After a few days in New Mexico with Butch and Kathy, we are on the road once again. This time we are traveling the high desert of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. We spent several hours enjoying the splendor of the Navajo Nation in Arizona. After watching the hill formations loom up in front of us with the pristine blue sky above them, it is no wonder that the native Americans held the land in such reverence. What few people we encountered at our infrequent stops we found to be rather quiet, courteous and sincere. I did find them to return smiles quite easily, though. I have a new appreciation for this country even though I could not make it home.
The Navajo Nation is located in the northeast corner of Arizona but extends north a few miles into
Utah and east into the northwest corner of New Mexico. The speed limit on Highway 191 slowed as we passed through the various small towns along the way. It is all open range so at Many Farms we encountered a number of cattle and horses grazing peacefully along the side of the road. Besides modern homes of either stick or manufactured construction, most of the little ranches also had the traditional hogans located somewhere near the house. They are built with the door facing east and used for sacred ceremonies and to keep themselves in balance. I thought they were so interesting that I’ve looked them up on the internet. You can read more at: Navajo Hogan
Well into Utah, we viewed what appeared to be a huge rainstorm up ahead but as we approached it, we realized that it was a windstorm picking up dust.
We made Price, Utah and got tired and hungry.
Tomorrow we hope to make it to Baker City, Oregon. Won’t be long now and we’ll be home. Can’t wait to see green again.
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We’ve had our last dinner at Beef O’Brady’s and are on the way home. We’ve said good-bye to Cindi and Randy Welsh with a promised visit by Kathy next summer when she visits Maria and Patricia. The Welsh’s will be caring for the house on Johnnys River Road for the next year. Cindi assures me that Randy has the “biggest green thumb”. We do know that we will miss them and all the folks at Beef’s that we have come to know over the past year. I look forward to visiting next year and holding babies that are expected within the next 9 months.
We are packed. My plants are once again loaded into the back of my car with some of the essentials we will need until we are permanently ensconced in a residence in Bellingham. After a quick breakfast with Suzanne at the Maryville Diner, we are on the road again. This first leg takes us 14 hours on the road as we travel across three entire states in one day and fall into bed at a Hampton Inn just outside Jackson, Mississippi.
Next stop - Arlington, Texas with the Stasny’s again. Tom arranged to meet up with two former Air Force members that were stationed on Shemya, Alaska while he was there. We met them for lunch at Willie’s Place in Carl’s Corner, Texas. Yes, that’s right, Willie’s Place as in Willie Nelson. After lunch Bob gave us a tour of the facility which includes a cafe, souvenir shop, a theatre and the most creative Ladies Room in the western world. I had to get a picture of the three of them in that room because of it’s close resemblance to a brothel from the 1800’s. See for yourself. How appropriate that we should be stopping here when we are “on the road again.”