Sunrises and Strays
I didn’t anticipate the crying. It’s like having a newborn baby, trying to figure out what each cry means. Thirsty? Here’s some water. Hungry again? Ok, here’s some more food, but only a little. I don’t want you to throw up. Bathroom? Nope, not yet. Lonely, scared, unsure of this brand-new world? Check, check, check.
The thing is, I remember several nights while we were broken down in the wilds of Pennsylvania where Ginny cried and kept us up most of the night. She just wanted to sleep on the bed with us, but eventually learned that her crate was comfy and safe.
But, wait, why is there a new dog crying in my travel trailer? Let me backtrack and start at the beginning.
The day started off early at 4:20, hours before the sun would consider rising. John and I woke to travel the hour and a half to an amazing vantage point to watch the sunrise at the Grand Canyon. I suppose the morning hour would have felt trying any day, but it seemed especially challenging after watching the night sky the previous day. As we arrived, the night skies were still visible though beginning to fade. We needed a flashlight to make it to the overlook, bundled in multiple layers yet still freezing. I mentally cursed the woman who had stolen the possessions from our garage before we left Indiana in September, imagining someone prancing around in my winter jacket.
Another fun fact about the Grand Canyon is that it snows there frequently due to its elevation. Days before we arrived, there were white-out conditions at the Grand Canyon and many of the overlooks and trails were closed due to treacherous, icy conditions.
When we arrived at the overlook, there was a silence as if the canyon itself was asleep. It began to yawn as visitors trailed in, a soft murmur moving in waves throughout the crowd. As the sun crept its way higher into the sky, the whole canyon burst into light, with sun beams ricocheting off the peaks, then the low, carved out spaces. We traveled home, fatigue rattling in our bones.
Later that day, I was sitting in my car, finishing off a text to a friend, when I saw a dog sitting on the other side of the fence. When I came out of the post office, the dog on the other side of the fence locked eyes with me. He stared at me, seemingly peeking deep down into my soul. I’ve never seen a dog stare quite so intensely. The whole time I pulled out of my parking spot, his eyes remained on mine. The parking lot was a horseshoe shape, so as I came out the other side, I saw him again, this time, walking towards the road, as if to meet me. He had a distinct limp, dragging one of his legs along. This began an evening of frantically searching for help and realizing that no one else would take responsibility for this old soul. With temperatures dropping to freeze and snow, we knew he wouldn’t survive without the ability to at least find shelter on the side of a building. Based on how weak and malnourished he was, I don’t think he would have survived more than a few more days even without the temperature.
This brings us back to the dog crying in my room.
He’s lived a lonely life without anyone to show him kindness and love. His life so far has been filled with fear, hunger, thirst, and lots of pain. A broken hip. Shot with a bb-gun. Within a few nights, he started to settle down, and by the time we reached the week mark and had formally “adopted” him, he was sleeping soundly in his new crate each night. He’s had to adapt a lot and has remained gentle despite the abuse he’s suffered. I feel a deep connection to this dog. When we had Sirius scanned for a microchip, the Navajo vet-tech let us know that we had his blessing to take this dog from his land. This felt right and beautiful to me and cemented our decision.
Dino Tracks
While the kids were super excited to visit the dino tracks, they voted without hesitation to skip this in favor of rescuing Sirius. We were fortunate to find some time to make it back to the dino tracks, but it was a super windy, cold day. Snow just seems to follow us wherever we go. The Moenkopi Dinosaur Tracks were formed during the early Jurassic period (roughly 200 million years ago). They have been verified by real paleontologists, but since they are on Navajo land, they remain in the land. In season, the rough parking area typically has several Navajo vendors selling art or other wares. It was too cold for anyone to hang outside for very long. There are Navajo guides that approach you as soon as you exit your vehicle. They work for tips, so its respectful to pay them something for sharing their knowledge. We took a very fast tour, walking along and seeing the trace fossils along the rocks. It was pretty neat to see stuff like this out in nature instead of within museum walls. Our guide shared what he knew about the fossils and some of his heritage. He let us know that he had grown up several miles away from the road and they had only had electricity in the last few years. He still lives on his family’s land and told us he spent the weekend pruning the family apricot and nectarine trees. This was definitely an amazing, fun little spot that I would highly recommend to anyone passing through this area.
Navajoland: An authentic experience
We stayed at Navajoland, an RV resort, hotel, restaurant, gift shop, and museum run by Dine (Navajo people). The town of Tuba City is the mid-point between the Grand Canyon and Page, Arizona (Horseshoe bend and Antelope Canyon). The Navajo have a long history of thriving off tourists, dating back to the days of European explorers. It is in line with their beliefs to use what they have to sustain themselves.
Our favorite meal during our travels has been at the Hogan Restaurant. A Hogan is an octagonal traditional structure. The restaurant is Navajo themed and run. We shared Navajo Tacos, Chili beans and fry bread, Navajo wrapped steak, and mutton stew. While none of us ended up being a fan of the mutton stew, we were in love with the Navajo fry bread. Light and airy, soft, yet crunchy, it was the perfect compliment to any meal. Everything tastes better with a little Navajo fry bread.
There is a one room museum dedicated to the Code Talkers. During WW2, the Navajo language was used to create an unbreakable code for the war in the pacific. Prior to this, the US government was trying to disused the Navajo people from keeping their language. The museum displayed gear and tools used in battle, photos of the original Navajo unit, and stories of their successes. After the initial entry of the Navajo code talkers into their own unit, there was one Navajo code talker assigned to each unit for cloaked communication throughout the war. The code used was only declassified in the 1970s.
We also visited the Navajo Museum. While it has regular hours in the summer, we had to schedule an appointment to have the museum opened for our family. When you first enter, there is a film explaining the Navajo belief of the four worlds. The Dine believe that their people journeyed through three worlds in various forms before climbing into this world, the Sparkling World. Though small, the museum is informative, intriguing, and well displayed. The center of the museum has a small hogan which plays a video showing Native American life, interweaving different customs and ways of life. I learned that the Navajo do not have a word for religion. They are a very spiritual people, but do not have a formal religion. I think some of their spirituality transcends religion.
As we were leaving, the museum curator let us know that the local Navajo flea market was open. The girls and I really enjoyed the flea market. This is the place where Navajo sell food, jewelry, spices, and other wares within their community. I’m not sure if other tourists frequent the flea market in season, but we were the only non-Navajo present during our time there. The Navajo believe that juniper seeds protect against evil spirits, so they use these in many of their beaded jewelry. While we were there, we bought a Navajo steak and Navajo ribs wrapped in fry bread from vendors. It was scrumptious.
Our week in Tuba city was filled to the brink with amazing sights, tastes, and experiences. We pulled out of town, exhausted, our hearts full, carrying the most amazing Navajo souvenir anyone could ever ask for.
Si’ah Naaghai Bik’eh Hozhq
(I shall be in Harmony, walk in beauty, and live in happiness with all things that exist)
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