Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Trip Start
Aug 13, 2007
1
49
81
Trip End
Nov 12, 2007
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Chinle,
Arizona,
United States
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
On the way we were stopped by what we thought were roadworks, until we got a bit further and realised that the old fashioned police officers & cars were actually part of a movie that was being filmed! We didn't see any 'stars' as we passed by, but we weren't worried, the view of the buttes was more of a buzz than any celebrity. We drove into the Navajo Tribal Park and took some photos of us all in front of the famous 'Mittens' before heading off in the truck down a 17 mile unpaved loop road that wound through the heart of the monuments. Wow, what amazing views we saw! The road was atrocious, but we forgave them after seeing so many amazing buttes, cliffs, natural rock sculptures and the Navajo people's Hogans (earth covered mounds). We even saw a herd of goat trotting down the road, shepherded by a little dog and no human in sight (as far as we could tell).
By the time we got back to the 5th wheel it was after lunch, so we packed up, grabbed some lunch and got on the road. We stopped in a small town somewhere in the Navajo Nation for diesel. Fred had a chat to the guy at the next pump, who thought we were Dutch! Before we left both Fred & I were approached by a late middle-aged man asking for money for 'gas'. It really saddened me that people still feel the need to beg (called panhandling or soliciting over here.) We are staying at a free campground in Chinle, AZ tonight, which is quite pleasant, although it doesn't have power/water and there are ants & ant hills everywhere!
