As we continue our nine-week road trip, this morning we leave Canyon de Chelly for Santa Fe, New Mexico. Since the most awe-inspiring of our locations are behind us, this finale will contain a few quick, yet cool stops as we make our way back to Missouri – where we’ll spend the last two weeks of our trip. My next post includes an overview of the entire trip, with our itinerary and links to the blogposts about each location. So, say goodbye to Canyon de Chelly folks. We’re heading out!

Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
< Visit the first post of this series – Escape the Tundra 2019

This morning we left around 7:30am so we could take the scenic route. We headed north to Four Corners Monument – the only place in the United States where four states intersect (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado). You gotta have a photo of that, right?

Previously free, now there’s a $10 entrance fee ($20/car), but with that comes some pretty nice displays, a variety of Navajo cultural demonstrations, and vendors selling handmade Navajo jewelry, crafts and food. There are also picnic tables on-site so you can get out your cooler and enjoy a free lunch.

The first week in March is pretty quiet here, so photos without visitors were pretty easy to come by. I was asked by three folks if I’d take their photo at the junction. When they mentioned they were from Germany, of course we mentioned our River Cruise about nine months ago, where cities in Germany were the lion’s share of the stops we made along the way. They shared where they had been and what was still ahead on their wonderful United States trip and we said our goodbyes. Since the skies were starting to get ugly, we hopped back in the car to continue our eight hour journey for the day.

While watching the Smithsonian Channel one evening months before this trip, we stumbled upon an “Arial America” series which covered most (if not all) of the states in the U.S. Since we hadn’t spent much time in New Mexico and were headed there after Four Corners, we made sure to record that episode. Shiprock came highly recommended and since we were practically going right by, we thought we’d give it a look. It shouldn’t add too much time to our schedule, since how long can you stand and stare at a rock?

Shiprock is a monadnock – an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a plain. Shiprock is nearly 1,600 feet above the high-desert just ten miles from Shiprock, New Mexico.

On any other day this may have just been a big rock in the desert, but today with the vibrant blue sky and a couple of puffy clouds, it was pretty fantastic!

“This striking volcanic plume was formed around 30 million years ago, developing as a plug within the vent of an active volcano. Over time, the rest of the volcano eroded away, leaving the  jagged outcrop all alone in a vast expanse of plain. At over 1500 feet, it’s the tallest structure for miles and miles.” – READ MORE

You may remember our conversation with a woman and her grandson at the School House Inn B&B in Bisbee, Arizona about a month ago. She was from Aztec, New Mexico and said that the Aztec Ruins National Monument was a must see. Since again, it wasn’t that far out of our way – here we are!

“Footprint of Ancestral Pueblo Society
Pueblo people describe this site as part of their migration journey. Today you can follow their ancient passageways to a distant time. Explore a 900-year old ancestral Pueblo Great House of over 400 masonry rooms. Look up and see original timbers holding up the roof. Search for the fingerprints of ancient workers in the mortar. Listen for an echo of ritual drums in the reconstructed Great Kiva.” – READ MORE

The Visitor’s Center offered many interactive displays and lots of information about the early inhabitants. An audio tour was available, but we borrowed one of their laminated guide books, which gave us the information we needed to enjoy the quiet of this beautiful (hot) day. It probably would have been prettier with leaves on the trees, but it probably would have been hotter too, so I’ll take the bare trees. This was definitely a great addition to our itinerary.

After a quick lunch at a local A&W, we loaded back up for the last time. Our scenic route continuing past Aztec wasn’t as impressive as we thought it might be, but we made good time without more stops and arrived safely in Santa Fe at our hotel.

While parking, we noticed an abundance of construction vehicles. We had gotten an email about construction, but they didn’t mention the lobby would look like a war zone. The breakfast room was relocated into an actual room and the carpet was ripped up everywhere. Our level didn’t look much better, but our room was very nice – except for the plastic that was draped on the outside of our windows.

We looked at Santa Fe with great anticipation, but the quaint little town we expected was just a big city. Had we gotten a hotel closer to the historic district or the great area pictured below, we may have had a totally different experience. We could have enjoyed the quaintness of this area, and maybe even seen the tree with lights below at night, like it was intended, without having to deal with the ridiculous traffic.

Two years later we made a return trip where we stayed in a VRBO right in the Historic District. Check out “In Transition“. Much better!

After sight-seeing, we had hoped to relax in our room, but it was smelly, dusty and noisy. The weather was turning again, and the things we had left to see were quite a jaunt through heavy traffic. After one nice day in town, we decided to cut our three nights to two and head for The Wilderness Club at Big Cedar in Ridgedale, Missouri in the morning, where we could kick back without the sounds of nail guns and power drills.

There we were greeted with a whole lotta wood for our real-wood fireplace and believe me, that came in handy because it was rain, rain and more rain for several days of our week-long stay.

The deck and the grill came in handy on several occasions, but the fireplace in this two-bedroom cabin was the star of the show – that is, once we got it lit. It was great that they kept restocking the wood, but its location on the front porch (in the rain) was not ideal. Jim was constantly bringing in more wood and repositioning it to help it dry, so it was a chore (for Jim) but we (mostly Jim) suffered through it.

We went into town whenever the weather cleared, had great conversations about the wonderful trip that was coming to an end very soon, but mostly spent a relaxing week catching up on laundry, reading and finishing up the Netflix series we started after leaving Phoenix a while back. Now this is a vacation!

When we visit our timeshare in Missouri, I am always quick to tell people it’s in Ridgedale, because God forbid someone would think I’m old enough to enjoy Branson lol. But the next week we stayed IN Branson, close to the west end of the strip at The Falls Village, a great timeshare very close to the action with spacious and beautiful accommodations. By week’s end we had seen three shows and had been out for dinner several times to celebrate the end of our nine-week road trip and we’re still married!

Legends in Concert had several tribute artists that were awesome, but the Blues Brothers stole the show. So funny, and who doesn’t love Jake and Elwood – especially when they sing Think with Aretha later in the show!

The next night we saw the Haygoods – another excellent show! They are so diverse, offering rock and roll, country, gospel – even a harp. Watch their promotional video.

We loved the next show… because we’re just that OLD! Even if you’re not that old, the cast of New Jersey Nights sings so many oldies but goodies, you’ll be tapping your feet, swaying or like me –  singing to almost every one of their songs. They didn’t allow pictures, which was perfect. We could sit back – and flash back – to some of the best times of our lives.

One more night spent doing laundry and packing – for the last time – as we head home in the morning. We wanted an early start for our twelve-hour drive, and of course there was weather!

Although only fog, which cleared off pretty quickly, we gave thanks that we lucked out with the weather – for the most part. All around us records were being broken, but the way seemed to clear for us. Once home however, we got just a small taste of what was going on with snow, sleet, hail, rain and cold temperatures until just days before the publishing of this post. But… there’s no place like home.

Up Next: Escape the Tundra Itinerary

Happy trails,
Barb