The street inside Oak Creek Canyon should be taken by everyone who suffers of stress; the mix of perfume, colors and noises are worth thousand words. We are almost leaving the valley, the forest starts to thin out and you can see in the horizon the road 117 full of traffic in front of us. Here Flagstaff and on the background, the monumental Humphreys Peak with its four thousand meter height that shades out the close Sunset Crater Volcano; the emotion is very strong I have read so much about it in the passed years stressing everyone with all my questions and now I am here surrounded with at my shoulders Sedona, in front of me Page and Lake Powell, on my left the Grand Canyon and Route 66. For the passionate of the States this is the dream of a life time.
Crossing quickly Flagstaff in a few minutes you reach a small Indian station of Cameron. We are talking about a big general store, one of the most ancient ones as the one at Ganado, were the local natives sell their original productions. There also is a very nice restaurant that faces on the Little Colorado River. I was expecting something very original, I wanted to buy me a cowboy hat, but reading inside the hat “made in china” was a big delusion. Looking at other ticket the delusion was big. My hat will have to wait! I understand the commercial part, besides all the food is good and the dinning room gives a nice atmosphere, so a quick stop should be taken anyway, even because there is not much around this area.
After a few miles, continuing towards Page we decided to cut threw the Mesa Hopi with the idea to visit Coal Mine Canyon. The street is marvelous with gray and red badlands and small twisters of sand created here and there. I understand that the natives are very jealous of their land, in fact in the USA there are always some view points to stop and admire the sceneries and take pictures, but in this part of the Navajo nation there is no place you can stop. To bad, because what you live in those moments become unforgettable and there is no picture that can capture those sensations. The way to Coal Mine is longer then what I had programmed, but permits me to see the farms and small green cultivations. We are traveling quickly towards the horizone with a storm arriving hoping it will change direction and not hit us. It is very easy in this part of the states to find the early afternoon hours with quick changes of weather.
Fortunately we hear some thunder far on our background. The indications given us to turn left on a small street were there are small farm and an old windmill is correct. The only thing that blocks our entrance is some lazy cows lying in the street. We parked and after a few minutes a marvelous view, a small Bryce opens under us with hoodoos and arches all over in blue, red and gray shades of colors. Beautiful, especially because we are alone and only a few curiosa cows are following us. The atmosphere is unreal: we are in the middle of Mesa Hopi, at about forty minutes to the main street. The streets around are not very trafficked and the only noise you hear are the thunder on the background, but the complete silence you find here is something you can only dream and after taking a lot of pictures, we are ready to leave this unforgettable place of silence.
Taking the main road US89 on your left Echo Cliffs, a long thin crest that runs parallel. It seams to divide in a natural way the Indian reserves from Arizona until you reach Bitter Springs, where you find a cross way towards Antelope Pass; appreciating the view that opens on the Vermilions Cliffs on the horizone. In this direction you will arrive to Marble Canyon and then the North Rim, but for now I will enjoy tree days at Lake Powell. We cut threw Antelope Pass, an artificial pass to cross Echo Cliffs and slowly get down to Page. The last stop for the day is Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River that takes you to Lake Powell. Horseshoe seen in pictures is outrageous, unfortunately I jumped it my last visit in 2002. Now with a little difficulty to fine we have seemed to have passed the entrance, because besides the Glen canyon at our horizone neither at left or right the land seems flat. Passing a sign that limits Page I thought I have passed it, but continuing now further on I see a small stop point with a few cars.
Leaving quickly the car, it’s almost sunset time. A short trail with red sand takes to a small hill, and on the horizone I notice the change of the view. After a few meters everything in front of us opens to rear majesty a spectacle scene. The Colorado River designs threw the live rocks, within its couple hundred meters high. Leaving you breathless, everything so enormous you can see a small boat from this high, probably tourists searching for rapids down the Colorado River. This is an unforgettable view may equal to the Grand Canyon. With great caution we move to the border to take some pictures and enjoy the colors of the sunset.
The beauties of this small corner of Arizona make me want to constantly search for more. Moving threw the rocks; I find a small oval stone with written a name, date of birth and date of death. Seeing this beauty probably made him decide to be buried here. Or maybe he slipped and fell during his visit. I prefer the first choice, it’s more romantic.
On the background the sun shine is burning the view, seaming to be on Mars; the red sand reflects an orange color so strong that’s blinding. I promise myself that in these few days at Page I want to come back, but I also know that the time will be short for all I would like to do. The tiredness starts to show up, it was a long day and we have done much since this morning. What counts is that we are happy of such beauty that relaxes and makes thing seem so colorful. Traveling is the elixir of life. |
