First four days of my trip diary and associated photos. This is where my camera died. Rest to follow after Thursday when I get my friend's photos.
2009 Southwest Pilgrimage Diary
Day 1. Wednesday, August 5
On the road at 6:00am, loaded with everything I think I�ll need for the next 10 days. I know half of it will never come out of the car, but you never know what you might need. Traffic is Wednesday light and life is good. Temperature tops out at 112 deg. In the Colorado River Valley � cool day. My friends are already in Arizona, taking the grandkids on the Grand Canyon train from Williams. I pull off there, thinking I might find out when the train is due in. Strange little town, bizarre one-way traffic pattern, and can�t see the train station (turns out they came back the day before anyway). Back on to I-40 eastbound and turn north at Flagstaff to Cameron. http://www.camerontradingpost.com/lodge.html
We�d stopped at the trading post before, but never stayed at the lodge. Comfortable rooms, some overlooking a peaceful garden area and others with a view of the Little Colorado River. Very little water in the river � the whole Four Corners area is DRY, as is the rest of the southwest. Ordered the mini Navajo taco for dinner, it�s the size of a dinner plate, can�t imagine what the regular size would be like.
Day 2. Thursday, August 6
We are now 3, in 2 vehicles. On the road early with just coffee, because Rene has a favorite restaurant in Tuba City(!), then onward through Kayenta. Navajo country is bleak: dry, dusty, and barren. Then, just before we cross the Chinle Wash, I catch a glimpse of the tip of Shiprock on the horizon � all is right with the world � this is where I�m happy� Past the Four Corners monument (it was recently discovered to be miss-located by 2.5 miles), touching on New Mexico before passing into Colorado. Past the Ute Mountain casino, and on into Cortez and the Days Inn on the far edge of town.
Now life gets interesting� I�m given the key to a room where the door stands wide open, and there�s a pile of dirty linen on the bed!! Back to the office �Oh, I�m sorry, I forgot to tell you, check-in time isn�t actually until 4:00pm and it�s only 3:00 now and your room�s not ready.� Back to my unready room and notice my wagon is bleeding coolant onto the ground�Uh Oh!! Unload all the gear that wasn�t meant to be unloaded while I was living out of the car, stash it in my friends� room, call the Auto Club, and have the baby trucked to the local dealer (fortunately we�re in town for 3 days). Check back on my room at 4:00pm and housekeeping is just arriving�finally ready for occupancy at 4:30 � haul all my gear down there from friends� room�beer time!!! Off to the Cortez Cultural Center to pick up our conference packages and T-shirts and then dinner. Why are motels trying to be all things to all guests?? Old motel rooms were not meant to hold safes, refrigerators, and microwaves�strangest room arrangement I�ve ever seen, with no vanity countertop and just barely room to stand between the vanity
and the refrigerator cabinet. I should have taken pictures.
Day 3. Friday, August 7
The Pecos Conference originated in 1927 when Alfred Kidder invited fellow archaeologists to visit his camp at the end of the field season and report on their recent activities. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecos_conference). 82 years later we�re still doing the same thing!! This year the conference was held at the McPhee Reservoir just north of Cortez. Reports were presented in a large tent, with no A/V capabilities (standard for Pecos) and a second tent was available for vendors. Camping was available alongside the conference site. This year it didn�t rain � no mud � but it was windy and dusty instead � but that�s the joy of Pecos! Few of you would be interested in the content of the papers, but a few of them were interesting J The keynote speaker on Friday evening was Craig Childs http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11828089
Again, probably only interesting to folks like us :) Meanwhile I�d heard from the Jeep dealer � Ouch!! Radiator and water pump (and I still have doubts about the water pump). There goes next year�s vacation budget, but they did have it ready to pick up by closing time. 4th member of our party had arrived at the motel by the time we got back.
Dinner at a very nice brew-pub/restaurant.
Day 4. Saturday, August 8
More of the same. So many temptations on the book table, but I�m being strong! There is a very large pig being spit-roasted over a fire at the edge of the campground, but we�ve not signed up for the Saturday �banquet� � maybe just as well, we later heard that even a very large pig is not enough for 350 diners! We headed back to the same brewpub we�d enjoyed on Friday.