Shiprock
We were looking for an easy day today, so we decided on a side trip to Shiprock. This is a very famous geologic feature, as well as a sacred place for the Navajo. Shiprock is a volcanic neck or pipe. It is the lava that filled the main vent of a volcano. Over time, the softer rocks and sediments that surrounded it have been eroded away, leaving only this very hard volcanic vent rock behind. There are several in this area and around Monument Valley, but none is as famous as Shiprock.
It was very windy when we reached Shiprock. In fact, Carol did most of her shooting from inside the car until it calmed down. I had always wanted to photograph Shiprock from the main dike that radiates out from the formation to the east. Obviously, lots of others had the same idea because there was a path up to the ridge next to the dike. The wind made getting up the ridge and shooting a bit of a challenge. There was a gap in the dike, so I thought I'd walk over and check out the lighting on the other side. I climbed up on the dike, but the lighting was all wrong. On my way back down the trail, I had an "encounter" with a rattlesnake. He warned me of his presence, I jumped 3 feet straight up, and was 10 yards down the trail in about 5 seconds. Geoff Griffin would have been proud of me.
Shortly before sunset, the wind died down, and we shot Shiprock in the warm light. The setting sun warmed the face of Shiprock, but most of the cumulus clouds that had filled the sky were replaced by a few clouds at the horizon.
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On the way back to camp, we stopped to check out the Northern Navajo Nation Fair in the town of Shiprock. Carol loves Navajo fry bread, so she was happy to find the food "booth" area. Mutton seemed very popular on the various menus. Carol ordered mutton wrapped in fry bread and I got a hamburger. Carol's mutton probably would have been very good, but it was mostly gristle. They had a rodeo, a dance, a pow-wow, and all kinds of stuff going on in the area.
It was already nearly 9:00, so we were ready to head back to camp.
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