Links to subsets of pictures (there are also links below
in the right chronological spots):
Typical I-40.
Near where 93 splits off to Las Vegas is this
wonderful shift in the rock layers.
This area used to be volcanic long ago and
the black lava flows are still visible.
The boys' first experience at a motel -- Motel 6 in Williams.
Alan had had to
be forceably buckled in his carseat when leaving the house.
He kept yelling, "I don't
want to go to Arizona!" His anxiety reappeared periodically
during that first day on the road, but the indoor pool did the
trick and we heard no more complaints, at least about that!
The next morning, we detoured north of Flagstaff to look at
the Grand Canyon. Jenny was here in 1993, but she didn't
remember it, and the boys had never seen it. Just click on the
link for this set of pictures.
Nancy Stone, Superintendent of the
Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site,
facilitated our meeting with our Navajo cousins.
She also provided a lovely dinner at the
Trading Post. It was a very rewarding event.
Click here for the Trading Post-specific pictures. I will
welcome any pictures of the dinner my parents might
have taken! I don't seem to have remembered to
pull my camera out of the case.
Before everyone went their separate ways, we caravaned
around the south rim of Canyon De Chelly. Click here for
some spectacular scenery that I just couldn't fully capture
with my camera.
We had planned to stay in Kingman, AZ that night and
then push for home on July 3rd. However, a soccer
tournament filled up the motels, so we decided to just
head for home and save some money. We picked up
mocha frapacinos for Sarah and ice for my diet cokes
at the local Kmart before leaving Kingman. Sarah kept me
awake and we arrived home safely at 3am.
Grand Canyon
After viewing the Grand Canyon, we drove to Window Rock and spent the night at the
Navajo Nation Inn, where we planned to meet up with
the rest of the group at lunchtime the next day. They
drove in from Albuquerque. Here we are on Day 3 having
lunch with Grandmommy and Granddaddy.
The road from Window Rock to Ganado and the Hubbell Trading Post.
Hubbell Trading Post
The next day, we drove a large loop around Navajo territory,
as shown on the map above.
Uncle Bob and Geno Bahe have identified over 30 trading
posts managed by John Lorenzo Hubbell and they led a tour
to see some of the sites. Some of them have been
incorporated into small stores and some have been allowed
to fall into ruins.
Here's our little caravan of cars.
Sheep by the side of the road. Sheep used to be essential
to the trading post economy. According to our tour guide
at the Hubbell Trading Post, John Lorenzo provided the
Navajo with input on what kinds of designs on rugs might sell
well. It seems he made a good living as the middle man.
Aunt Mary and Uncle Johnny rode in style on a futon bed
in the back of the Hlava's vehicle.
Indian Wells Elementary School.
One of the other Hubbell trading posts.
Road construction along with way, just to entertain Alan!
These cattle had just gone under the road through
a tunnel or culvert.
And here are the people herding them.
Uncle Bob found us a good dirt road to one of the
ruins.
Here's all that's left of this trading post, a few broken
blocks, some pieces of glass, and a coffee pot lid.
We circled the wagons for a picnic.
Margie drew a target for watermelon seed spitting.
There was a lack of fine crystal, so Paul created some.
Jim found a catepillar in this desolate landscape.
Grandmommy and Granddaddy enjoyed the pool with us
after miles of dusty roads.
Roger created a target game and inveigled other
people in the pool into playing with him. The
boy next to him is Robert, but I never caught any
other names.
This is Table Number 1 for dinner that night.
And this is Table Number 2. Why didn't we sing?
Paul Hlava managed to pack enough stuff on top of his car
to make room inside it for 6 people. They were ferrying
Grandmommy and Granddaddy (aka Aunt Jean and Uncle John)
back to Albuquerque and the airport.
Canyon de Chelly
One last meal together at the Thunderbird Lodge cafeteria.
Alan's eyes were as big as Sarah's burger!
There were numerous cows by the side of the road in Chinle.
We stopped by the Hubbell Trading Post briefly on our way
back to I-40. Alan and I had to get out to see this
prairie dog community right by the entrance sign.
We stopped by the Petrified Forest Visitor Center. The boys had
a chance to see and feel some real fossilized logs there,
although we skipped the drive through the park.
This sign amused us, particularly our photographer Sarah.
We also watched for the dinosaurs by the side of the road.
They were advertising a dinosaur-themed gift shop.
Apparently the wildfire sparked by lightning was still going.
The road through Flagstaff is beautiful.
Sarah was thrilled to find the Chick-Fil-A in
the Flagstaff Mall. Usually she only gets to eat
their food when visiting in Florida.
This Arizona rest stop had wonderful climbing rocks.
We spent around an hour here.
The next Arizona rest area was in the Kaibab Forest and
included a nature trail to follow.
Alan was watching the ants carry around eggs.
Return to Summer 2004