Canyon De Chelly National Monument

10/7/09

Looking down the hill in Chinle, AZ's Visitor Center at our new back yard.
A really nice park for free, though there were no hook ups. The park had a dump station and water available and bathrooms , but no showers. Entrance into Canyon De Chelly is free.


10/8/09
The next morning we signed up for a guided tour into the canyon for that afternoon at $50 a person. that is Ray in the above picture. Ray told us he lost over 200 lbs recently. We are sitting behind Ray on our guided tour.
First stop was to see ancient art on the canyon walls. Two Indians riding horse's and chasing a antelope.
A group of photographers taking pictures of the art.
Joe pointed this one out to me. Do you see the face?
Next stop, the First Ruins. From the truck they looked like toy houses.
The cliff dwellings were built by the same ancient Puebloans, or also called the Anasazi, who built the dwellings in Mesa Verde, CO.
Horse's owned by the Navajo that run free in the canyon.




After the Anasazi left the area, the Navajo move onto the land, and have been here ever since. I was wrong when I told you in a previous blog that our government had shoved the Navajo into the area they are in now. Actually after the Navajos were given promise to this land, then it was taken away 17 years later by the US military. The US tried to push them out of this land and many were killed and captured. Those captured had to walk 300 miles to Fort Sumner in New Mexico. Many died from thirst and hungry on the long walk. After 4 years of incarceration they were let go to go back to their land.
So the Navajo have been here ever since except for that four years. The canyon is still alive with farms of Navajo people, with crops, horses,sheep and cattle. The ones that live in the canyon only live there for the summer. After harvest they return back to the top of the canyon.
Joe says he would have just lived in those holes and wouldn't have worked as hard as the Anasazi's did building the cliff dwellings.
Heading to go between those two rims of the canyon.
This is a hogan. This is what the Navajo use to live in and some still do.
Not sure what this is. We got a flat tire on the truck, so the guide told us to walk down the road while he changed the tire and look at the petroglyphs and the hogan. Someone in our group thought it was a kiln, to cook in.
A canyon cactus.
Standing Cow Ruin.
According to our Navajo guide, this is an Indian profile.
And this is President Nixon's profile
Heading under a leaning cliff. Good place to be if it rains.

We pass the photographers group. The driver was spinning his tires with that heavy load.
More homes for Joe.
White House Ruin
Ruins in the cliff and below the cliff, built by the Anasazi's.
We stopped here for a break, and of course their were Navajo vendors.
Guide tells us this is a dog. Looks like a Maltese to me.
On our way out of the canyon. When the sun drops, so do the temperatures. Glad I brought my gloves, down vest with a hood. Joe said I looked like I should be on a snow mobile instead of this tour truck. I don't care, I feel much better!
Rain to the right. Hope we get back before it rains.
Picture of this stand alone Monument that was lit up by the sun against the canyon wall.
Photo of us as we exit the canyon.