Back to the Desert

Refreshed. Why I decide to travel anywhere further north than my home in Texas during the winter months, I'll never quite understand. Sure, I grew up with winter, I know what snow and ice are, those howling winds on the plains that aren't slowed down by things like trees or hills. But I moved to Texas four years ago, and while I go back to visit I don't exactly have to deal with winter weather much anymore. Except when I decide it's a good idea to travel anywhere other than south during those chilly months. I kept reminding myself that I was fine, that the cold wouldn't be so bad, that I could handle the wind, and that's how I found myself exploring Monument Valley along the Arizona/Utah border, just having driven out of a snow storm to finally see some blue sky and a blazing sun, though not without the reminders of winter's bite. 

I've visited Monument Valley once before, many years ago on one of our first (the first? I'm no longer sure) two week family vacations we began to take when we were younger. We'd arrived in the dark and woken up surrounded by giants. This time I was returning without my family en route to Littlefield, Arizona to help with the Grandmaster Ultras run, and I was traveling in the winter. I knew as soon as I stepped out of the car I would miss the blistering summer heat I so associate with the red rock cliffs and canyons of the Colorado Plateau, but I made myself do it. I almost sat right back down and slammed the door against the wind. Instead I tucked Hoodoo into his sweater and braced myself, hurrying to the visitor center as fast as I could. 

I got a bit distracted on the way to the shelter of the building. Monument Valley is a tribal park, run by Navajo guides who cherish and protect their sacred land. The Navajo government built a park so tourists like myself could experience the awe-inspiring tablelands towering above the desert floor, and with it they created a viewing deck next to the on-site hotel and gift shop, where you can see some of the towering red rock formations unimpeded. I spent long enough on that deck that I couldn't hold my camera still any longer from shivering in the wind, and hurried inside to warm up and get my bearings. 

I brought Hoodoo onto the deck before taking our scenic drive. He was a spring baby, and while he'd met snow on mountain tops last summer he's never seen so much at once. I was sure to lead him over to the sparkly white stuff and let him sniff around to his heart's content, where he surprised me by jumping right into a pile. Apparently he doesn't mind the cold! The wind, however, is not his friend. When he was finished exploring the deck we hopped back into the car and made our way to the scenic loop, a dirt road winding into the valley among the monuments.  

Despite my protests, I do enjoy traveling during the winter. It's off-season in most places, which means there are less crowds. Indeed, while there were a few visitors in the park at the same time as I, finding solitude on the drive was not difficult. Out there, I could have been the only person on the planet. Out there, grazing the bases of towering monoliths, I could feel myself relaxing, could feel the desert welcoming me back.