There's the 'Totem Pole' in the
distance. That monument looks
real skinny but the diameter on top
is 80 ft. That is what Chevy Trucks
used in their commercial. They told
me a helicopter dropped the truck
right on top. That's incredible!
distance. That monument looks
real skinny but the diameter on top
is 80 ft. That is what Chevy Trucks
used in their commercial. They told
me a helicopter dropped the truck
right on top. That's incredible!
Those huge ditches are what they
call 'wash' because when it does
rain, all the water runs off those
rocky monuments and mountains
and creates flash floods
throughout the flat land. Some of
those washes are very deep.
call 'wash' because when it does
rain, all the water runs off those
rocky monuments and mountains
and creates flash floods
throughout the flat land. Some of
those washes are very deep.
We decided to get out to take
some pictures. What a perfect blue
sky!
some pictures. What a perfect blue
sky!
It just seemed like huge rocks
could come tumbling down on us
the entire time to me. But they
assured me that its not a common
occurrence... although a huge slab
that was so big the earth shook for
miles, fell a few weeks ago off one
of 'the mittens'.
could come tumbling down on us
the entire time to me. But they
assured me that its not a common
occurrence... although a huge slab
that was so big the earth shook for
miles, fell a few weeks ago off one
of 'the mittens'.
So... I decided to
investigate by climbing
up a bit...
investigate by climbing
up a bit...
Another huge wash.... We were
lucky to have our experienced
Navajo guide, Curley with us. We
were out there for hours and saw
no one else so far. Too bad Brian
didn't listen to Curley... You'll see
why....
lucky to have our experienced
Navajo guide, Curley with us. We
were out there for hours and saw
no one else so far. Too bad Brian
didn't listen to Curley... You'll see
why....
That's Curley sizing up the
situation we're in... Yep! We're
stuck! The back fender is actually
in the dirt.
situation we're in... Yep! We're
stuck! The back fender is actually
in the dirt.
Curley told Brian not to try and
drive across that wash. But Brian
didn't listen. Curley has Brian
rocking the car back and forth. I
told them it sounds like I'm back in
New Jersey stuck in a snow storm.
The driver side was wedged
against the wash so we all had to
get out the passenger side. You
can't really see the drop from the
door and the dirt we slid down to
the bottom, but that's what we did
to get out.
drive across that wash. But Brian
didn't listen. Curley has Brian
rocking the car back and forth. I
told them it sounds like I'm back in
New Jersey stuck in a snow storm.
The driver side was wedged
against the wash so we all had to
get out the passenger side. You
can't really see the drop from the
door and the dirt we slid down to
the bottom, but that's what we did
to get out.
What a beautiful day! (Did I say that
already?) I just couldn't get over
how blue the sky was. Once we
were out of the car, me, Ian and
Kathy crawled out of the ditch and
walked up to this smooth dirt hill. It
was really fine, soft clay dirt with a
lot of copper.
already?) I just couldn't get over
how blue the sky was. Once we
were out of the car, me, Ian and
Kathy crawled out of the ditch and
walked up to this smooth dirt hill. It
was really fine, soft clay dirt with a
lot of copper.
OK... back to our dilemma.... Had it
not been for Curley's calm, I think
we would have all panicked. Brian
even admitted that. He did have a
cooler full of water and juice, so
we could have lasted out there for
a while. When Ron suggested
letting air out of the front tires, I
walked away again.
not been for Curley's calm, I think
we would have all panicked. Brian
even admitted that. He did have a
cooler full of water and juice, so
we could have lasted out there for
a while. When Ron suggested
letting air out of the front tires, I
walked away again.
Hey! There's that Totem Pole in the
distance with those other
monuments. Oh... and there's our
car, wedged in the wash. Can you
see the holes in the close
distance? That one to the left was
really deep.
distance with those other
monuments. Oh... and there's our
car, wedged in the wash. Can you
see the holes in the close
distance? That one to the left was
really deep.
By now, those guys have broken a
sweat. I saw Curley using a shovel
to try and dig underneath the back
fender that was buried in the dirt.
sweat. I saw Curley using a shovel
to try and dig underneath the back
fender that was buried in the dirt.
I decided to follow those
footsteps. We saw no one out
there all morning but I did notice
that we passed a sweat lodge not
to far back. Oh and there were
some great echoes at this place.
footsteps. We saw no one out
there all morning but I did notice
that we passed a sweat lodge not
to far back. Oh and there were
some great echoes at this place.
Oh my.... what a calming, blue sky
against the soft clay dirt that was
so elegantly smooth against the
rocks.
against the soft clay dirt that was
so elegantly smooth against the
rocks.
And look! The car is out of the
wash!!!! YEA!
wash!!!! YEA!
I left my footprints in this hill as I
made my trek back to the group.
made my trek back to the group.
Those blue streaks in the wash are
oxidized copper deposits.
oxidized copper deposits.
Brian told Curley that he didn't
have to say 'I told you so'! LOL! We
turned around and made our way
back in a different direction.
have to say 'I told you so'! LOL! We
turned around and made our way
back in a different direction.