Learning from Others and Making Friends

The past two days were spent in Page, AZ and the Grand Canyon.  Some people try to do both places in one day, but we wanted to spend as much time as we could at both.  They are both so incredibly different and beautiful.

This was the first time along our journey we utilized the help of a guide.  Learning from others was truly a nice experience.  The depth of knowledge, the pride of the Navajo history that we don’t really know much about.

It was also a leg of the trip where we made some new friends, completely by accident.  Between our rig, our E-bikes, and Ohio swag it is a good opportunity for friend making. People on the road tend to gravitate to each other. For sharing, and learning, and just to feel connected to people sometimes.

And all of these things enrich the journey.

Upper Antelope Canyon Richness

So, I was a little leery before I took this trip for two reasons.  First, I am not a big tour guide kind of gal.  Second, the prices to view the canyon were so high.  In hindsight, it was a life changing experience, and I wouldn’t change a thing.  

If you have never been to Upper Antelope Canyon, you need to get there.  It is a slotted canyon, on Navajo land, run by the Navajo tribe.  The rich texture is formed by wind, water, and sand.  The vibrant color bleeds across the surface in hues of red, orange, salmon, peach, and white. Colors change in and out from the shadows and the sun. 

The most sought-after picture of the canyon was sold for $6.8 million.  It was put on the map by being a Microsoft background screen at one time.  Oh, and Brittney Spears shot a music video there.  They provide the tour guides for the 2 hours walk through the canyon.  January is an amazing time of year to go because no one really does.  The biggest different between this canyon and the lower one is the rays of sunshine that sometimes come through the cracks across the floor.

Our tour guide was Leonard, a very wise Navajo Indian.  He does 3-4 tours a day.  Cowboy hat, long hair, beautiful silver and turquoise jewelry.  A veteran of the canyon.  He knows everything there is to know.  And can point out each artistic face or animal you can see in the rocks.  We had some tourists from Japan and China on our tour, and he spoke to both in their native languages.  A master of all cell phone pictures, he would show us exactly where to look, and exactly the right settings to optimize our view.  To make our pictures truly match what we were seeing with the naked eye.  

At one point during the tour, Leonard wowed us with his flute playing, encouraging us to take videos if we like.  It was a truly spiritual experience.  The deep sounds of the flute resonating through the canyon, filling our chest with vibrations and filling our heart with love.  He was just a kind, knowledgeable Elder.

As we left the canyon, I talked to Leonard about Monument Valley.  He went to school there and showed me some videos of a Spanish movie he was in that was shot there.  They needed his flute playing expertise.  

Leonard is living the Kurt Vonnegut quote.  An interesting man with a rich life.  YouTube flute antelope canyon Leonard and you will find him.

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Lower Antelope Canyon all to Ourselves

The second tour was an escorted walk deep down into another part of the canyon.  This part of the canyon is much narrower, the stairwells with very abrupt angles down to the bottom.  It also differs from upper canyon by having much more vibrant colors.

We had a one-on-one tour with Gabby.  Given COVID, and the fact it was the month of January, activity was low.  On a busy day in the summer, they could have 200 people in one time slot versus just John and I.   I told Gabby how much I appreciated how serious the reservation takes COVID with very strict mandates.  She explained to me why.  They had lost so many of their elders in the first wave of COVID.  And the Elders are so important to their culture.  Full of knowledge, spiritual leaders, carriers of the heritage.  Losing so many of them was a shock, and they wanted to do as much as they could to protect their people, their culture, their heritage.  

I also asked her why the tours all had to be guided.  She told me a story from 1997.  A 40 foot high wall of water swept through the canyon.  11 hikers were killed, washing 3 miles down the canyon.  They were unguided.  Ever since then, no one is allowed in the canyons unguided, and the guides do flood safety drills on a regular basis.  There is a plaque at the trail head honoring these victims.

We were so lucky to have this one-on-one experience, to ask as many questions as we wanted.  To wander if we wanted.  To soak in the energy and solitude.  Again, a one in a lifetime experience.

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You Never Know Who You Will Meet at Horseshoe Canyon

Just down the road is Horseshoe Canyon, which has been on my bucket list for some time.  Literally, a river flowing around a giant rock formation that makes the water look like horseshoe.  It was beautiful….the color of the blueish green water weaving its way around the vibrant burnt orange rock formation.  It was intended just to be a quick stop, but as I hiked to higher ground, I saw a guy with a TOLEDO sweatshirt and a gal with a MIDWESTERNER sweatshirt.  I said, “Hey are you from Toledo”?  and they were – Lane and Haley!  They were on a cross the southwest road trip like us.  It was nice to make some new friends, and share stories of our best practices as we get road savvy.   And we even have a mutual friend!  

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The Mother of All Gorges

We spent a day at the Grand Canyon, a mile deep gorge formed 5-6 million years ago.  Humans have been around this area since the last Ice Age.  It is over 270 miles long, 18 miles wide, and a mile deep, making it one of the biggest canyons in the world.  It contains some of the oldest exposed rock on Earth, and the mile high walls share a cross section of the earth’s crust dating back almost 2 billion years.  So crazy.

We decided to take the rim trail, seeing the canyon from all different angles.  It was a quiet day, not many visitors.  Very different from when I was here last hiking the canyon last spring.  We heard we lucked out with the 50-degree weather – a week ago there were 2 feet of snow and a low of -4.  

The Grand Canyon is just so expansive, old, wise, solid.  It feels like the grandfather of places to go to see nature.  Quiet, mature, sure if itself.  No need for anything flashy.  It is amazing all by itself.

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We inquired at the bike rental shop if e bikes were allowed, and they turned us on to a hidden gem – the Hermit Road drive.  Three of the best views of the canyon are found on this road, and you can see the canyon from the southwest side.  Most people don’t bike or hike it, because of the elevation, but e-bikes are ideal.  So off we went.  They were not kidding.  Amazing views.  

Cycling is one of John’s all-time favorite things to do.  I watched him take off in front of me, pumping his legs, straight legs extended picking up speed going downhill.  In his element.  I love to see him so happy.

E-bikes are a great conversation starter when you stop off and meet car drivers at all the look out points.  Lots of interest, and John has done a ton of research to choose the ones he did.  We were able to experience the sun setting behind the western side of the canyon, and some of the most spectacular colors.  As the sun set, the delineation between the layers became more and more pronounced.  It felt so surreal, like colors coming off the page before our eyes as the sun continued to shine more directly on the canyon surface.  We took so many photos, so many videos.  The last video John took, he ended the canyon panorama on my face and said, “Your smiling face was the only thing that could have made that video better.”  Yep, he’s a keeper.  

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These two days have been so rewarding.  I appreciate what I continue to learn from others, and the respect I gain from this perspective.  These last two days have been therapeutic, energetic, and healing.  And this brings smiles to our faces and warms our hearts.

We look forward to the energy in Sedona, and we can’t wait to see loved ones in Phoenix!