Solo Road Trip- Grand Canyon and Navajo Monument
Grand Canyon - In and Out
I got up early and broke down my campsite before 6 am and went back into Williams for breakfast and a few items at Safeway. Then on to the Grand Canyon, 50 miles north. I arrived at the visitors center around 8:30 am and the parking lots were already filling up.
I walked to the canyon edge with scores of tourists from many countries and tried to edge my way up to the viewpoint at. Mather Point. I could only stand it for enough time to take a few pictures and then it was back to the Outback and on the road north. I made a few stops at view points on the way out of the park that were less crowded with people. But by them I was done with the Grand Canyon.
Navajo National Monument - Hikes and Cliff Dwellings
Escape was my only option so I decided to drive 2.5 hours to the Navajo National Mounument and camp there for the night. The Monument is 10 miles off the main highway and apparently not a popular destination. I arrived to an empty parking lot at the visitor center and an empty campground in the pinyon pines with a view. Absolutely perfect. Let's keep this place our secret, ok?
After setting up my camp (no fee it's free) I took the 2 mile hike to the viewpoint of Betatakin Canyon where you could view cliff dwellings across the canyon. This canyon was home for hundreds of years to a village of about 120 cliff dwellers, ancestors of the Hopi, Navajo and Zuni. I also hiked down into the canyon and back finally getting some good excercise.
Then I got a nap in my hammock and a great dinner. Dinner was my own camp chicken marinara chicken, peppers, onions Von's marinara sauce and protein penne pasta. Quick and easy hot and tasty.
I am writing this as the sun sets with a brisk wind on top of a mesa with a view for miles. Here are a few thoughts for the day.
- Don't follow the crowds. There are many options to enjoy nature where you don't have to wait in lines and fight traffic. Navajo National Monument is one of them and was a good decision for me today.
- Set up camp and do chores first. Like everything else in life, get stuff done first and then enjoy yourself.
- When traveling, avoid listening to the news. I didn't turn on a news channel until the end of the day thank goodness. Today's news was so horrific that it ends my day with great sadness for Orlando victims and for the country we have become.
Tomorrow, I head to Chinle AZ outside of Canyon de Chelly. I decided that it will be a hotel and restaurant day, yeah! Time for a shower, wireless internet some TV and a good sleep in a bed!
More to follow.
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