Indian Country Wrap Up

As usual, we didn't make it to all the places we were interested in seeing. So much to see in the American Southwest and so little time in just a month. Still we thoroughly enjoyed where we did visit. In fact, we plan to return to the more northern part of the Southwest to explore the many canyon lands. The interactive map below shows where we camped and the places we visited:


View SW Wrap Up 2013 in a larger map

What were the highlights on this trip?

Chaco Canyon	Chaco Canyon was the most fascinating of the places we visited and continues to interest us to this day. The level of the culture that was developed at this location is truly amazing. In fact, the more we learn about Chaco, the more intriguing it becomes.
Prophecy Rock & Tewa Park	Prophecy Rock and Tewa Park were a fascinating glimpse into the long traditions of the Hopi people.  It was astounding to learn how accurate their predictions have been and are yet to unfold.
Ranger led tours in Mesa Verde	We really enjoyed both of the ranger led tours we went on at Mesa Verde, but the tour of Cliff Palace was made special by the group of Hopi school kids who accompanied us. The haunting song they sang to their ancestors at the end of the tour was magical.
Jeep tour in Canyon de Chelly	The jeep tour inside Canyon de Chelly was a real treat, especially since I had been there in the early 1970's but had missed anything of importance. Francine, our guide,  grew up in the canyon and knew every nook and cranny as well as it's long history.
Grand Kiva at Aztec Ruins	We were amazed at the feeling we got just sitting inside this reconstructed Grand Kiva at Aztec Ruins. It was a profound experience.
Blow hole at Wupatki	We were fascinated by the sophisticated ventilation systems many of the early Kivas and Pueblos employed. The Blow Hole at the Wupatki Pueblo was a real blast of cool air on a warm day.
Photographing Monument Valley	It's easy to see why Monument Valley has been so popular with Hollywood film producers and directors. Even though the weather was blustery and cold at times, it's one of the most photogenic places we have ever visited.
The people & what we learned	Traveling always exposes us to new people. We very much enjoyed and appreciated the people we met on this trip from more formal settings in tours, to chance meetings in laundromats and campgrounds consisting of Native Americans, towns people, and fellow travelers from all over the world.

Books we read about the Anasazi Culture and can recommend:

House of Rain by Craig Childs

Collapse by Jared Diamond

Overall we gained a deeper appreciation and respect of the Native Peoples of the Southwest and their ancestors. Their cultures are very well developed with histories going back thousands of years. While Europe was still in the Dark Ages, these people had advanced knowledge of the heavens. They built amazing structures with advanced ventilation and lighting systems. They mastered agriculture and irrigation in difficult environments.  More importantly their cultures have survived drastic climate change and chaos. They have much to teach us, if we will only listen.

Indian Country - Homeward Bound

Since we are both anxious to be home again, we get an early start. It's a short drive to I-15 from Hurricane, UT. The highway descends towards the desert floor through a narrow gorge carved by the Virgin River. 

Steep decline on I-15

Entering gorge to Virgin River

Welcome to Nevada!

Almost immediately after crossing the Nevada state line, we start seeing big gaudy signs advertising different casinos along I-15.

Passing through Las Vegas (aka Lost Wages), we are amused by seeing religious signs. We joke that no matter who you pray to, eventually you're going to lose in the Vegas casinos.
Soon we are crossing the California state line following along the same route taken by the Joad family in the Grapes of Wrath. Even now, it's a desolate stretch. We pass a modern solar energy farm with a twist - a large solar furnace stands on a tower surrounded by mirrors focusing the rays of the sun to fuel the furnace which powers a generator for electricity.

California state line

Solar furnace surrounded by a large field of mirrors

Our Navion is dwarfed at a rest area

The Joshua Trees are still in bloom in this part of the desert. Up close their blooms look like they are made out of wax paper... guess they have to be tough to survive in this desert.

Joshua tree in bloom

A long Joshua tree stands in front of the Tehachapi Mountains

Wind mills on Tehachapi Pass

We again camp at Brite Lake County Park, where we spent our first night on this trip.
After passing through Bakersfield, we cut across Hwy 46 to Hwy 101. Hwy 46 is mostly known as the highway where James Dean was killed in a car crash.

The "golden" hills of California

Hwy 46 approaching James Dean's fatal intersection

As we near Paso Robles, we start passing vineyards and wineries. We decide to return to this area another time to check out these wineries. Some of the estates in this area must be owned by pretty wealthy gentleman farmers.

Looks a bit pretentious

Humm... wonder where this family got their money

Ahhh... a nice family winery

At Paso Robles, we turn north on Hwy 101 and make a beeline for home.

An oak tree nestled in the "golden" hills

Disguised cell tower at rest area

We're HOME!!!

Ohhh... it's sooo good to be home. It's so good to be home. The puppies are so glad to see us too.

Do you think it's too early to start planning for our next trip?

Indian Country - Pipe Spring UT

After leaving Monument Valley we start working our way back home to California. We pass the Peabody Coal mine on Navajo lands which has been under fire from both the Navajo and the Hopi tribes for environmental issues.

Road south of Kayenta AZ

Enormous coal hopper for loading railroad cars

Along the road, the landscape is interesting with colored sandstone hoodoos. We are surprised to pass a large coal burning power plant, also on Navajo lands. This particular power plant has the worst emissions record in the United States. No wonder the Navajos and Hopis are not happy with Peabody.

Twisted sandstone hoodoo

Peabody coal power plant

It's beginning to look more like the Grand Canyon country as we near Glen Canyon.

Glen Canyon area

Lake Powell behind the Glen Canyon dam

Bridge over Glen Canyon Dam

Soon after crossing the bridge over Glen Canyon Dam, we enter Utah again. We are skirting Utah's many canyon lands and running alongside Vermillion Cliffs in particular. The scenery is striking and we plan to return next Spring for more explorations.

Utah border sign

Vermillion Cliffs

Utah's canyon lands

Although we hadn't really planned on stopping at Pipe Spring National Monument, we see it about the time we want to stretch our legs. The Kaibab Paiutes have lived around Pipe Springs for hundreds of years. The early Mormon pioneer, Jacob Hamblin,  discovered the springs in 1858. After the Black Hawk War a fort was built at the springs and then a year later was bought by Brigham Young for the use of the LDS church. It was used to produce food to feed the workers building the tabernacle at nearby St George. The main set of buildings is called Winsor Castle after the first family who lived and managed it for the Mormon church. 

The National Park Service purchased the property in 1923 and converted it into a National Monument. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places it stands as a combination of fort, family home, and food processing factory.

Entry to Pipe Springs

Main pond of the springs with resident ducks

Friendly duck with feathered top knot

There's not many people visiting and a ranger let tour of "Winsor Castle" is starting soon, so we decide to take the tour. We start outside the main gates overlooking the stock pens. Mormons regularly give cash or possessions as tithing to their church. In the early pioneer days, cash was scarce, so tithing often consisted of livestock. Pipe Springs was used by the early church as a place to gather these donations. Because of local Indian wars, Winsor Castle is built like an early fort. The gate opens into a courtyard surrounded by high walls.

Pens for livestock tithed to the Mormon church

Our guide at the gate

Inner courtyard to Winsor Castle

It's clear the intended use of these building was as a military fort. The walls are tall and sturdy. The out facing windows are small and high to be used as shooting stations in case of an attack. As it turned out, Pipe Springs was never attacked and the residents lived peacefully with the local Paiutes.

High walls

Tall narrow windows to be used as shooting stations

Bedroom with defensive windows

Other than a family home, Winsor Castle was used to produce and ship food to the work force building the tabernacle in St. George.

Large wood cook stove

Vat for making cheese

Family kitchen table

Outside Winsor Castle is a bunk house for additional laborers who lived and worked at the springs.

Covered wagon

Bunk house

Wagon transport

We are impressed with the industriousness of the early Mormon pioneers. The life they led was not easy. On the way out of the monument, we meet several Paiute youths who live up the hill around the second part of the springs. They are very comfortable with their Mormon neighbors and love growing up in this area. After leaving we drive towards Colorado City AZ/Hillsdale UT home of the break away FLDS (Fundalmentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) who still practice bigamy. That is, each man can marry several wives, but not the other way around (which is a bad deal for women if you ask me). The women dress in pioneer clothes (yes we saw them, but no I didn't want to invade their privacy by taking photos of them) and often have very large families.

The neighboring Centennial Park group broke away from the FLDS sect because of the increasingly notorious behavior of their leader Warren Jeffs. The Centennial Park sect still practices bigamy, but the women choose their husbands (unlike FLDS)... and unlike other Mormons, they drink alcohol.

Both polygamy sects experience shortages of women for multiple wives. Teenage boys have been known to have been run off to Salt Lake City as they started to take an interest in girls. Usually the older men who are church leaders are the main ones with multiple wives.

The HBO series Big Love tells the fictional story of modern day bigamists Utah. Although it's a fictional account, this series does stick fairly close to the truth depicting the lives of this group of people. The Centennial Park sect is depicted in the documentary series  Polygamy, USA on National Geographic.

That evening we stop at the lovely Willow Wind RV Park in Hurricane.  By the way, there's a good reason the town of Hurricane gets its name - the wind blows constantly.  However, the leafy large trees in the park give us protection from the wind. Considering this park is only 9 miles off of I-15 we decide to keep note of it when we return to this region next Spring.

Approaching Colorado City

Colorado City

Campsite in Hurricane