This starts with the road trip from the Westfalia to the glamping site. I went west out of Denver, through Utah and then down to Arizona. I stopped at the Utah sign and GET THIS, no Arizona sign. Even when I left Arizona. I guess I took the wrong highways. Also I checked to see where the arch is in Utah, you know the famous one thats on their license plates. Turns out I passed it miles back. I could have stopped and seen it but I still had like 6 or so hours more to drive so I wasn't going to turn back around. Anyway, I was a little salty about it while driving through the off and on rain and sun, I saw on the side of the one lane highway, an arch. A cool arch. Like climbers were swinging from it. So I did what any person would have done and slammed on my breaks, put on better shoes, and hiked it. Others were up there and the hike was fine (first of many to come). Hiking is big in the Southwest, FYI. Going down was slippery and scary. The view was beautiful, worth it. I also bought a mini tripod with a bluetooth clicker, so I got to take a few photos. People were a little confused at my random and trying to be candid posing. Back on the road.. I hit Arizona and the driving just instantly got worse. I can't really explain it. Just sucked. I don't know if it was the amount of Redbull I consumed or the one lane highway or the lack of radio stations (there were only 2 working). I had to go through Flagstaff to get to Williams. Glamping is glamour camping. It was awesome to just get to the point. Our tents were huge, like mini circus tents. I had a queen size bed, actual mattress, a chest of blankets, a chair, and a huge rug. Still room to room around. The campsite had no running water or plumbing but they were mindful. Bags of water for showers and washing hands. A toilet with wood chips. It's in a middle of a cattle ranch, middle of no where. So yeah cattle were walking around and mooing constantly. They got super close to the tents at night. Coyotes were a thing. Howling late at night was a little scary. One night I set my alarm for 2am to look at the stars.. because it was constantly cloudy for monsoon season there. So 2am was the only time it would clear up. But the coyotes were super close and a ton were howling, it freaked me out so much I zipped up the tent (I only had the mesh zipped). I never saw the stars. The last night when I said I was going to man up and get out to see them, my 2am alarm didn't go off. Also, I woke up super early every day for these 2 weeks of travel. Usually 6 or 7am. The glamping site is runned by family and they were so nice, told me several things to do on my trip. The wife has been in over 50 countries so I will be emailing her on my future trips. She said Nepal is best by the way. We all sat at the table talking for over 3 hours about the trips we have all been on. It was amazing! When I say "we all sat", I mean the family, myself, and the other glampers. I met people from New York City, Paris, Japan, Germany, etc. I would love to be in their family to meet so many cultures and hear so many stories. Lucky ducks.
So many trading posts. It's where the navjaos sell their goods. You know the regular stuff you see at Pow Wows like jewelry, fry bread, clothing, blankets, etc. Some trading posts were really runned down or just on the side of the highway, with a small wooden structure where they set up in the AM and shut down in the PM. Then there are some really well runned ones. I found some frybread at the Cameron trading post (well runned one), and some awesone souvenirs for the family at a smaller one on the side of the highway.
OH, I saw some Chip Thomas wheatpastings on the side of the highways. I only stopped at one.
Um also, I almost got charged by a bull. The last night coming back from the horseshoe and antelope canyon, it was dark and late. Cattle were on their road to the campsite (their road sucked and I'm proud of my car trooping it through it every morning and night). I slowed down to wait for them to pass and all of a sudden I see a bull and its waving its head back and fourth and stomping its back foot and I SLAMMED on my brakes. So it stopped. That bull and I stared at eachother for a good minute before I slowly rolled on. Granted I was in my car, still scary as hell.
Um, also.. I thought my car was doing so good on these cattle dirt roads so when I left one morning to Page, AZ, I thought the dirt road shortcut my GPS said to take would be fine. NO. NEVER DRIVE ON THE DIRT ROADS. It was ten miles on that scary dirt road. Gates, cattle, BAD roads, creepy vibe. Took me an hour for 10 miles. I gripped that steering wheel so tight and prayed, I talked to my car the whole time. I am beyond proud of my car now. Her name is Leelah by the way.
Grand Canyon was cool. It was the whole point in coming to the Southwest. It was obviously pretty breathtaking. The glamper family told me to hike on the Kaibob trail down to Ooh Aah Point. It was a good hike. I wish I was stronger and had more time to hike further down to Skeleton Point. There are so many signs about death. Apparently they have to save over 250 people a year in the canyon. They have helicopter rides, rafting, donkeys to help you hike, etc. Oh, I saw the south rim. Apparently the west is very cool too, maybe next time.
Antelope canyon in Page, AZ was pretty. It's on the navajo reservation. I had to wait over 2 hours to get a tour to go down into it and then it took 2 hours to actually get to the tour (waiting in another line). Poorly ran. My tour time was 3pm and I ran into some fellow glampers, they had the same tour time too, so I stuck with them. Uylisses (probaly spelt it wrong) and Priyanka. Adorable couple from NYC. We also made friends with a Korean. Had some very rude and disrespectful Moldavians in our line too.
Horseshoe point was very pretty, I didn't think it was going to be a hike so take water with you when you pull over. Poor decision of mine.
Vegetarian chilli was fantastic at the camp site. Had some local brews and gave them some Wisconsin New Glarus Spotted Cows in return. Even had some moonshine they made themselves and some smores. Oh, an artist and son from the Netherlands had to google what smores are too. I mean, I get it. It's an American thing but wow, to hear that was crazy. Also had to teach Yuka and Kana, the Japanese girls. Yuka had a little too much moonshine too hahahaha. The family has two ferral kittens, black babies. I named them Jack and Maxy. Girl and boy. They have several names I guess. Jack slept with me one morning and scratched up my back and feet. The man/dad/artist from the Netherlands is actually doing an art piece at Burning Man. He plans on being in a box for the entire Burning Man week/weekend, I don't know how long it really is. But he will live in it while people attending the the event will have 5 minutes to enter and tell him what's going on, then he paints what he hears. Freaking awesome. Here: "
A small crew of artists will be locked up inside a black box for the entire week of the event. They will create a virtual Burning Man on the inside walls without ever viewing the outside, just based on what visitors tell them." https://burningman.org/event/brc/2017-art-installations/
