This is the last video of myIndian Summer Vacation Series, and while only running three minutes, it's a spectacular one. Our last day was spent in Canyon de Chelly (info here,) near Chinle, Arizona. While part of the Navajo Nation, it's partially run by the National Park Service. And some Indian families still live there. You are required to have a guide to enter the canyon (except for the White House Ruin Trail.)
Our home base of Spider Rock Campground (see my video blog post, with links, here) supplied a tour guide at $75 dollars per person. While quiet-spoken, our tour guide, Ben, shared many interesting stories about Canyon De Chelly. You check in at a ranger station then just drive right in. We brought a picnic, as the tour lasted half the day.
It's a fertile valley with 2000 foot (in parts) high walls on 2 sides. Many plants and animals trive here - while just outside of Canyon De Chelly the landscape is harsh and desert-like. Various Indian Clans have settled here over time. The valley floods during a short rainy season, but while we were there our tour guide only had to drive through shallow stream beds.
We made many stops to look at petroglyphs and ancient Indian dwellings. Make sure to bring binoculars as the cliff dwellings are almost impossible to reach. Even the original inhabitants had to build long ladders to climb to the stone pueblos.
The ocre/red sandstone walls drop straight down with natural caves and ledges in the shear walls. Ancient peoples carved-out and built structures in the cliffs thousands of years ago.
The White House Ruins is one of the main stops. There are water stations and restrooms nearby. Gift tables manned by local natives carry all manner of jewelry, pottery and clothing. You can walk a trail to get closer, although we did not do it. Waves of different Indian Clans have taken refuge there. I asked out tour guide why anyone would live in the side of a cliff, he said it was because of the floods and wild animals (and probably to keep enemies at bay.) Another blogger describes a hike to the ruins here.
Driving along the majestic high walls puts you in humble space. We even passed a sandstone Arch or two. At the end of the trail was Spider Rock. At about 800 feet high, it looks nothing like an arthropod. The spectacular red sandstone monolith is said to be the home of Spider Woman, an ancient Navajo Deity, click here to read about the legend.
Spider Rock is indeed awesome and we stopped to have a picnic under the trees nearby. This was the end of the valley tour for us. We packed the leftovers and headed back.
One last photo op was for Dog Rock, can you see the canine? Well, just watch my video below, were I trace the outline (if you can't quite make out the dog.)
Dog Rock
That's it. My Indian Vacation Series is over, but you can return anytime to view all 9 blog post and videos anytime. A big 99 thanks to my wife, Amy, for arranging and booking the trip (and for being a fun travel mate,) plus all the cool tour guides, park rangers, and friendly and informative local Native Indians, for showing us the way.
Canyon de Chelly- Video #9
Play it here, video runs 3 minutes.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
Indian Summer Vacation Series (click on any title below to see the blog post).
What do you get when you combine a Rock Lobster, an earthquake, a taco truck, and the most ravishing scenic shots of Arches National Park? It's just another typical video from this Cheap$kate Traveler's Indian Summer Vacation Series, of course!
If you've been following me, this is my 8th video of the series and the most outrageous one yet. And these events take place on the 3rd and 4th day of our vacation. We started with a 10-hour drive from Los Angeles (see my on-the-road video here) to an overnight stay in Flagstaff, Arizona, and then on to Monument Valley (click here to see that one.)
In a week or so is my final video blog post of ghostly Indian ruins and a breathtaking trek through Canyon de Chelly National Monument. (Click on any red type in this blog post to peruse informative website links.)
Located just 5 miles from Moab, Utah, and on the Colorado River, Arches National Park is a feast for the eyes. It covers 76,000 acres and contains more than 2000 natural sandstone Arches. The Arches were formed over millennia by rain and wind eroding red-hued sandstone into freestanding magnificent monuments.
Sandstone
Arches come in all shapes and sizes. Some are only a couple stories tall, while for others you would need to be a mountain climber to reach the top.
Broken Arch
There is a Visitors Center at the entrance with camping info, brochures, etc. The park is well laid out, with an 18-mile paved road for easy access. It costs $10 per car and the ticket is good for a week. There are many scenic stops along the road, with parking slots - some rest stops have water fountains and restrooms. We stopped at one that even had picnic tables.
Make sure to get a map and do a little research, as there are many Arches to see. For some Arches, you can just pull over and gawk and take photos. While others, you will walk well laid out and traveled trails. All the rest stops have a clearly made trail map plaque and info about the Arches along the paths.
My wife and I spent 2 days there and barely scratched the surface. We camped in nearby Moab, Utah (click here to see my Camping Video.) The early morning and late afternoon are comfortable times to hike and sightsee. The sun can be brutal, so bring sunscreen and a hat. Even in May, the midday temperature was in the 90's. I wore sandals but would cover my feet better next time, as I stubbed my toe and almost ruined a day.
Not my sandals
Also, bring something to snack on and have a couple of water bottles for refilling along the way. A lot the the Arches can be seen from the main road and are a short hike away. One of the most famous is the 65-foot-tall Delicate Arch. You can take a short hike to see it from a distance - which we did. But to see it up close you must walk 3 miles from the rest stop, which takes 2 to 3 hours to get there. Next time I would take the time to hike it. I could easily spend a couple weeks hiking and taking photos/videos in Arches National Park. And maybe even try to camp in the park itself, although the sites fill up way in advance - click here to read about that.
But there are plenty of Arches with easy access. A most memorable one was Landscape Arch. The hike to get there was about a mile from the rest stop. The trail was easy to walk, with many scenic rock formations and native plants along the way. It's a well-traveled trail and our fellow hikers were considerate and pleasant enough.
Landscape Arch is said to be the world's longest at about 291 feet across. It looks like a man-made bridge. The Arch is a few hundred feet off the trail so you can't stand under it, but you get close enough to be awed by its unique structure and beauty. Of course, I had to do a wacky video scene there involving a fictitious Taco Truck.
The most bang for the buck is North and SouthWindow and Turret Arches. You get 3 magnificent Arch views that are a short walk from the road. There are stone steps that lead the way. And you can walk right up to, and inside, each Arch. Truly awe-inspiring. (Click here to see a cool 360-degree interactive panorama shot of all 3 Arches.
A fun short trek is to Sand Dune Arch. It was like walking on an ochre-hued sandy beach, with giant red walls of sandstone framing the trail. You'll want to take your shoes off when you arrive at the Aches, the sand is so soft and fine to the touch.
Sand Dune Arch
There are many other rock formations to check out. I especially liked Balanced Rock. Again, it's right off the main drag. The boulder on top is the size of 3 school buses. You get a little queasy and nervous just standing nearby.
Balanced Rock
Go ahead and walk right up and touch it. Well, I did - with disastrous results! Be sure to watch my video all the way to the end to see what I mean.
I'm on the homestretch of this Indian Summer Vacation Series. Only a couple more blog posts to go, then it's back to recipes and food reviews. Thanks for hanging out with me so far, and check out my video below -- it's classic 99 Cent Chef in action. Special 99 thanks to the caretakers of Arches National Park and my wife, Amy, for arranging the tour and recording The Chef's outrageous antics.
Arches National Park - Video #8
Play it here, video runs 5 minutes, 38 seconds.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
I'm roughing it in my next Indian Summer Vacation Video. My intrepid vacation-planning wife found a campsite in the small town of Moab, Utah -- just 5 miles from Arches National Park. This video covers our camping time, then it's on to eye-popping Arches. You will not believe the next video I have in store for you, this one is just a warm-up.
The campsite is called Up The Creek and is located a few blocks from the center of downtown. Click here to see the website.
Downtown Moab, Utah
Moab is small, with a few thousand residents, so the campsite was quiet, especially with a small creek rushing by.
It's a little high-end at $32 a night for two people, but a good deal when you include: shower stalls, restrooms, an outdoor sink, charging station for electronics, gas grills, and even wheelbarrows to roll in your camping equipment.(Of course, always best to check on their website to see latest daily rates and all the campsite details.) Click here for a link to more campsites, cabins, and RV parks.
The campsite takes up about half a city block - not huge, but spacious enough. You park in a car lot by the entrance and carry, or wheelbarrow-in, all the camping stuff.
It's tent only, no RV's or car camping here. I saw about a dozen tents setup when we were there. And there are plenty of cottonwood trees, so you keep cool in the shade.
We stayed two days and nights and have no complaints. Although, we found out it was the hottest it's been all year (end of May.) While mostly sunny, but with those giant puffy white clouds you see in all the Western movies, the clouds were welcome shade providers -- however brief (pack plenty of sunblock.) And at night it cooled down comfortably. There are insects, but not biting ones (at least no bites on me.)
We had a neighbor who brought his dog - it costs another $5 per day. The animal was well behaved, friendly but quiet.
Having free access to showering was especially welcome after a sweltering day of sightseeing in Arches National Park. And right around the corner of the shower/restrooms is an outdoor kitchen sink, with fresh water for water bottle refills.
Since I was documenting stuff with my digital cameras, the charging station by the kitchen sink got a lot of use. There is no WiFi in the camp, but a couple blocks away are cafes and a visitors center for free online access.
They have a couple gas grills on a picnic table for public use, since no camp fires are allowed. If you don't like cooking and the cleanup, there are plenty of dining options in Moab.
The first night we had a tasty Happy Hour pizza, all-you-can-eat salad, and draft beer at Zax Restaurant & Watering Hole (click here to read all about them.) There are at least a dozen more dining and fast food destinations and a large grocery store, along the main street.
The main attraction was the short drive to Arches National Park - barely 5 minutes away. So it's easy to do a morning hike, take a break at camp, and return to the park later in the day when it has cooled down. Of course you can camp in the park itself, but good luck getting a spot (go ahead and read about it here.)
My Camping in Moab, Utah is a short video and I think you will enjoy it. It's just an appetizer - my next video on Arches National Park is a feast for the eyes, so do check back next week, too.
Camping in Moab, Utah - Video #7
Play it here, video runs 3 minutes, 31 seconds.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
Indian Summer Vacation Series (click on any title below to see the blog post).
This is just a short post of my last Monument Valley video. Next up is our camping and Arches National Park videos and blog posts, plus a recipe for a Frybread Taco. I'm over half way through with this Indian Summer Vacation Series.
My latest video again features Don Mose, our Spirit Guide. It's only a minute and a half, but still enlightening. As you can tell from previous blog posts, I shot a lot of Don footage, and this is the last video he's featured in.
In this video he speaks of the complexity of Navajo language. I also show a list of Clan names, or what Indian Tribes call themselves. When I put the video together, I wanted to subtitle the Clan names. But it seemed impossible to write or spell them...until I Googled one of the English translated names (Tangle People) and up popped this great website. Click here to see it, but basically the Clan names are spelled out phonetically, so I could now cut-and-paste to subtitle this video.
Don mentions that the Navajo language is now on Rosetta Stone - a language learning software program. You can read about the program here. They also have a free Navajo language lesson to sample by clicking here - you do have to check a box and agree to Rosetta Stone's terms, then step though a short setup. It's all pretty intuitive, though.
Well thanks for hanging with me thus far, there's still a few more videos to go. And while they may not be recipe videos, they do have food themes and humor sprinkled throughout. I try to stay in the recipe and restaurant review mold, but you know by now that I like to digress from time to time.
Be sure to check back for some incredible photos and footage of Arches National Park and more wacky hijinks from TheCheap$kate Trekker.
Indian Clan Names - Video #6
Play it here, video runs 1 minutes, 32 seconds.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
99 thanks to Don Mose for a memorable tour. To read about getting Don Mose as a Spirit Guide in Monument Valley, click here.
Indian Summer Vacation Series (click on any title below to see the blog post).
You can refer to me as the Naive Chef for this video blog post. What I know about Navajo culture you could fit on the sharpened edge of a tomahawk. Any info I heard has been secondhand through popular media (movies) or the occasional radio interview. To learn directly from Don Mose, our Monument Valley Navajo Spirit Guide, was a special treat. And I got it on video for you to view at the end of this post.
If you were here a couple of weeks ago then you've seen him in wise man mode. My Vision Quest Video with Don featured him pointing out amazing landscapes, deciphering petroglyphs, plus a Navajo sweat lodge ceremony lesson. Just scroll down a couple of blog posts to view, if you missed it.
This time Don gets into how the Navajo language is being preserved. He also describes the differences of Male and Female Hogans. These living quarters and ceremonial structures are made of cedar wood and covered in dirt for insulation. There is a hole in the roof for smoke to escape during the cooking of meals. And the doorway, or opening, always faces East to catch Father Sky's sunrise (and to tell time of day.)
Inside a hogan
Male and Female Hogans serve different purposes, but I'll let Don describe that to you in the video below.
Male Hogan
While at one of the many scenic stops of our tour, I mentioned to Don that I write and make videos about food. He lit up and excitedly walked us into the scrubs on the side of the dirt road. He broke off a handful of scraggly stems and explained that you steep these in hot water for a tea to soothe a stomach ache. He looked around and immediately picked another herb from Mother Nature and explained it's pharmaceutical use, as well. (Whew, I managed to work in a food/herb theme into this blog post after all.)
Not only was Don our Spirit Guide, he's also a Medicine Man!
Allow me to be blunt, this blog post is a sure-fire hit! So check out my latest Indian Summer Vacation Video to learn a little more Navajo culture, plus I make a humorous appearance at the end of this video.
Spirit Guide & Medicine Man, Don Mose - Video #5
Play it here, video runs 3 minutes, 42 seconds.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
99 thanks to Don Mose for a memorable tour. To read about getting Don Mose as a Spirit Guide in Monument Valley, click here.
Indian Summer Vacation Series (click on any title below to see the blog post).
This is my fourth Indian Summer Vacation video, so I think it's time for a recipe. Once we were well into Arizona, and Native American town names and symbols began to appear, I became aware of Indian Frybread at gas-stop markets and restaurants. I was eager to try it and was not disappointed.
All it takes is 4 ingredients o make traditional Indian Frybread. And the ingredients are cheap but the flavor is top shelf. Frybread is light like a large puffy and yeasty flour funnel cake/tortilla/pancake. It's simply made with oil, flour, water and baking powder, mixed then fried in lard or coking oil.
But it's a controversial addition to the Navajo Indian diet, originating when they were forced to resettle from Arizona to New Mexico over 140 years ago. They were given lard, sugar, and flour by the government for the long trek, and from that arose Frybread. It has become synonymous with Indian cuisine. Now, we all know you shouldn't eat doughnuts every day, well Frybread carries the same baggage. You can read all about the controversy by clicking here.
I don't eat doughnuts often, but when I do they go down so good. I can't advise eating Frybread routinely, but as a decadent meal, you gotta try it at least once. I had it with Chili Powder sprinkled on, and my wife had it with honey and cinnamon powder.
Frybread with Chili Powder
Frybread with honey and cinnamon
And on our drive through Arizona, we stopped at a restaurant for a Frybread Taco, filling and tasty (my recipe for it is here.)
Frybread Taco
When we were touring Navajo country, we stayed in a hogan at Spider Rock Campground where we were served fresh made Frybread for breakfast, prepared by a young Indian named Lance. He said the recipe came from his grandmother. I got Lance on video making Frybread, so you get the recipe firsthand.
Lance and trailer kitchen
I shot Lance on the last day of our vacation, so this video is out of chronological order, as I have a few more Indian Vacation posts to publish. And it was a delicious way to end our stay.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
Ingredients (2 large Frybread)
2 cups white flour
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
Cooking oil or shortening - enough to fill the bottom of a pan about one inch deep.
Directions
Add flour to a large bowl. Sprinkle in baking powder and mix well.
Add a little water at a time and mix into flour. Keep adding water and mixing to form a ball of dough.
Sprinkle on more flour if needed and mix into dough ball. You want the dough to feel damp, but not sticky.
Pinch or cut dough into two rounds - these are your Frybread for cooking. This is a good time to heat up the oil in the frying pan to medium/high heat.
Now you need to flatten the first dough ball until it's like a pizza crust or large tortilla. You can use a rolling pin, or just watch the video to see how Lance formed his Frybread rounds by hand.
He basically pulls the dough outward while rotating the ball. Once it is larger then he rests it on his fist, then the whole hand, and he keeps pulling while rotating the dough. You want it thin and round. It's okay if the dough tears a little (unless you're making a Frybread Taco.)
When dough is stretched take a small pinch of it and see if the oil is hot enough. The oil should bubble right as the dough is added. Remove the small piece of dough.
Carefully lay in the flatten Frybread into the frying pan of oil. Be careful of the hot oil. Allow the Frybread to cook about 30 seconds, then start checking it to see when it first starts to lightly brown. That's when it's ready to turn over to finish frying. Depending on the oil temperature, it will take about 2 minutes total for the Frybread to cook through.
When done remove the Frybread and place on a paper towel of metal rack to drain. Repeat the stretching and frying on the other dough-ball. Lance made large bread, you could make smaller ones - maybe four instead of two Frybread.
That's it. I had it with a sprinkle of chili powder. My wife had hers with some honey and cinnamon.
