OUR BOOK HAS LAUNCHED.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE A COPY YOU MAY ORDER DIRECTLY THROUGH US AND WE WILL MAIL YOU A SIGNED COPY.  FOR MAILING, THE PRICE IS $23.00.  JUST SEND A CHECK PAYABLE TO CLAUDIA HELLER AT P.O. BOX 1251, DUARTE, CA 91009.  WE WILL MAIL THE BOOK TO YOU RIGHT AWAY.

What's it about?

"Winding through the rugged heartland of the American West, Route 66 has resonated for generations in hardscrabble stories of hopeful seekers of new homes and lives.  The Mother Road has inspired books and shows by the dozens, exploring the mythology and anticipation of freedom road.  But here is something new. Coauthors Claudia and Alan Heller, longtime  residents of Duarte, California along Route 66, hitched their trailer to a retirement dream and traveled the road again, in their home state and back to Chicago.  They collected stories about the iconic highway and what it means to the people who live along it."

This book is not exactly a guide, but if you are thinking of traveling the road, we hope it will encourage you to take the step and enjoy all it has to offer.  We lived in our small trailer for a month and stayed married!  Armed with guides and maps we took our time and kept in mind that it was the journey that was important,, more than the destination.  We hope you will learn from our mistakes and gain from our experiences.  

We are indebted to HistoryPress and their courage in undertaking the publishing of our book, their professional and friendly guidance.  This book is our legacy and the product of a dual effort:  Claudia the writer, Alan the photographer.

We also thank all of those who followed our articles in the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, and the many readers who took time to share their memories of life along the road.  Their stories and photos are at the heart of the book.

We do not consider ourselves to be experts on the history of the Road but we have done our best to do careful research and have made an effort to be accurate.  However, much of the road's history is contested, dates and events may be fuzzy, and some people may disagree with the "facts."  We urge you to enjoy the spirit of the road and travel with us along the highway of flight, of hope, of escape, of new opportunities. 

If you have questions or comments, feel free to email us:  famheller@msn.com.

Claudia & Alan Heller

 No need to catch a spaceship - just head for Area 51 some 2 hours out of Las Vegas.

The road to the gate of Area 51 is long and straight and seemingly deserted.  But don't think you are alone!  The camos are watching. Mind the rules, or else.....

Below is the black mailbox which is white.  This is where things seem to happen. 

Next a stop at the research station.  Rumor is there are some alien autopsies being performed in the back room.  We settled for a bottle of alien tequila and some postcards.

Lunch time, so on to the Little Al'e'Inn.  The only aliens we meet are from Germany.

All is friendly inside the famed Little A'le'Inn and there are stories to tell!

Leaving Rachel Nevada we head for Hawthorne and Walker Lake, then on to Mono Lake, lunch at the Mobil Station, then a few days of fishing at Silverlake on the June Lake Loop and a one-night stop in Lone Pine. A nice week's trip.

TURTLE MOUNTAINS, DORMANT VOLCANOS, PETROGLYPHS, LOST ARCHES, MYSTIC MAZES, INTAGLIOS....ALL THIS PLUS BLOOMING CACTI AWAITED US AT THE DESERT EXPLORER'S CLUB RENDEZVOUS.

Ready to go at 8 a.m. - the enthusiastic off-roaders hit the dirt for a day of exploration! (Our fearless leaders below).

Under a drizzly sky and sometimes gusty winds, we arrived at the West Well Petroglyphs. 

"These prehistoric inscriptions that you see pecked and grooved into this rock outcrop are petroglyphs of Native American origin and mark the junction of several prehistoric trails..."

The West Well corral was very photogenic.  And since we were camping and Alan missed his morning bath, he jumped in for a soak (below).

And we all take off for the next discovery. 

There were several photo stops for flowers.  The ocotillos were crowned with flaming red/orange flowers, probably blooming as a result of the recent storm.

NEXT WE GATHERED AT THE LOST ARCH INN.  

The Lost Arch Inn at Brown's Camp was a cabin built by Charley Brown and his mining partner Jesse Craik. The cabin, which remains mostly intact, faces a natural rock arch that is the legendary marker for a rich gold placer. According to The Desert Magazine, Charley didn't have much faith in the Lost Arch legend. "With gun, canteen and blanket he had taken long, lonely prospecting trips into the Turtles and he had found scores of arches."

"Today, following nearly a century of harsh sun and wind, the severely weathered Lost Arch Inn stands surrounded by the rusted remains of mining implements and tin cans. If a visitor has an urge to tidy up "the field of junk," the urge must be overcome.  The Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 specifically forbids gathering of artifacts more than 50 years old. Instead, the BLM intends the site to be a "discovery field" for generations to come."

Rusted cars scattered around the area were magnets for the guys and their cameras.  Alan liked the one with the suicide door.

Lost Arch

Mine

We figure the above cave is where the dynamite was stored.

With binoculars the arch may be seen - no longer lost!

It was a fun-filled day with lots of discoveries.  The next morning the Needles Historical Museum opened especially for our group.  It is located across the street from the El Garces Railway Depot.  Once this was a busy depot which housed a Harvey House staffed by the famed  Harvey Girls.  Today it has fallen into disrepair but is slowly undergoing renovation.

Needles is named for the needle-like peaks that loom above the area.  It is the Route 66 gateway to California.  The town embraces its Route 66 heritage which is evidenced by the many businesses sporting the Route 66 sign logo.

On our own we discovered some legendary sights in the area:

THE TOPOCK MYSTICAL MAZE.  We drove around dirt roads in search of this ancient maze, and finally found it!

 "Within a stone's throw of busy Interstate 40 near Needles, Calif., a remnant of an ancient American Indian religious site occupies about 15 acres of wind-scoured Mojave Desert. Known as the Topock Maze of the Mystic Maze, the 600-year-old geoglyph consists of intricate patterns of many parallel paths. On the ground, visitors discern undulating parallels following the contours of the desert. From space, satellite images reveal the man-made intricacies of design"

Driving toward Kingman on a Route 66 alignment, we stopped at the Dinesphere.  It was built in 1972 as a restaurant.  The dome is not open at this time, but we were told it would open this summer.  In the meantime a bungalow serves as a gift shop..  Alan found just what he had always been searching for:  an alien in a jar.

We headed for the burro friendly town of Oatman with a stop at Cool Springs.

 After lunch at the Old Oatman Hotel, the walls of which are plastered with dollar bills, we mosied around town dodging burros. We escaped from the town just as a shoot out began.

  We headed to the Avi to make our donation to the Native Americans, stopping on the way at a site we had not been able to locate for years.  We finally found the Twin Intaglios.  There is a painting of them on the wall at the Avi.  Someone at the Needles Museum jotted down the directions.

The twin

intaglios

The painting of the twin intaglios on the wall at the Avi Hotel & Casino

We enjoyed all the discoveries on our desert adventure, but it doesn't end here.  We drove through Desert Center and made the obligatory stop at the Patton Museum.  We got a little lost but found this sign which helped us find our way:

We stopped for the night at the Salton Sea.  There is no one here in the North Shore Recreation Area campground.  The place is deserted but for the abundant wildlife.  We sit near the shore and watch a multitude of bird life.  White pelicans feast on tilapia.  Black crowned herons stand silently on the shore in stalking mode.  As the sun sets the sky and water turn caramel color and as darkness envelopes the area, dozens of night hawks fly erratically.

Sitting in a garden on the 25 acre grounds of the Roughley Manor Bed and Breakfast, I marvel at the beautiful Washingtonia Palms and Cypress Trees, I can hardly believe I'm in Twenty-Nine Palms until for just a split second I feel a rumble and hear a low roar, the sound of canons going off at the nearby base.  The Roughley Manor B & B is a beautiful home, built in 1928.  The sitting room, dining room and the outbuildings are finished and furnished perfectly.  Our room, The Oasis Room, had everything a guest could want.  Let's look at a few pictures:

There are many splendid places to sit inside the house and out.  There are 5 fireplaces in the 3-story manor which boasts two guest suites.  Seven outbuildings are rented to guests, five of which are individual cottages.  Our room, the Oasis Room, had everything a guest could want.  The outside sitting areas are perfect for birdwatching.  A pair of great horned owls nest in a tree just outside the manor's front door.  To get a close look, the innkeepers have placed a camera on the nest and from the inside office we watched the owl fly into her nest to sit on an egg. Below is the show!

Add to the mix of all the amenities in this lovely place, a pool and hot tub!

The manor has a colorful history.  It is now owned by Gary and Jan Peters, the gracious hosts who purchased it in 1994 and are responsible for all the improvements that cater to guests.  After a lovely night's stay we enjoyed our breakfast.

There is much more to the town of Twenty-Nine Palms than one would think.  Murals cover many of the buildings and they are not just painted pictures, they tell historical stories about the area.  And just blocks from the B & B is the Joshua Tree Visitor Center, a nearby art gallery, a museum, The 29 Palms Inn (where we had a terrific dinner) and, of course, the gateway to the beautiful Joshua Tree National Park.

To learn more about the Roughley Manor check out their website: http://www.roughleymanor.com/index.html

Reluctantly we left the oasis and drove through Joshua Tree.

We then drove into the Mecca Hills, and of course we couldn't pass up a cave so Alan went to explore.

 A side trip found us at Desert Hot Springs where we enjoyed a tour of Cabot Yerxas Lodge.

This Hopi inspired pueblo was built by Cabot on property he homesteaded in 1913.  He lived here until his death in 1965.  He pieced it together with brick that he hand made as well as telephone poles and other debris which he fished out of the Salton Sea after it was deposited when the Colorado River jumped its banks.  The home is quite a site and worth taking the tour.  But if you don't opt for the tour, it is feels magical to walk around the area and visit the unique gift shop and museum.

The four-story pueblo has 35 rooms.  Yerxa was a colorful character who lived a life of adventure since he was an early teen.  Unique artifacts that he collected are on display at the museum.

When we first visited Cabot's Lodge there were no homes anywhere near it.  Today it is in the  midst of a residential area. As you can imagine, there were times when it seemed no one could block the total destruction of this unique place but a foundation has taken it over and preserved it.  Tour and historical information may be found at:

http://www.cabotsmuseum.org/MuseumTours.html.

It is quite a sight to see!

  This is the second annual balloon fest for Lake Havasu.  The first one was plagued with weather problems and most events were cancelled.  This year, although Saturday was too windy, the first 2 days of the festival were successful under calm clear skies and the last day, Sunday, was beautiful.  We counted 34 balloons. 

In the early morning under calm skies the balloonists begin prepping their balloons for the mass ascension.

They have a method and soon the balloons are almost ready for ascent.

Soon balloons are floating all over Lake Havasu.  They don't want to land on the California side because although it is a short ways across the lake, it is a long drive for the fetch vehicle to go to the bridge and around. 

All sorts of shapes. 

r

We can watch the balloons right from our camp at the Islander RV Resort, and it is just a short walk across the fairway to go into the festival.

From the park's swing we could watch balloons and a ring-necked duck at the same time. 

 Below, a panda flys over camp.

In the evening the festival features live music and when darkness falls, the balloon glow begins! 

 Of course Alan went crazy taking photos.  Below is my favorite!

And...

 Added attraction:  The army does a fly-over, and over, and over:

And then there were the skydivers who landed in front of us on the fairway:

Alan and our friends opt for a tethered balloon ride.  (L-R) Pilot, Enna, Nathan, Aldo, Alan. 

The brave family above:  Enna & Aldo, Natalie & Nathan.

As the balloon fest comes to an end, we are headed to the campground jacuzzi, then a trip over to the Blue Water in Parker.  Come tomorrow we'll head for the gem and mineral show in Quartzsite and my annual pilgrimage to the naked book seller.

We were warned by the morning news:  a storm on its way.  Cold front descending, rain, snow, high winds.  We packed a few extra warm things, hooked the trailer onto the truck and headed out to our ultimate destination of Death Valley for the Annual  49er Encampment at Furnace Creek.  But first, a few fun camp spots along the way, some new to us.

TECOPA HOT SPRINGS

Below is a photo of the arrival of one of the covered wagons at  last year's 49er Encampment:

Tecopa was once the largest native American settlement in the region because of its natural hot springs, abundant wildlife and fertile wetlands.  It is near a series of trading routes later known as The Old Spanish Trail.  In 1908, spurred by the mining boom, the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad built the Tecopa Station. 

Here we stopped at various small lakes and sewage ponds, magnets to migratory birds.  Below is Grimshaw Lake where we watched the ducks, a great blue heron and a shoveler.

CHINA RANCH 

 Just a few miles from Tecopa Hot Springs on the Old Spanish Trail Highway, Furnace Creek Road leads to China Ranch, a family-owned date ranch.  The unpaved road is not too rough.

Walking around the area you can revel in the geology, botany, birds and history of early man in the environs.  You'll know when you are near the gift shop because the aroma of baking date muffins fills the air.  Hand crafted gifts are for sale as are freshly picked dates of several varieties.  Nearby the Amargosa River meanders.

 This historic spot boasts celebrity guests:

The original date delivery truck.  Could we call it a woody?

The area is open for exploration and hiking.  We watched flocks of quail scurrying about.  Below is the owners' cottage.

The dates are treated with tender loving care.  It looks like they are dressed up in their Sunday best.

SHOSHONE

A thriving little town, Shoshone is tourist friendly with a free museum, a craft sale, restrooms, a market/gift shop, and a small RV park/campground.  It is known as the southern gateway to Death Valley.

With a nod from mother nature, on the last day of the Fiesta pilots were cleared to proceed.  By the dozens they floated into the dawn sky, a wonderous sight to behold! 

At the Fiesta, divisions disappear.  No borders, no religion, no politics.  Only balloon enthusiasts from all over the world gathering to share their passion and to defy gravity.  This being the 40^th Annual International Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque was ready with crowd control, transportation, lodging and other events to entertain  visitors from afar.

Evening brings the balloon glow.  As the sun sets behind the Sandia Mountains and the Albuquerque sky dons shades of scarlet, the bands play and spectators arrive.  The pilots proudly light up their balloons.  Soon after the fireworks begin.

    THE STORM TROOPERS JOINED THE FESTIVITIES

We hooked up with our friends, Marlin & Peggy, who were camped in their RV at the Fiesta fairgrounds all week.  They travel with a group of "Lazy Dazers" and caravan all over the U.S., Canada and Mexico.  We met them for dinner at the Tomato Cafe, and parked near their RV for the Fiesta.

We viewed the farewell ascension from our car in a parking lot near the Highway.  Hundreds of colorful balloons filled the morning sky.  In Albuquerque there is what they call a box wind effect where balloons ride the wind currents n one direction, rise to a different air current level and ride back in the direction they came.

As the balloons land they have a myriad of obstacles to avoid:  buildings, power lines, fences, etc.  And then their retrieval crew must get to them.  Residents take this into stride as balloons land on their property.

.

Balloons come in dozens of creative shapes.

Many balloons are sponsored by companies for advertising purposes.

Here is the Wells Fargo Coach.

How can Albuquerque host this successful event year after year?  "It is our  endless community spirit, excellent flying conditions, wide open spaces, festival atmosphere and undying camaraderies that bring pilots and fans back."

WITH THE FIESTA OVER, THE FUN HAD JUST BEGUN.  WHAT A SURPRISE WAS AHEAD!

From Albuquerque we drove to Gallup and set up camp.  The camp host informed us that some of the balloonists were going to launch the next morning from Red Rock Park, only a few miles from Gallup.  We set our alarm and arrived at the park about 6:30 a.m.   There they were, getting their rigs together and looking for help.

THE TARPS WERE SET OUT:

GROUND CREWS UNFURLED THE BALLOONS 

Alan helps unfold the balloon, almost getting pulled off the back of the truck.  Hard work!

BLOWING AIR INTO THE BALLOONS WITH LARGE FANS, THEY START TO INFLATE. 

AND THEN THEY BEGIN TO RISE! 

THE SUN IS FINALLY

WARMING THE

FIELD. 

WE WORKED ON THE GROUND CREW FOR COLIN GRAHAM'S BALLOON.  HE AND HIS WIFE LIVE IN YUMA.

AS THEY BEGAN TO RISE HE THREW HIS KEYS TO ALAN AND ASKED HIM TO TAKE HIS TRUCK AND RETRIEVE THEM WHEN THEY LAND.  THEY WERE OFF!

  Imagine riding air currents above the red mesas of Indian country, silent, magic, uplifting..

Racing through the backroads Alan finally spots Colin, his wife, and balloon floating in for a landing.

They hit the ground softly. 

  The balloon, basket, etc. are all packed into the truck.  Meanwhile, several other balloons land in the area and await their retrieval teams.

      As the drama comes to an end, we bid farewell to Colin and wife.  They head home to Yuma and we set off to Flagstaff by way of the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest.

Looking out over the Painted Desert 

The Painted Desert Inn was constructed of petrified wood.  From 1947 to 1963 the hotel was run by Fred Harvey. It is now a National Historic Landmark.

The Petrified Forest:  Trees turned to stone.  They are a sight to see.  There are many stops on the road to view these ancient trees and walk among them.  There are two visitor centers and a museum with interpretive displays and movies.

The road between the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest crosses Route 66.  There are no campgrounds in the National Park but nearby is the town of Holbrook where you can stay in a teepee.  We also saw a nice RV park on the road to Meteor Crater.

As this portion of our trip comes to an end, I'd like to share a favorite photo with you.  We passed this sight several years ago and since then had lamented many a time that we did not stop and take a photo.  It is located near Farmington.  Finally we got our picture!!

We are off to Flagstaff and looking forward to dinner at a favorite restaurant:  Black Barts.  Here the wait staff entertains with opera and contemporary tunes.  It is located right in the campground across the highway from Little America. 

 And a word for a favorite vendor:  When we get to camp, Alan checks out the neighbors to be sure he has the tallest flagpole and the most lights.  We fly different flags and windsocks which make it easy to see camp when you are in a sea of RVs.  Helps the grandkids too if they are along.  My favorite is the kokopelli windsock *below."  The company is called polesandholders.com.  You can order your pole on line!

It's a guy thing.  The camper with the tallest pole wins. 

Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado serves as a spectacular reminder of the ancient culture of the Ancestral Puebloans who lived there 1400 years ago.  The closest town is Cortez where we camped at the KOA.  It is a very visitor friendly park with accommodations for the handicapped, and options for those who are unable to climb the steep terrain or negotiate ladders to the cliff dwellings.  One of the most famous ruins in the park is Cliff Palace.  To enter you must take a ranger guided tour, climb ladders and stairs, trek steep trails, all at over 7,000 feet.  Or, you can take photos from the viewpoint:

Cliff Palace has over 150 rooms and was built from the late 1190s to late 1270s.  It has been restored to a point.

This rendering on display at the visitor center shows what the Cliff Palace looked like when discovered by local cowboys in the 1880s.

And an artist's sketch of what life at Cliff Palace may have looked like when occupied.  The puebloans were farmers and spent much of their time getting food.  They were experienced builders.  Fortunately they tossed their trash close by and much of what we know about how they lived comes from those garbage heaps.

The Ancestral Puebloans are known to archeologists as Anasazi, from a Navajo word meaning "the ancient foreigners."

For all their silence, these structures speak with a certain eloquence telling of people adept at building, artistic in their crafts and skillful at making a living from a difficult land.

We are fortunate for the opportunity to visit this historical sacred land.

THE SPRUCE TREE HOUSE has changed very little in 700-800 years.  It can be viewed from a shaded viewpoint or accessed without a guide by a steep hike into the canyon and up the other side.  A spring is located nearby, making this dwelling a good place to live.

The Spruce House contains 8 kivas.  Alan insists the kivas are early ECV sites.

He descends into the kiva to check it out. 

The Museum located near these dwellings exhibits numerous displays showing the typical pottery and basketry crafted  by the Puebloans.

Headed down the Mesa Verde, we look out over the Valley toward Cortez

 And back to camp after an exciting day:

DOLORES COLORADO HOLDS SOME PLEASANT SURPRISES

Located on the Rio de Nuestra Senora de las Dolores, or The River of Our Lady of Sorrows, Dolores claims to be a proud small town USA. It is home to the historic Galloping Goose Train Engine:  This hybrid vehicle, half bus, half rail car, ran the mail and passenger runs.

   The Galloping Goose (above) rode on the rails and at certain times of the year it rides again taking passengers for an historic experience.  Below is a photo of what the Goose looked like when in action.

THE ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER

This beautiful museum interprets the history and culture of Canons of the Ancients National Monument and the Four Corners Region.  The special exhibit entitled Sacred Images of Native America Rock Art.  The photos are fascinating:

      This sacred valley, north of the Arizona-Utah border, is a Navajo Tribal Park preserving the awesome geologic formations and offering insight into the Navajo way of life.  Just outside the reservation is Goulding's Trading Post where there is lodging and a campground for RVs and tents. 

The campground has a great view, its own pool, gift shop and laundry.  Nearby the motel has balconies with spectacular views, a restaurant and movie theater.

This complex is named Gouldings.

Gouldings was historically where stars were housed and hung out when movies were filmed in the area. It was a favorite haunt for John Ford who made many films, and John Wayne, who acted in them.  There is a movie museum on site, a collection of the area's film history and personalities.

A few miles away is the Navajo Reservation.  After paying a fee of $5 per person, you may take the 17 mile drive on your own, or join a Navajo led tour which will allow you to see areas not open to those traveling on their own.  At the jumping off point is a new hotel called The View, trading post and restaurant.  We drove the area on our own, and also took a tour into Mystery Valley

SELF GUIDED TOUR:

An opportunity to buy handmade Navajo items from the crafters themselves.

The Three Sisters

 Sunset is a good time to photograph Monument Valley:

GU GUIDED TOUR

On the reservation is Mystery Valley, known as Land of Long Shadows. Here you must join a tour led by a Navajo guide.  Our open-air, 4 wheel drive truck got us through areas of rough terrain.   Our guide, Don, was born and raised on this reservation and knew of all the secret spots.

THE

FINGER      

Above are a cliff dwelling and a sample of the area's petroglyphs. 

The pictograph above is called "hands."  Below, while we were photographing the cliff dwelling and cave art, our guide, Don, grilled burgers for our lunch. 

                Our fellow tourists were from all over the U.S. and one couple was from Germany. 

A

SUMMER

HOGAN 

WE WERE INVITED INTO LUCEE'S HOGAN AND SHE SHOWED US HOW SHE MAKES WOOL YARN AND WEAVES BLANKETS.

Below Lucee demonstrated how Navajo women tied their hair in the back with the wool yarn.

 We were indebted to our guide for sharing his Navajo culture with us.

ABOUT 25 MILES FROM MONUMENT VALLEY IS MEXICAN HAT.  THE PHOTO BELOW SHOWS WHY:

As the sun set over the hat, we visited a steak restaurant which had been on our list of "must sees" for years.  It is in the category of a few of our favorite out-of-the-way, unique places to experience.  Two of our favorites are Pappy & Harriets in Pioneertown near Yucca Valley, and Nellie's Desert Bar near Parker, AZ.

THE SWINGING STEAK: 

THE RIB EYE WAS 18 OZ.  WE OPTED TO SPLIT IT.

OWNERS OF THE MEXICAN HAT LODGE AND THE SWINGING STEAK, VONNIE AND HER SON JAY DEE MUELLER, WERE ON HAND TO CHAT. 

We are fortunate that in this Country we have set aside these cultural, historical and geological unique lands for future generations to enjoy.  The national parks and monuments are here for everyone to experience.  How many residents of the American west enjoy these parks?  We found that many of the visitors we encountered had negotiated through the tribulations of air travel, car rental, etc. to visit these parks.  And yet, Americans who pay for the parks and live within driving distance often overlook the beauty and significance of what lies in their backyard.  Remember, if you are over 62, purchase a Golden Age Pass and you can enter these parks and monuments free of charge.

DON'T MISS HOVENWEAP

Located in the Four Corners Area of Utah, this National Monument is on a Navajo Reservation.  There is a visitor center and several hikes along the rim where structures are easily photographed.  Round, square and D-shaped towers mark once-thriving communities abandoned 700 years ago.  Why were these towers built?  It has been suggested that the ancestral Pueblo people were protecting something.  The area stimulates the imagination. 

 In Indian Country there are a number of slot canyons.   In the city of Page, AZ near Lake Powell, we signed up for a tour of Antelope Slot Canyon.  Access is allowed only with a Navajo Guide.  Loaded into a truck we headed for the Navajo Indian Reservation for an incredible experience. 

Carved by elements of sand, wind and water for billions of years, the walls tower over 200 feet and in areas you can touch both sides with your elbows at the same time.  The brilliant contrast of penetrating sunlight and sandstone colors leaves nothing to be said.  Just take a look at the photos and you will see why there are no words....

Several tours were walking thru the slot cave and many languages were spoken.  Fortunately the photos were shot up to the opening, so the crowds were not in the way.

After emerging from the end of the slot, we gathered and then walked back in for the trek to exit where we had entered.  This is not a place you want to be when rain might spawn a flash flood.

The official slot canyon greeter.

After the slot canyon tour, we said goodbye to our new friends, Michael and Linda.  We had met them on our Lake Powell boat excursion and were happy to see them again on the slot canyon tour.  They too were exploring all the wonderful sites in Indian Country.

After the incredible scenes in that cave, we were off to another local natural site:  Horseshoe

Bend.  Here, below Glen Canyon Dam and before Lee's Ferry, this bend in the Colorado River is a strange sight! 

With Lake Powell and Rainbow Bridge, Antelope Slot Canyon and Horseshoe Bend behind us, we head for Monument Valley