Canyon de Chelly and Four Corners Monument

Sun, Jul 4th
We left the Petrified Forest late and drove to Chenli, Arizona to visit the Canyon de Chelly (pronounce Canyon de Chay). We stopped at trading post in Chenli at 5pm and found this to also be an upscale restaurant with a Holiday Inn. I found a nice parking space in the parking lot and went inside to the registration desk. NO, we didn't get a room! We asked if we could park all night in the lot and they said okay!

We enjoyed a fine supper at the restaurant of bbq pork chops and vegetables. As usual, too much food, so half of the pork chops & bread came back to the MH for lunch the next day. It was 96 degrees in the parking lot so we cranked up the generator, turned on both ACs, and turned on the computer.

To my surprise, the Holiday Inn had wireless internet. Okay, so I signed in as room 103 and started surfing the web. How cool is that?
We went to bed early after a walk around the parking lot and the 2nd visit to the trading post. (jewelry)
Morning already, where did the night go? It's July the 4th! Happy Birthday America!
We ate breakfast at the restaurant and then we left to visit the canyons. On the way, Dick & Marianne (friends) called from South Carolina and played "God Bless America". This goes back a few years but I won't go into it now. Anyhow Dick, that was a great way to start the day. THANKS!
Meanwhile back at the canyon.....................





The Visitor Center was not open since it was about 7am so we decided to stop here on the way back from sight seeing the canyons.










At the first overlook we bought a painted rock from one of the Navajo vendors in the parking lot.

Sharon is posing for a picture on a stairway suspended over the edge of the canyon wall.

You can tell she is excited to do this for me!









Here is one of the canyons that have some of the ruins still intact. The ruins are on the north rim and we are viewing from the south rim. The ruins are in the center of the picture.








I zoomed the camera in so you could see the ruins. This camera (Nikon P90) a 24X zoom (about 650mm) and if you can hold the camera in one spot, this is the kind of picture you will get.










Here is another picture of the other ruins in the same canyon.












In this picture of another canyon you can see the fertile valley below. Many Navajos still raise corn and beans in the valleys of the canyons.


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This is another set of ruins at the base of the north rim in the canyon above.









In the center of the picture is Spider Rock.
In the winter this area receives a lot of snow which is important to the southwestern farmers who raise crops in the valleys. In this canyon there are at least 6 other canyons coming together.







This is just a few of the many gorgeous pictures of the Canyon de Chelly. This canyon is a must visit to anyone traveling close by the northeast part of Arizona. If I can visit this place again I will opt for the Jeep tour through the valleys of the canyons.

While visiting the Canyon's overlooks, we kept seeing another couple who would be coming in when we were leaving. We struck up a conversation at Spider Rock overlook and met Larry & Trudy (new friends) from Sun City, Arizona. We talked about our plans of going next to 4 Corners and they said that was their next stop. We told them after that we were going to Durango, Co and they were, too. Of course their travels will be taking them to Alaska and ours will take us to the opposite end of the USA which is Florida and home. You will hear more about Larry & Trudy tomorrow.
Larry, do you recognize your truck in the picture?

We left the Canyon and traveled NE to Four Corners National Monument. This is where Utah, Colorado, Arizona, & New Mexico all connect.


Sorry - I know you expected to see someone else in the picture but it is Sharon & I. Just in front of my right foot is the survey marker for the Four Corners. We asked a young lady to take our picture. I usually will ask someone that can't outrun me in case they like my camera, but now-a-days everyone can outrun me!









Here is the entire National Monument surrounded by several different flags.










As we were leaving the Four Corners Monument, Larry & Trudy was arriving. He shouted and waved at us but I was too busy whispering some words of temper to this woman who sat in her car blocking the MH for 10 minutes. When her passenger showed up she demonstrated how slow she could leave the parking area. Sorry Larry & Trudy - didn't see ya!



Referencing the two pictures above: Since we have been looking at a lot of red rocks in New Mexico and Arizona, it was nice to see Colorado had another color on the landscape. We are off to Cortez where we have reservations at a campground enroute to Durango.




We have the MH setup, the ACs are going full blast. Sharon is fixing our 4th of July dinner. You're right - BBQ'd porkchops (from the Holiday Inn) and other good stuff. She did remind me that she is on vacation, too!







Well, it's getting late and we will leave for Durango, Colorado tomorrow morning to ride a coal fired steam engine train to Silverton, Co. and back. Sounds like fun!

Happy Trails!