We woke up, packed our gear, and headed on the road - for about 15 miles, until we realized we didn't have enough gas to travel to Desert View and beyond, so we turned back, gassed up Little Red, and made our way once again to Desert View (only to realize they had a gas station and we didn't have to turn around - except this gas was more expensive so it was all evens out, I guess). On the way, we visited the Tusayan Museum and Ruin. This was where trip took an unexpected turn [for me].
Perhaps the seed had already been planted throughout the week as we read placards about Native tribes and their lives in the canyon; as we explored galleries of Native art from varying tribes, each tagged with a small picture, name, affiliation, and item number; The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, an incredible book Evelyn picked out about love, individuality, acceptance, and our relationship to the earth - she asked us to read it every night, and by the time we reached Yosemite, she had memorized nearly the entire book.
Perhaps it truly was a self-arising moment - shy of an epiphany, but strong and urgent.
Perhaps it merely was a well executed museum design.
After strolling through the gallery, seeing the ancient pottery and tools, and reading about their crops and lifestyle, I walked into the sun and was transported. I felt myself a member of this late Puebloan community. I tended the crops in the farm area - encouraged the squash up a branch and was proud of my corn. I sat in the kiva and imagined the emergence from the earth and darkness. When I came back to myself, I felt further and pleasantly bound to this earth and this world. I resolved to strive even harder to achieve a balanced, symbiotic, harmonious relationship with the world I inhabit.
If you look really closely, you can see Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 - at least, that's what I remember the placard saying...
Without a doubt, Desert View held the most incredible sites. At Hermit's Rest, we stole a couple small glimpses of the majestic Colorado River, but from Desert View, it snuck around the corner, and jumped out and surprised us. I am in awe of this river: that which can gouge such a beautifully terrifying masterpiece in the ground.
It most certainly looks like that building has a bunch of ants crawling all over it. This is the other Mary Colter building that has an incredible 4 story winding staircase - Evelyn had a blast with all those steps!
And then we sad "Goodbye" and "Thank You" to the Grand Canyon, hopped in Little Red, and started our way back to Las Vegas.
woo hoo...
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