Amazing Arizona - Part II

After two relaxing days in Durango, I loaded up on brezels, water and bananas and drove back to Arizona. Flagstaff to be more precise. The original plan was to stay there for two nights and check out the Grand Canyon the next day, but I had a feeling my still somewhat fragile health status would prevent me from doing that. But at least I got to enjoy some beautiful scenery on my way down there :)

Monument Valley! True story! *yay* 

I have to admit, I think I need to come back and drive around in Northern Arizona for a week or so. There are so many things I want to see! Like Monument Valley. I got the iconic shot, but then I turned around and headed back towards Flagstaff, because it was getting late and the day was long and I couldn't affort taking the long way around. So I'm just going to have to go back there :)

Somewhere close to antelope canyon 

The landscape up there is just absolutely amazing. Somewhere between weird moon-like craters and rock formations, red earth and endless desert. And it's just so freakin' beautiful everywhere! On that drive alone I think I could have taken hundrets of pictures...

The Destination of my Road Trip was Flagstaff, a town full of students and active adventurers it seems, with an adorable little town center and miles and miles of trails all around - none of which I was able to explore, unfortunately. I stayed at the Grand Canyon hostel. It's right in the middle of town, easily accessible, they have amble parking spaces and the hostel is cozy, clean and has great staff. I was happy :)

 Flagstaff really is a bit of an oddity, because its in Arizona, but there's a mountain in the background and people go skiing or snowboarding. Then they hop in their cars and drive south for an hour or two and they are in the desert! I don't know, somehow that still amazes me... It's also on the world-famous Route 66 - it actually goes straight through town.

While in Flagstaff, I made the incredibly stupid mistake of getting out of my car, opening my trunk, putting my keys down (I swear I've never done this before in my entire life!) and then closing the trunk without remembering to pick up my keys again. Remember that truck stop story? Me freaking out about having locked myself out of my stupid *fancy* new car? Yeah, same story... This time, I called the hotline (ok, the guy from the hostel called for me, because I was having a nervous breakdown) and they had to send over a locksmith to break open the trunk for me. The locksmith turned out to be navajo and we got to talking and, sure enough, he has distant German roots on one side of his family! What are the odds?! It was absolutely fascinating to talk to him about Navajo country, the traditions of his tribe, the hype tourist shops have with all the Navajo symbols all over Arizona (and what they actually mean!) and it was certainly fascinating to find out that, not only was his family from Germany; they are actually from Heidelberg, of all places! I've said it before and I'll say it again: the world is a village.... 

Inter-State-Hopping

After my short stay in New Mexico (and a rather unpleasant intervention at the E.R.), I got back on the road and drove north to cross over to Colorado. I've found a couchsurfer in Durango who was going to take me in for two nights and since I've never been to Colorado before, I was rather excited about the detour.

I got a rental and that car had some interesting features. For example, when I stopped at a rest stop and decided I needed something from the trunk, the car automatically locked the doors and I had a mild panic attack while I was trying to figure out how to get back in... The Sheriff (who just happened to stop at the same rest stop) couldn't help me, and since my phone and my wallet were still on the passenger seat, neither could the rental company. Luckily, some workers from the rest stop said "that happens all the time" and managed to open my car door for me (and yes, they jimmied it...). All they wanted in return was a hug, which was completely fine by me.

please excuse my camera, destroying the picturesque sky....

When I finally made it to Colorado, I was thrown smack in the middle of a dinner party at my host's house. Four dogs were running around the living room and seven complete strangers invited me to try their homemade pie and play charades with them. I was tired and exhausted from the drive and my otherwise spent night before, but I couldn't say no to this likeable bunch of people, so I joined them and we played and laughed till way after mightnight. Did I mention I love couchsurfing?

Durango is close to the four corners (and yes, I wanted to go there, but everybody said it wasn't worth visiting, so I didn't take the detour) and to Mesa Verde National Park. The Park is probably more interesting when the weather is a bit warmer, but the entire region was rather beautiful. Downtown Durango is such a cute little town, I really wish I'd had more time (and more energy) to explore it!

this picture really doesn't do it justice

I was reminded of an old TV show, Everwood, which was also set in a small Colorado town. The scenery was amazing, and I can only imagine how enchanted this must look in winter.

I already like Colorado :)

Since I couldn't really walk around much, I decided to drive around instead, do some Inter-State-Hopping and visit Mesa Verde, Farmington and Aztec, where they have a small excavation site of Aztec ruins. I definitely want to come back to Colorady though, maybe finally make my dream come true and work on a ranch somwhere around here for the summer - it's definitely worth a visit!

I like the Rockies :)