chaco Canyon. At 5 stories in height, and as many as 700 rooms in its back wall, Pueblo Bonito was the largest standing structure in North America until the 1800s.
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| Admiring Pueblo Bonito |
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| Our guide, Vic Smith, talks about Pueblo Bonito |
It is astonishing that this was built by hand with only rudimentary tools. Millions of stones were used in the construction of the site.
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| Mom at the Pueblo |
We were able to crouch down and walk through several of the rooms of Casa Bonito.
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| Another view, from a different angle |
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| Inside the Pueblo |
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| Room after room after room. Very impressive! |
We also visited Casa Rinconada, and saw the "Great Kiva." With a diameter of 64 feet (20 m), Casa Rinconada is the largest great kiva in Chaco Canyon.
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| Casa Rinconada |
It was a full day in Chaco. We couldn't see it all, but did the highlights. I would love to return someday with Gerry for a hiking and camping trip. There are several interesting trails to explore, and I imagine the sunrises and sunsets are spectacular.
Our final farewell dinner was at Don Diego's, in Gallup. Don Diego's is a family-run Mexican restaurant, favored by the locals. I ordered a delicious margarita and their chicken fajitas, which did not disappoint. It was tasty and the portions were generous.
All in all, it was another wonderful, educational Road Scholar trip!
