Caitlin: Uncensored: Colorado/Arizona/New Mexico/Utah (Four Corners and Mesa Verde)

This was the first day we really ran into any trouble. As we made our way out of Texas, and into New Mexico, the day seemed reasonably decent. A few hours into our trip the sky decided that it wanted to rain, so we pulled off to the side of the road to tie a tarp onto our baggage that sat on top of our roof so our clothes wouldn’t get soaked. After awhile, it was my turn to drive. That’s when the real trouble began. The further we got, the worse the rain came down beating on us. We kept chugging through until water started dripping into the car from our tie down straps and we hydroplaned. After that, it was no more driving and into a parking lot we went. After waiting about half an hour until the rain turned into a steady drizzle, we left. Eventually the skies cleared up and we saw the aftermath of the rainstorm. The town we went through had flooding on almost every street and I was a little nervous about going through even the smallest of puddles. It only got slightly better on the back roads as mud slicked the pavement and delayed travelers. Soon enough we climbed to higher elevation where the roads where clear. Finally, we entered Colorado. The view was breathtaking, as lush mountains seemed to pop out in front of us every which way we looked. The skies looked like the gates to Heaven as sunlight shone though clouds that shrouded the mountain peaks, giving it a regal appearance. We then headed to Mesa Verde to see cave dwellings from hundreds of years ago.

Once we bought our tickets, we drove twenty miles to get to the tourist sight. Midway up the mountain, we stopped at an overlook and got out of the car to admire the view. It was unexpectedly chilly and there was a continual gust of wind. We were both wearing shorts and only our Mexican ponchos to keep us warm. After we had enough of the howling gale, we rushed back to the car and continued on our merry little way. Unfortunately we missed the last tour of the dwellings, which really disappointed Ryan since he wanted to take the tour that his brother, Dan, recommended. Even though we missed the tour, we still got to indulge in the fact that we saw the dwellings (even if it was from afar). Once again, we got into the car and drove. This time we went to the museum and looked over all of the information that would have been mentioned on the tour. Finally satisfied, we decided to leave for the hotel and call it a night.

Unfortunately by the time we got back to the car it was raining again and the straps were leaking water through the doors once more. Ryan and I drove down the mountain with extreme cautiousness due to the fog, lack of guardrails, and wind. I’m not sure if we even spoke during that half an hour. I know that I barely even moved because I felt so nervous and kept envisioning the wind blowing our car and hydroplaning off the slippery road straight to our deaths. Luckily we got off the mountain without anything too horrible happening. We made it to the hotel shivering, a little wet, and tired from all the setbacks of the day. So we ordered Chinese take-out, sat on the bed, and watched X-Men: First Class until we both fell asleep.

Today we are traveling to Zion National Park in Utah, and even though we decided to sleep in from an exhausting day, we both woke up around 6 AM. Surprisingly there was no grumpiness or grogginess. After duck-taping the straps to repel any more rain, we headed off to the Four Corners Monument, a mere 35-40 minutes from our hotel. And yes, we got to travel four states (Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah) and two Indian territories (the Navajo and Ute tribes) all at the same time. We even got a few hand-made Native American crafts and jewelry (a necklace with a carved bear for myself, a carved stone for my brother, a bracelet for my sister, and a carved turtle for Ryan’s dad). On our way in, we got a little tour book and I paged through it. To my disappointment, it looks like the Navajo Nation has been more commercialized than is necessary. I’m all for the exploring the earthscapes and monuments and learning about the history, but the fact that there’s all of these casinos and other attractions seems like a slap in the face. I feel like we owe it to the Native Americans to preserve what is theirs and perhaps the casinos and such bring in money, but there’s probably a lot better ways of raising these revenues. In a way, the nations should remain sacred and for the most part untouched by mainstream America. However, maybe it is not my place to say what should or shouldn’t go on.

After about forty minutes of visiting, we left for Zion. So far I have seen numerous trucks. It sort of feels like I’m in a truck commercial with how many I’ve seen in this part of the country. Despite my lack of interest in the vehicles, I will say that I understand why so many people out here own one. There’s nothing for miles around, and when you get rainstorms like the ones we’ve been encountering, it makes it much easier to trudge through water with a truck than a car like the Rio (or any other car for that matter). I’ve also realized that this is what “being country” seems to be about. Not listening to country music or wearing country boots. Not riding ATVs and seeing how dirty your truck can get from being in the mud. None of that. Out here it’s about working long and hard. This right here is the Great Frontier. There’s still a lot of unclaimed land and gorgeous canyons. I hope it remains this way for generations to come.

Interesting Facts:

1. Became the 38th state on August 1, 1876

2. Colorado is the only state in history to turn down the honor of hosting the

Olympics!

3. They decided against this due to the cost, pollution, and huge increase of

population

4. Known as the "Continental State"

5. Colorado means "colored red"

Likes:

1. Amazing scenery

2. It's not so crowded

3. Nice people