NATIVE TRAILS SUMMARY

Day 1 - I awoke in Boulder (Colorado) to a late-season storm with 4 inches of snow! Fortunately the bus and plane had no problem (although we did get de-iced). Once in Phoenix, I took a fancy Uber to the hotel where I met the folks I'd spend the next two weeks with. We had a short, fun stroll up to Hole-in-the-Rock and a sensational dinner at Elements as we watched the sun set on our first day.

Day 2 - We hit the road early and visited the Desert Botanical Garden. Wow, such a variety of desert plants, cacti, birds and critters! We drove down to the incredible red rock formations of Sedona and did a lovely walk. After a quick stop at the Tlaquepaque art gallery and shopping center, we continued north to Sunset Crater. At first the evening clouds weren't cooperating, but at the last minute, the setting sun broke free to show us why the volcanic crater had so been named. Our final site of the day was the ruins of Wupatki Pueblo (including its powerful and mysterious "blow hole"). The sunset was one of the most unusual I'd ever seen, as if the entire landscape was on fire! We drove to our hotel in Cameron under the full moon. There I had a prickly pear cactus milkshake and a Navajo taco (made with fry bread). My large hotel room overlooked the scenic Little Colorado River. Gorgeous!

Day 3 - Today was spent at the Grand Canyon. We climbed the watchtower, enjoyed numerous overlooks, went for a long walk along the rim, and saw many animals including squirrels, vultures, mule deer and elk.

Day 4 - In Moenkopi, a local guide showed us around the Hopi reservation, including the interesting Coal Mine Canyon. We took a special tour of the extremely old Walpi pueblo on First Mesa but unfortunately no photography was allowed. After a visit to the cultural center, we made our way to Winslow, Arizona... where of course, we stood on the corner. Dinner was at the fabulous La Posada Hotel.

Day 5 - We followed old Route 66 a short ways, appreciating a few of the historic spots such as the Wigwam Motel. Next came Petrified Forest National Park, where we enjoyed colorful stones, an ancient pueblo and petroglyphs. We made it to Canyon de Chelly by sunset and watched the shadows darken the spaces far below.

Day 6 - As the sun rose, we found ourselves bumping our way along the bottom of the canyon in a sturdy vehicle... splashing through the river, gazing up at ruins, and learning about the local petroglyphs. Back in our van, we crossed into New Mexico and briefly stopped at the historic El Rancho Hotel, with its endless collection of movie star photos. We took a guided tour of Acoma, a pueblo perched on top of a mesa, then finished off the day with an evening walk through old town Albuquerque.

Day 7 - We spent the entire day at the Gathering of Nations powwow. There were dance competitions in the arena, various performances outside and even a horse parade. Everything was spectacular! In the evening we made our way to Santa Fe.

Day 8 - We each got to do our own thing today. I visited the cathedral, Loretto chapel (with its mysterious staircase), a Guadalupe sanctuary, and the capitol building (which was closed). It got so chilly that at one point it even snowed briefly!

Day 9 - We paid a visit to historic Fort Sumner and the Bosque Redondo Memorial, a reminder of a very sad chapter in history of the Long Walk for the Navajos and other tribes. We made a quick stop in Roswell to give our greetings to the extraterrestrials, then headed into the mountains where we stayed at the Inn of the Mountain Gods, a fabulous resort in the Mescalero Apache Reservation.

Day 10 - We explored the area, starting first with the lovely St. Joseph's Apache Mission. It was then off to the races at Ruidoso! The afternoon was spent in the mountains, first at Apache ski area and then a stroll around Grindstone Lake (complete with ospreys). Many days we have a picnic lunch and our location today was quite impressive.

Day 11 - We left the mountains, seeing a few interesting things along the way, including a flock of wild turkeys, the charming little town of Cloudcroft and an old train trestle. The plan was to then visit White Sands National Park. Unfortunately as soon as we drove up, the entire place shut down and long streams of emergency vehicles began pouring in. With any trip or adventure, flexibility is often required. So we passed a couple hours having a picnic and then wandering around some outdoor exhibits at the Museum of Space History. By the time we returned to White Sands, we were allowed to enter, but only to the first trailhead. We later learned that an F-16 had crashed in the area (the pilot was ok). Our hotel that night was a gorgeous place in Los Cruces.

Day 12 - I admired the absolutely spectacular sunrise right from my hotel window! We swung by the historic town of Mesilla, crossed the border back into Arizona, and arrived at Fort Bowie. We walked around the fort ruins and out to the graveyard, where Geronimo's son was buried. At Chiricahua, we hiked among fascinating rocks and convoluted passageways. We stayed in a charming old hotel in Bisbee.

Day 13 - After overlooking the Lavender Pit (an old open pit mine), we made our way to the Amerind Museum (unfortunately no photography again, but it was filled with traditional artifacts and art). In Tombstone, we visited the graves on Boothill, then moseyed (as one does) down the touristy main street. We watched a shoot-out at the O.K. Corral and got to pose with the actors afterwards. Fun group of folks!

Day 14 - We had one big, final day... the incredibly ornate mission of San Xavier del Bac in Tucson, the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum and Saguaro National Park (with more petroglyphs). We missed Casa Grande by literally a few minutes but were able to glimpse it from a side road. We celebrated a successful tour in our hotel in Phoenix with a few drinks then said our final good-byes.

Day 15 - I had an early flight. Upon arrival in Denver, I encountered a fleet of Star Wars characters. Apparently the 4th was with me!