Painted Desert

The Painted Desert is one of Mike's absolute favorites. We unexpectedly went back to it this year.

These highways remind me of the long, straight sections of so many Vermont back roads. This one you could see about eight miles ahead, but it ran another seven without the slightest bend or curve on the way to Chinle, AZ, one of the places in North America that has been continuously inhabited for perhaps 10,000 years or more. Canyon de Chelly (pronounced "Shay") with its enormous caves used for storage and protection are a primary reason for people making a home there. We'll be exploring it a little later today. (Did I mention Arizona is on Pacific Coast time right now, but the Navaho reservation is on Mountain Time and that there are four labeled clocks at many stops trying to help you keep track?)