Canyon de Chelly

Canyon de Chelly (pronounced d'Shay) National Monument is located on the Navajo Nation, just outside of Chinle AZ.

I only had the chance to drive along the south rim, but next trip I will try to have enough time to drive the north rim and take a tour of the canyon floor.
Inside the canyon are several ruins of cliff dwellings. You can't see them very well in this picture from the rim, but you would see it much better from within the canyon. Click on the picture for a slightly better image. Better yet, view the Ansel Adams photo of the dwellings.
One of the overlooks is called Face Rock. Since there wasn't a guide here, everyone was trying to guess which rock had the face. One couple thought the face was in the rock in the middle of the above picture (you can see the eyes, a wide nose (the left nostril appears to have a trail running out of it, and the green belt of trees is the mouth).
Cool erosion patterns - the left one is connected to the "nostril" if that's really the face.
I thought the rock in the center of this picture was Face Rock; the shadow it casts is a silhouette of a face.

If you know which rock is Face Rock, please leave a comment! :-)

I found another rock that also resembled a silhouette of a face. The shadow cast by this rock reminded me of Fred Flintstone. Maybe it should be called Flintstone Rock?
I didn't see much wildlife - other than lots of crows - but there were lots of free range cattle, sheep, and horses.
The horses were all quite skinny!
The highlight was Spider Rock. This was an amazing double spire rising from the canyon floor.

I'm going to Dateland

In Dateland Dateland
I'm going to Dateland
For reasons I cannot explain
There's some part of me wants to see
Dateland

Maybe I've a reason to believe
We all will be received
In Dateland

(my apologies to Paul Simon)

I've been coming up dry on the dating scene lately, so what better place to find a date than Dateland!

Hmmm... is my date waiting behind one of those trees?
Getting closer?

Wow! Look at all those dates just hanging around saying "pick me! pick me!"

Unfortunately, not the kind of date I was looking for.

I must admit, I've never tried one of the famous date shakes. There just aren't enough rest stops between Dateland and Phoenix to risk tasting that delight.

Yuma - historic prisons and retro motels

Less than 12 hours after getting home from Boston, I was back on the road. This time to Yuma.

I thought the first stop should be the courthouse to get my sentence overturned. I certainly wouldn't go there on my own volition.

Unfortunately, there would be no such luck. My sentence wasn't overturned.

(Pictures of Yuma Territorial Prison - taken during a previous trip)

The best I could hope for was early release for good behavior.

Or Death!
Luckily, I wasn't held up too long before I was set free and could get back on the road again.

Oh darn! I had to drive back to Phoenix the same day. No luxurious stay at the Yuma Cabana for me.

Boston

View of Boston skyline from my room at the Seaport Hotel - 15th floorAnother view from my room. The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) is the white building in the middle right of the picture. The Boston World Trade Center is in the foreground.
I had about an hour to explore between meetings. View of the city from the pier by the ICA.

I had hoped to visit the ICA, but it was closing just as I was arriving.

I liked how they displayed this poem over the waves of the harbor. (Click to picture to see it better)

The World Trade Center was connected to the Seaport Hotel.

Fishing boats on the harbor.

There was a little park just past my hotel.

I've always associated Boston with seafood, but not specifically with lobster.
That's all of Boston I got to see. Maybe more next trip.

Take it Easy ...in Winslow AZ

Well, I’m a standing on a corner
In Winslow, Arizona
And such a fine sight to see

It’s a girl, my lord,
in a flatbed Ford
slowin’ down to take a look at me

Come on, baby, don’t say maybe
I gotta know if your sweet love is gonna save me

We may lose and we may win

though we will never be here again
So open up, I’m climbin’ in,
So take it easy

Thanks to the Eagles, Winslow is on the map (sort of).


Sitting along historic Route 66, Winslow was a major hub of the Burlington Northern Sante Fe (BNSF) Railroad. Train enthusiasts can watch the engines roar into town all day long and celebrate Railroad Days on April 21-27.


Winslow is home to one of the Whispering Giants created by renowned wood carver, Peter Wolf Toth.

His Whispering Giants public art sculptures depict Native Americans and Canadian First People. He donated a sculpture to each U.S. state and Canadian Province with a few donated outside North America.

Just south of Winslow is nearby Clear Creek, which supports canoeing, fishing, swimming and picnicking.

McHood Park is located along the waters of Clear Creek, and is the perfect spot for swimming or having a picnic at the park’s ramadas. McHood Park is located five miles outside of downtown Winslow. From Winslow, take Rt. 87 South to Highway 99 and turn left.