"Now I walk in beauty..."
- Navajo Prayer
- Navajo Prayer
Being in the southwest I knew I needed to see this famous place and after leaving Santa Fe, Chaco Canyon was where I was headed. The Navajo reserve I was entering was reputed to contain the highest concentration of Pueblo sites and that had me intrigued. The shortcut to Chaco Canyon seemed like a good idea. It would save me many miles and what was the big deal with a gravel road anyways? I do it all of the time back home in British Columbia. I drove intrepidly into the desert. I was in Navajo country and fully engaged with this experience. I mentally rummaged trying to remember what I could from my studies as an archaeology student.
The road seemed smooth but the gravel was sharp. The land was dry and flat with little vegetation. I drove hurriedly. The next thing I knew my truck lurched. With a sinking heart I pulled over to check the tires. No doubt about it. I had a flat. I tried to loosen the spare tire from under the truck. No go. There wasn't any other vehicle in sight, or person for that matter, nor come to think of it, houses. The sun began to set. There was no point in getting worried I told myself. Someone was bound to come along. I had food, water, and a place to sleep, didn't I? The stars came out. It was an incredibly clear sky. Coyotes began to croon. Quite a few of them. It was a strange feeling to be in this place for hours on end without one vehicle passing, halted on a red road in a desert landscape listening to all of the yipping. I scanned the sky for UFO's in case I had to add alien abduction to my list of woes. As the hours passed I sincerely started to worry.
