This would be our rainy day. We thought we got some damn good splashing before, but that day, we we were shown what is really possible. It was a bit depressing. True, people keep telling us that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see waterfalls and flash floods, but hey, after a week you stop caring about that.
We drove down through the Canyonlands with again red rocks and red creeks pouring down on the sides, creating a red rushing river. I guess if we had waited a bit further down the road, we could have seen the flash flood filling up the river bed in full speed.
We crossed the Colorado river and headed further south. There was no amazing view, it was all grey and wet. At the Natural Bridges Monument, where rivers had washed away lower parts of rock walls and therefore changed the flow of the stream, we took a short walk to one of the three bridges. The slight drizzle was tolerable.
Continuing east, we crossed the border to Colorado. At the only place in the USA, where four state borders meet (also called the Four Corners) we took a break. The monument there was on the lands of the Navajo tribe. But of these once proud people there is not much left. They appear broken and keep their heads low. They know almost nothing of their ancestors, nothing of their legacy. It was a bit of a disappointing view seeing them in their tourist booths trying to sell souvenirs and tacky stuff.
We left and after a long day’s drive arrived at Cortez near the Mesa Verde National Park. This park is interesting not only for its nature features but also for some houses along the canyon walls. They were built by some Native American tribes in the 12th century and left behind around 100 years later. The buildings are rather sophisticatedly woven into the wash-outs of soft rocks, although I wouldn’t acknowledge that it was a good idea to build the place facing north without central heating.
The joke about visiting these sites were the hundrets of disclaimers and warnings about this absolutely strenuous hike, only for the fittest people not afraid of heights due to a steep ladder and non-claustrophobic, because there is a tunnel to crawl through. Andrea was on the verge of not doing it and she laughed all about it afterwards. Of the one hour tour, we only walked about 10 minutes — the rest was talk. The ladder was a joke. The tunnel was more like two hatches with a one meter cavity. American standards, I guess.
After a while we had enough of this park and just had a quick look at a “Palace”. This was as much east as we would get on this trip. On the way back to Arizona we came past a “Black Mesa” sign but I was driving and I didn’t have my camera ready. You just have to believe me that this is the place!
Once we got to the Monument Valley, the landscape had changed a lot again. Impressive red rocks again. Different tribe of Native Americans but in a similar state as the Navajos: Exploiting their land for tourism, deprived of their former proud. It’s a pity. As our car was a pretend-SUV, we took a short trip around along a bumpy dirt road. But it was getting late and we still had a few hours of driving ahead to Page.
Andrea nor I booked ahead for Page and so we had some troubles finding a cheap motel. We ended up paying too much money for too little comfort. But alas, we were in the middle of a tourist area and it was high season. At least we were rewarded by a colourful sunset.
