Cumulative Miles: 5,236
Number of Speeding Tickets: 1
States Visited: 16
Lesson Learned: It’s worth getting up at 3 am to see the stars
When last we left off, our hero had just picked up his significant other and fled the heat and ennui of Phoenix to head to the cooler climes of Flagstaff, Arizona. Happy to be reunited, the couple enjoyed each other’s company and chatted during the drive about the details of ordinary life and home.
The quiet evening in the cabin and a short walk after dinner was enough to make us both ready for some deep and restful sleep. At about 2 am, nature called, and one of us got up to use the loo. “Oh my God…you have to look at this!” Robert called. To be honest, I was a little surprised by the urgency in his voice. He was out on the back deck of the cabin looking skyward, and when I hoisted myself out of bed and shuffled over, I had the same “Oh my God!” reaction. The stars were amazingly bright and beautiful and almost hypnotic.
I have dreamed about seeing the stars under a desert sky, but I was not prepared for the brilliance of what I beheld. The stars seemed huge and so bright against a dark, navy blue, velvet sky. I’m not sure how to convey it in words. I have always thought that Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” was a bit visually hyperbolic, but after last night, I get what he may have been trying to portray on his canvas. Jewels in the sky. It became clearer to me how the ancients could see the night sky as an animated storyboard. We were both simply blown away. About ten years ago, we took a trip to Peru and stayed on the top of a mountain next to Machu Pichu. The night sky there was brilliant to be sure, but it did not compare to what we saw last night. What a delight and blessing to have experienced.
Robert is still kind of one east coast time, so he rose pretty early and made coffee for us. It was cool in the morning, but the brilliant sun is deceiving. Standing in the direct sun, even when it is relatively cool, still makes me feel kind of hot. The contrast between the perceived heat while in the sun vs. while in the shade is remarkable. Sometimes I feel hot and cold at the same time. Doesn’t that sound weird? And no, I don’t have fever or chills.
The Air BnB owner told us that there is nice trail for hiking right behind the cabin. You have to climb over this little ladder stile to get over the fence, but the trail is right there. We decided to explore and before we had gotten 100 yards, we met an affable, local guy named Roger, also out hiking. His weathered face and USMC hat made it clear that he was a survivor. He told us that he walked the trail most days “Up to the pipeline” and he seemed genuinely curious about where we were from and what we hoped to explore. When we said our good-byes to continue or hike, I noticed he had a pistol strapped to his belt. No judgement, here. Arizona is an open carry state and as a former marine, I’m sure he knew how to responsibly handle a gun. It’s just not something I see often in PA. Roger was not unique in his friendliness. We met a few more people on our morning hike and everyone was genuinely pleasant. A couple we met to told us we really should explore a local national park called, “Walnut Canyon.” After we got back to the cabin and showered, we set out to do just that. It was only about five miles from where we were staying.
Walnut Canyon had been home to Native Americans between 1,000 and 1250 AD. These folks were called the “Sinagua” people, from the Spanish for “without water.” The canyon is sheltered and has limestone and granite overhangs that the peoples of that time took advantage of to construct homes under. They grew corn, beans, and squash on the plain above the canyon and used the shelter of the mountain to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. They were desert dwellers and took pains to capture rain and snowmelt in the wetter seasons to survive through the dryer ones. At some point around 1250 AD, they moved on for unknown reasons. Today, the Hopi Indians claim these as some of their ancestors and still consider the cave dwellings as sacred spaces. We hiked through the park, from the rim of the canyon down to the base. In total it was about 257 vertical steps spread over about a mile. I’m glad we did it, but my calves were sore the next morning.
We explored downtown Flagstaff that afternoon and had dinner at a restaurant. It was good, without being great, but I did enjoy my edamame succotash. Tonight will include more star gazing and then tomorrow – off to Sedona!
