Pine, Arizona

Looking down into Pine

Glorious view!

Looking acroos to the canyon rim.

That's quite some flower stalk!

We REALLY enjoyed our time in Pine!  This little piece of heaven, where friends Gretchen, Alan and Caroline Yost live, is nestled in the mountains above Phoenix, on the edge of the Mogollon Plateau.  We drove up to the rim and hiked out to the edge to enjoy the view.  We were able to see all the way down the canyon to Pine!  Explored the local antique shops.  Found some great Christmas goodies to add to my collection!  Larry just sighed and rolled his eyes........

Winslow, Arizona - Route 66!

Well here we are!  Traveling down Route 66, near the town of Winslow, Arizona - - made famous by The Eagles.  Sadly, Larry has not YET caved into my pleas for a photo-op of him standing on a corner, waiting for that girl in the flatbed Ford to come rolling by!  ;-)

Last night we stayed at the Homolovi Ruins State Park.  We had a chance to look around the ruins before the wind kicked up, sending us into the confines of the camper.
It is tragic what has occurred in the recent past to such ruins, at the hands greedy treasure hunters.

Remains of Homolovi Village of Perhaps 2000 people. 

The Trail of Looting and Destruction

Pot Shards

Homolovi Kiva
Square Shape Rather than Round

Clear evidence bears witness to wanton destruction and thievery of historic treasures.  Craters, rubble and pot shards are what is  left in the wake of vandalism and a violation of these remnants of cultures that showed such profound respect for their surroundings.  It certainly has made us pause and reflect......... 

Hubbell Trading Post and Petrified Forest NM

From Monument Valley, we headed into Arizona.  A quick stop at the Hubbell Trading Post was a look into the past!  The items for sale in the gift store were gorgeous, but well beyond our budget!  As we looked longingly at the woven Dineh (Navajo) rugs, we staggered back when we saw the prices!
We took a few hours to drive through the Petrified Forest National Monument.  There were some wonderful petroglyphs along the way, and wood-turned-to-rock all around.  There  was an "other-worldly" feel to the park!
As we crossed the Utah-Arizona border, it felt as if we made the turn toward home. From here in  Holbrook, we plan a night or two out away from services before we point the horse toward the barn in Oregon! 

Hubbell Trading Post Wagon

Another Newspaper Rock!
Better Protected!

Petrified Forest National Monument
One of the Bigger Logs

Weather Coming In!

Natural Arches National Monument

This morning, we headed West from Blanding, on yet another scenic highway, toward Natural Arches National Monument.  Of course, our vehicle stops at ALL points of interest along the way! 
The 9 mile loop through the monument took us about 2 hours, with stops and short hikes to viewpoints of the various arches created by the meandering San Juan River.   Can somebody PLEASE help me come up with some alternatives for "spectacular", "majestic" and "breath taking"?
The trip from the top of the mesa, down a narrow, steep, winding gravel road to the valley floor was QUITE a thrill!  ELEVEN HUNDRED feet down in THREE  miles!  Larry took it nice and slow!
Tonight, we are safe and sound in Monument Valley on nice, flat terrain!
We lucked onto a nice RV park with WiFi, so the blog goes on!
Onward to Canyon de Chelly tomorrow for 2 days of exploring.   This canyon was featured in a recent National Geographic special publication on Southwest destinations.  More to report in a couple of days!

Mule Canyon Pueblo Now

Mule Canyon Pueblo Then

Natural Arches National Monument

The Arches are Created by Water Erosion

The Canyon River Twists and Turns, Cutting into the Cliffs

Another Cliffside Dwelling
Looks More Primitive than Mesa Verde Pueblo Dwellings

Feathered Panhandler

"Got a Little Morsel for a Poor Starving Fella?"

Overlooking Monument Valley 1,100 feet below

Don't Get Too Close to the Edge!

3 Miles of Hair Pin Turns Down Gravel Road.
1,100 Foot White Knuckle Descent!

Mexican Hat Rock

Monument Valley Rock Formation

Hovenweep National Monument

Four Corners!
Standing in Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico!

Hovenweep National Monument Ruins

Differnt structures fro Mesa Verde dwellings!

Different Landscape
Different Architecture

The Castle!

Sleeping Ute Mountain

Yesterday was Hovenweep Day!  More ruins to explore - quite different from the Mesa Verde dwellings carved into the steep cliffs.  In Hovenweep, the canyons are significantly smaller, so the landscape seemed to influence the architecture.  The buildings were just as impressive - more out in the open, with vantage points overlooking the canyons.  We guessed tha, with a bit more space between living groups, cultural styles and living routines werre somewhat different.
We overnighted in Blanding, Utah.  Before settling in for the evening, we visited Edge of Cedars State Park/Museum.  There, we saw a treasure trove of artifacts from the area - pottery, clothing, jewelry (the "beads" were insect legs - actually VERY pretty!), tools - all made of materials readily avaiable to the ancient ancestors.  No Home Depot; no grocery stores; no internet - but they ate well, lived comfortably and communicated easily - with minimal impact on the environment.  They set an inspiring example of advanced spiritual and ecological development.  We were reminded a couple of times that all cultures have common roots - clans, hunter-gatherers, reverence for Mother Earth and Father Sky.
From Blanding, we will travel where internet is unavailable, so it will be a day or two before we post again.  Thanks so much for sharing our adventure!