Tuesday July 16

The Big Ditch

Having rented a car yesterday in Flagstaff after returning the U-Haul, Corey and I headed west on I-40 into Williams and then north on 89-A to the Grand Canyon. Once we entered the parking area, we knew we'd be there longer than planned. Parking was horrendous and it was very hot. Since the motel couldn't be responsible for storing our luggage we'd had to figure out how to get it all into the little Dodge Neon we'd rented. This meant that, no matter where we'd park, we'd have to carry more things with us than we'd originally planned.

We finally found a parking lot to the west of the main entrance which turned out to be a great spot. Carrying the cameras and the camcorder had its benefits after all. I shot a very short video of the GC to show its depth and scope, although we were not able to see all the way down to the river. Looking across the canyon, one sees muted colors due to the combination of July being the rainy season (we were below the clouds) and also the immense amount of pollution coming from Los Angeles which is always present.

After walking quite a distance (for me, at least), we were on our way back to our car when we spotted a very large group of people sitting on rocks near the parking lot. I asked one of the adults where the group was from and I was told that they were missionaries from another state. I have to shake my head in wonder as to why they think they have the "right" to go into an area and, using the Fear Factor, preach to another cultural group, trying to change their ancient belief system. Not only do I wonder with anger at "what's in it for them," I have to be angry that they'd even have the nerve in this day and age to do what they are doing. The Navajo and Hopi have been practicing their beliefs much longer than Christianity has been around. I think these people have a lot of damned gall to do what they do.

Shaking my head and muttering to Corey about my anger, we finally were on our way out of the main tourist area and on to the lodge area where the GC has its own Post Office. There I bought several commemorative stamps for my father who is a collector. Corey and I wrote a few postcards, watched as they hand-cancelled the stamps and then mailed the cards. It was while we were in the post office that my cellphone rang!

Up there, we didn't have strong service, but I was able to understand that the service manager at the dealership where my car was being repaired was very unhappy with my warranty company, Eagle Warranty of Blakely, PA. Apparently, Phil at Eagle would only authorize $25 per labor hour, which I find absurd. Finally, after I called him and fought like crazy, he authorized a whopping $40 an hour, plus a USED part. Here I was, over 2,000 miles from home, and I'm only getting a USED water pump and about HALF the hourly rate! What kind of "peace of mind" had I bought? I finally called Jack at Planet and told him to go ahead and fix the car, that I'd pay for it and deal with Eagle Warrantly when I got home. I was now going to be out of pocket over $1200 for a water pump!

Back on the road (Route 64 east), the driving was easy until the car in front of us stopped short. I cursed under my breath; I was in a rush now to get back to Flagstaff where I had to pick up my car from the dealership and return the rental before 6PM. It was now almost 4 o'clock. Just as my curse ended and I took a deep breath, I saw why the car ahead stopped. Walking out from in front of the car was a coyote! He walked along the side of the road toward us. Corey got a terrific close-up shot of him as he posed for a picture right at the door of the car. Of course, he was begging for food, regardless of all the warning signs posted that the tourists are not to feed the wildlife.

Which reminds me: While at one of the overlooks at the GC, one family was seen playing with a pair of squirrels. Eventually, one bored of the game, but the other hung around, playing with other groups of tourists. Eventually it was Corey's turn and she held out a stick for him. He got so close that he licked her finger; she jumped. It was during her escapade with the squirrel that I became aware of just how rude the European tourists can be. One man jumped out in front of me to get a picture of the squirrel as I'd been waiting forever to get that shot. So now HE has a great picture of her with the squirrel and I don't. Yet, just seconds before, he was standing to my right and he had to have known that I was taking pictures, as I was giving Corey directions to turn toward the squirrel and not look at me, "move slightly to your right, that's good stay like that." I was holding a camera up to my face. How pushy and rude these Europeans are!

Now that I am on my soapbox, I have to tell you that my first encounter off the Navajo Reservation was back on Sunday when I traded the 24-foot truck for a smaller version. The folks there told me that their daughter was discriminated against in the public school system by the Navajo teachers, even though it was not a Navajo Res school. It was a "city" school district. They went to great lenghts to remind me that my experience with the Navajo was quite different than theirs. I do definitely want to hear about their feelings on the subject, but I think I'll stick to my experience as the best teacher.

After our encounter with the very cute and obviously friendly coyote, we were on our way to Desert View. Once there we realized it was just more of the same, or maybe we were just too hot and too tired to care. For some reason there is a brick chimney and I have listed that in my cheatsheet to look up at a later date. Back on Route 64 east, about halfway between Desert View and the town of Cameron on the Res, I noticed that the pressure was getting to me. My ears kept popping and I felt tremendous pressure in my head. I had that uncomfortable feeling all the way to Route 89 and until we finally were about halfway to Flagstaff. That's another thing I've added to my list of future research.

Our first stop back in Flagstaff was Enterprise Rental where the Neon was inspected upon its return. We then drove to Planet Subaru to pick up the wagon and be one our way to Page up by Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. At Enterprise, I told the agent that the Neon did very poorly on gas and he told me that he hears this all the time. Another thing I did not like about the Neon was the trunk sits up so high and offset that parking it is difficult. He said that he hears that frequently also. I do have to say that I enjoyed driving it, just not parking it or backing up in it. It has excellent acceleration and takes curves well.

Finally leaving Flagstaff in my own car, and having to pick up the laundry I had left at a laundromat at Woodlands Village earlier that day, we weren't back on the road to Page until after 7PM. We took Route 89 north, the same route we'd taken south out of the canyon earlier. Although it was quite dusky by the time we passed through the Painted Desert outside Tuba City, we could get the effect, having seen it up-close a few days before outside Holbrook. At one point, I noticed the pressure again and when I checked a mileage marker, I realized I was in the same area where it had happened on the way out earlier. At least I'm consistent.

What really amazed me (and made me feel very comfortable driving so late at night) was that we were back in Navajo territory. For quite awhile, Corey and I had been searching for the faceplate for my car radio but hadn't found it. I finally remembered that, when the car broke down, I had put the faceplate in one of our suitcases. This meant that I'd have to find a place to pull off the road and go searching in the back deck of the wagon for it. I needed the radio to help keep me awake since Corey liked to sleep on the long rides between stops. I finally found a place to pull off, into a large parking lot. I turned the car around to face the highway and put on my flashers. There was no one else around and I got out of the car to search our luggage. Within a few seconds, a pick-up truck pulled alongside me in the parking lot. It was a Navajo couple around my age, checking to be sure we were okay! I knew the rest of the drive would be fine; I was in safe hands.

Although we arrived in Page around 11PM, it was still very hot. We unloaded the car and went into our motel which was extremely well designed. Since, once again, Motel 6 had managed to screw up my reservation, we did get a first-floor room; next to the guest laundromat! And it was a non-smoking room. But, since they had no record of my advance reservation, I was lucky to have a room at all. It seemed that most of the hotels and motels in the Desert Southwest were overbooked and in some areas, rooms were simply not be had. More of that later.

Sign points to LA	Rt. 66 SanFranciscoPeaks	Grand Canyon
Great View	Another Great View	We're Really Here!
Corey's happy	Squirrel Gets Attention	Close-up Attention

Corey's Turn

Coyote

~*~ Recommended Reading ~*~

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Grand Canyon: The Story Behind the Scenery

Geology of the Grand Canyon

Northern Arizona Pages of Stone

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