(Three things...)

Seeing Shiprock in the distance: How many times in your life have you known exactly where you were in a commercial airliner -- just by looking out the window? I was flying home from a midwest trip a few months back, and the route came across northcentral New Mexico -- the day was very clear, and I could see the Brazos Mtns (east of Tierra Amarilla), San Antonio Mountain (north of that) and the Chama Valley, then while flying SW across I-40 near Grants or Gallup a few minutes later, I could see Shiprock way off up north -- probably 150-175 miles away. I was thrilled -- and wanted to tell everyone within earshot!

Canyon de Chelly: George was my guide when I took the tour at Canyon de Chelly (all day). George was a descendant of a Navajo leader from the 1870s -- and his Grandmother still watched over her sheep in the Canyon. She hiked down to the floor twice each day to check on them -- she lived on top. She was probably 90 years old, and VERY spry. At the time, I'm not sure I could have made that climb even ONCE! Goerge, besides being a great tour guide, was an absolute master at carving watermelon with a machete.

Another time, on a Memorial Day weekend, I spent about 10 minutes one morning, circling around Spider Rock in a light plane (and several other Canyon de Chelly landmarks), taking photographs from all angles, before heading north toward Monument Valley & Canyonlands. At the time, I was using a Fujica 35mm SLR camera, and for the first and only time it ever malfunctioned, the photo counter jammed. It was quite a few miles and "photos" later, that I discovered there was no film in that camera. I'd give my left arm (I need the right one for throttle control) to have some of those photos I would have gotten that morning, in what was some of the most perfect morning light I'd ever seen! Such is life, eh? Thanks for your posts, you both gave me a chuckle!

The Madman