A bit fraught

Saturday, July 26, 2008

If you imagined that the kids were high when they returned home from Kung Fu Panda last night, and you would be correct…

We left Zion through the eastern tunnel. Constructed in 1930, the tunnel is over a mile long and was a highlight for the kids. As you can guess, it’s rather dark and spooky, but there are peephole spots where you can see the red rock of the canyon lands.

CDC Monkeys in Zion!

Checkerboard canyons

Rock gazing continued as we drove down Route 9. We stopped at Mt. Carmel Junction (Route 9 and 86 South) for the restroom. We found the most beautiful bathroom in a gas station that I’ve ever seen! A local artist painted a mural in both the men’s and women’s rooms, and there was even a suggestion and/or comment box. Gary, the attendant at this snazzy Chevron, said that this was the “best gas station he has ever worked at” and yes, the restrooms are immaculate.

We bought the local newspaper, the Cedar City Daily News. The leading stories gave two very opposing views of Utah’s Mormon community. “The spirit of pioneers: Cedar residents celebrate area’s early immigrants” and “Senate has hearing on FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) sect.”

We approached Kaneb just as a parade was beginning! Here was our chance to observe Pioneer Days up close!

We all enjoyed the parade; it added some serendipity to our path and the kids acquired at least thirty pieces of candy thrown by merry Pioneers (and consequently we all benefited (?) from the sugar rush that followed?).

We passed a lonely dirt road that heads off to the south for 61 miles. Not tempted. Then we saw a sign for Pipe Springs National Monument. Tempted. A bit off our route, but, like the parade, a worthwhile detour and in theme.

Here is what we found out: Pipe Springs has been a water source for several groups in history. For thousands of years, this spring was part of nomadic hunter-gatherers and traders. The semi-nomadic Puebloans were here from 300 BC to around 1250 when there was a prolonged drought. The Kaibab Paiutes settled here next, but the Europeans (diseases) and Navajo and Ute (slaving raids) drastically reduced the Natives' numbers. However, the Mormon Pioneers and their desire to spread and need for water was the final source of conflict for the Natives here. In 1853, a Mormon James Whitmore acquired land through the Homestead Act and tried to make good on it. Navajos raided his livestock and when he tried to retaliate, he was killed. Concerned that this valuable water source would be lost, the Mormon militiamen built a fort named, of all things(!) Winsor Castle in 1868. This Mormon outpost at Pine Springs became a stop for weary travelers, a telegraph station, a ranch for selling beef and milk product, and most interestingly, a refuge for wives hiding from Federal marshals who were enforcing the anti-polygamy laws when Utah was petitioning to become a state pre-1896. In fact, the park ranger who showed us around thought that you could liken the hiding spots of the Mormon wives to the Underground Railroad.

We looked around the museum and Winsor Castle, but we were most enchanted by the gift store employee. While Alex, who has now moved on to a love of tomahawks, talking sticks, and peace pipes, and Eleni played with Navajo made dolls, Neil and I talked to the attendant there who looked just like Neil Young. He grew up in Long Island, traveled west with the intention of staying for a few months, and here he is twenty some years later. We’re beginning to notice a pattern…

Fort and Park Ranger at Pine Springs

The first telegraph office here in Pine Springs (you can see the chamber pot in the top left corner - the woman who worked here (16 when she started) could never leave this room (just in case a message came through!)

A blacksmith showing us how to make a nail

Jacob Lake Inn for lunch at the counter. I think our waiter said a total of 5 words to us.

Then we set out for the north rim of the Grand Canyon, which is 40 miles out and then 40 miles back from Jacob Lake.

We thought about camping, but we checked the elevation this time (not a bad learning curve since Yosemite!). At the North Rim, we would be at 8824 ft. Something to look forward to in the future with more equipment for all…

The road leading into the Grand Canyon was surprising; we saw birches, pines, burnt forests, meadows, deer, and wildflowers. And, just as we entered the park, it down poured! Five minutes later, it was all over and the sun was out.

The Grand Canyon. We guessed correctly – it was not the best place to be with two small active children. We had death grips on them on the few trails to overlooks that we took. Overall, our time there was a bit fraught…

Our first attempt at a family photo...

CDC monkeys at the Grand Canyon!

I should have put this photo in first - this is a photo (now, as we are leaving) of the road into the North Rim. Not at all what we expected.

On the road again...

On route 89 South we saw this run down house and these rocks! We got out and read the sign that explained how Blanche Russell’s car broke down here in 1927 and she was forced to camp overnight. She loved the place so much that she bought the property and built her home with the rock in the 1930s.

We had a picnic of sorts and moved one…

Eleni and one of the many rocks!

We crossed the Colorado River and headed into Navajo Nation.

Along the way we saw people closing up their roadside shops (selling jewelry, etc.), hogans, trailers, several trailers with tires on their roofs, gorgeous red rock, a rainstorm in the distance (where we were headed), two rainbows, and such big skies!

We found our motel in Tuba City. Luckily we had reserved a room as there was no more vacancy and I’m not sure we would have the energy to move on. This is the real deal…this motel isn’t in AAA. But, our room has everything we need – two beds, a bathroom, and a lock on the door.

We walked over to Sonic, that drive-in spot we saw all over the southeast, and ordered some chocolate milks for the kids. We sat outside and watched the sky fade into darkness and tried not to blow away in the desert wind.