You Can't Sleep in Shiprock

Not unless you already live there, eh?  So I'm broadcasting to you from lovely Farmington,  New Mexico. Thirty miles due east of Shiprock on Route 64 on the res (Navajo Nation) or right on the edge of it, not sure. Shiprock is most definitely on the res, in the heart of it.  How did I get here in Farmington?  Well, there was construction on I-40 and the exit I needed to take to NM #491 was closed. So I went too far, doubled back, noodled around and finally got back on track 1 hour later.  And who knew that on a weekday evening in mid-October every single B&B or motel room in Bluff, Utah (my planned stopover) would be booked? WTF?  One nice lady in Bluff kindly told me that they tend to be booked solid in October but not November. Fat lot of good that did me.

Fortunately I discovered this while dialing and driving through another amazing sunset on my first trip through the Res, that is, Tony Hillerman country, land of Lt. Jim Chee, et al. I've been reading Hillerman's mysteries set on the Navajo reservation for almost 20 years. I can't believe I drove through it on those same roads today.  The sunset was long and slow and blocked by the mesa so the glow lasted forever. Especially on the eastern horizon where the entire sky was suffused with a pale to deep pink. There shouldn't have been light there at all (opposite horizon) but maybe it's a trick of the mountains?  Dunno.

And bless Missy Scout!!! (for so many reasons, but here's one)We are not worthy....She so presciently mapquested Bluff, Utah and printed out a list of places to stay complete with phone numbers. So as the sun is going down, light is fading and so is my cell phone signal, hope faded, too.  Not a room to be had in Bluff. Ah well, sez I, I have plan B, a hotel in Shiprock.  And the goddess laughed maniacally.

I drove up and down and across twice. Shiprock has B*rger King, McD*onalds, KFCrap, etc.  but no motels. not even the no-tell variety.  Not knowing what else to do, I went into B*rger King and while I was waiting to ask the staff where I might find a motel, I got the inspiration to ask the nice lady who was standing behind me with her granddaughter.  She was most kind and helpful and told me that Farmington was 30 miles down the road, past Courtland, and would have plenty of motels.  And she was right. Bless her kind soul.  You know that frantic you get when you start to realize you might be sleeping sitting up if you're lucky enough to find a safe place to park your car?  The res is not the safest place in the world at night for a belangana with Florida plates, mmmK? And it's going down into the upper 30's tonight.  erm.  Whew. I overpaid for the room but it's clean and safe and there's even internet and the Weather Channel. I heart the Weather Channel.  It tells me that it's going to be raining in Southern Utah on Saturday. Where I will be living in my tent. heh. 

Sooo. Tomorrow I get up early and drive right over the 4 corners and on up into Utah.  Destination Boulder, Utah before lunchtime is over. 

And did I mention that I also heart Albuquerque?  I mean, totally love it.  Hey, when you have the tour guide to end all tour guides along with her two able assistants, Supergirl and SuperBoy (scroll down for Supergirl with the balloons, Superboy with the scarf) and her beloved (not shown), and they ply you with huevos rancheros from the Flying Star, BALLOONSBALLOONSBALLONS, and your first ever visit to Trader Joe's??? Resistance is futile. It had nothing, I say nothing to do with the cilantro spicy hummus.  I plan on going back by Abq on the drive back to Miami and doing some more exploring. There wasn't time to go out for good Mex food, nor to go hiking in the mountains, nor to go by Village Wools, Scout's yarn store of choice.  I know I'm late to the New Mexico game, but O my lovelies, if you've never yet been out there, get thee hence sometime soon.  You know? you meet the nicest people on this here interweb thingy...

Comments

[scoutj]

Can't wait to see you on the flip side chica!!