Monument Valley

Day 172 - Kayenta, AZ - WINDY and Rainy Mid 60's:

We slept in for the second day in a row. We knew that the weather was not going to be too cooperative so we had planned a day of work and organization. I spent the day in the hotel working while Ben played Mr. Housewife. He did our laundry, brought me lunch, washed the car, and vacuumed and cleaned the inside of the car. Unfortunately washing the car ended up making no difference because the wind picked up like nothing I've ever seen. It was blowing so hard that you couldn't see down the street because of all the sand and dust in the air. I think the car is actually dirtier now than before he washed it :(

Once I was done with work we both hit the gym for a run. After showering we decided to have dinner in the hotel restaurant. It was quite good and nice to not have to cook!! We then worked a bit on organizing all of our stuff in the room so we can pack the car up in the morning...we were going to do it tonight but it's still raining! Tomorrow we're off to Mesa Verde. We were hoping to camp but again the weather is not going to cooperate in terms of temperature so we'll be staying in a hotel again!!

Day 171 - Kayenta, AZ - Sunny Mid 70's:

Ahhh a comfortable bed sure beats the floor of the Grand Canyon!! We slept in today and took our time getting ourselves organized before heading to Monument Valley. The hotel is about thirty miles from the park so it was a quick trip. This is said to be one of the most photographed parks in the country.

We started at the visitors center where we learned about the history of not only the park but also of the Navajo people. They are an amazing group of spiritual people who believe that if we don't take care of the land we have it will all disappear. From there we headed out on the 17 mile loop road that takes you through the beautiful formations. This park has been home to movies (Stagecoach being the most famous), advertisements, and photos all over the world. It is BEAUTIFUL. The park is full of the most amazing rock formations. They almost seem out of place as they are independent standing so far apart. Some are closer to each other than others but they still look bizarre in the scenery. The park is still home to many Navajo people who had settled here before it was deemed a public park. These men and women live here, have farm animals, and sell jewelry and art to tourists that come through. It's amazing to see how they still make their living here in the middle of the desert. It is important to note though that they live without so much and with so little. I was astonished to learn that 60% of Navajo homes still have no electricity. It is an important thing to learn about and I plan to find out more about these amazing people.

After the park drive we made our way back to the hotel. Ben decided to go for a run but my legs were still too sore. After he was done we cooked dinner and relaxed in the room. We were both enjoying the time to just lay low and hang out watching American Idol and Biggest Loser as well as GLEE!!