Day 4- There's A Big, A Big Hard Sun

"When I walk beside her, I am the better man.  

When I look to leave her, I always stagger back again.

Once I built and ivory tower so I could worship from above.  

When I climbed down to be set free she took me in again.

There's a big, a big hard sun

Beating on the big people 

In the big hard world."

-Eddie Vedder

I had breakfast this morning with a woman from Denmark, a woman from Switzerland, and a man from Sweden.  The topic of conversation: Religion and the necessity of the separation of church and state.  Everyone remarked upon the Mormon presence in Utah.  When I checked into my motel in Cortez, CO, I found a Gideon's Bible along with the Book of Mormons.  Apparently the Mormons must have gotten jealous at the Beatles' hit "Rocky Raccoon" and wanted some representation in motel rooms as well.  Anyone remember the Bill Hicks skit about the Gideons?  Who are they?!?

I struck out across Northern Arizona on my way from Flagstaff to the Four Corners to Shiprock, NM, and finally to Cortez, CO.  Lots of driving!  Here are some of the red hills outside of Tuba City, AZ.

Unbelievable!  I felt as if I were on Mars.  This part of Arizona is so desolate and red!  As I drove along the highway, I let the winds carry away my worries and my fears and my pain.  I felt stripped bare by the sandy wind of the desert.  It was an unbelievable drive!  One aspect about the desert that was both liberating and terrifying is the idea that the desert holds nothing...  There are no feelings here.  They get blown away in the wind.  Part of my job as a social worker is holding all of my clients' happy, sad, mad, angry, frustrated, scared feelings... along with holding my own.  The desert is so transient and so temporary.  I felt as if nothing was ever embedded here.  Which is strange because thousands of years of history and evolution is captured in the red rocks here.

So exciting!  Not only did I see my first tumbleweed today, but I also saw my first sandstorm!  

Near Anasazi, AZ.  Old stone structure framed by the stratified red hills.

I liked the juxtaposition of the blue motel against the red hills.

Little dwelling near Anasazi, AZ.

Miles and miles and miles of beauty!

Red Mesa, AZ 

Monument Valley, AZ

Monument Valley, AZ

Finally made it to the Four Corners!  This has been on my bucket list since I was 15 years old!  

Hello New Mexico!  Definitely a contrast between the red sands of Northern AZ- everything here is browner and tanner (are those words?).  I took a random detour today to get closer to Shiprock, NM in honor of my friend Evan and the dogs Shiprock and Anchordog.  Check out the website at:  http://shiprockandanchordog.com/.  I'm going to be playing mandolin and singing in this project.  And come to see the summer camp musical, "Shiprock and Anchordog Include Everyone" on June 30th and July 1st!

There she is!  Shiprock herself.  She stands as a beacon of strength and hope against the whipping desert winds... reminding me that there is always beauty in emptiness and strength in simplicity.  She is the lighthouse in the sea of desert sands.  I can understand why this area is sacred to the Dine.

Made it to Colorado!  Wheeeewwww!  6 hours of driving done!

Ute Mountains outside of Cortez, Colorado.