Navajo Nation

We came into the Navajo Nation after we turned north from Winslow. There’s a dazzling quality of light and openness when you come across the land.
We got into Chinle at night, during a big basketball game, and we found our way to a free cottonwood campground at the base of the two canyons of de Chelley and del Muerto.

The next day Michael processed veggie oil up at the spider rock overlook where spider woman, who gave the people the knowledge of weaving resides. While he was hard at work I skied down to Face Rock where four ruins—low, middle and high in the cliff face can be seen.
The only place non-Navajo can enter the canyon floor without a Navajo guide is at White house ruin. We just hiked down there, expecting to see the ruin and maybe a few tourists but it’s a Sunday and there were vendors and families down in the canyon and walking the muddy trail, some even running for exercise.
The Navajo people are courteous and friendly to us. It appears that this is a harsh environment and that no one is rich here. The wealth is in relationship to family, community and the land itself.