Current location Joshua Tree national park, California, squatting on BLM. So as unfortunate as reality is these days nothing can be done without money. My funds have run low enough that I will not be able to continue my journey to south america. In the next two to three weeks I will be forced to look for a new place to call home in southern california and find work. I'm hopping that in a few months I'll be able to save enough to continue south though as expensive of a state as this is only time will tell. Returning to Moab, Utah is also on my mind though with the current weather it's an iffy idea at best. As much as I hate to have to do this life on the road is more expensive than imagined and reader support is practically non existent. I've yet to find a way to sell prints reliably or make money through photography though I'm still looking into it. I'll be falling back to what I know mechanics, welding and fabrication. Will have what's left of my tools shipped to california and hope for the best. A huge thanks to all of those new people and friends who I've met and helped me along the way. Specially the ADV family whom without I wouldn't have gotten this far. To my family a huge thanks for all you've done to support me in my crazy journey.
Live free or die trying!
Hessian
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Arizona again...
Antelope canyons
If there is a fee involved pass it on… To
give a little background the canyons are located inside Navajo land and
as such are owned and operated by the Navajo. From my understanding one
is not allowed to simply go there without a Navajo escort and so they
have setup tours to visit the canyons. I shot over to the area that day
with enthusiasm of seeing the same canyons I had seen in photos with the
magic light and slick water carved walls. Though as soon as I came
within 10 miles or so of the place I noticed the coal burning power
plant emitting it’s toxic gases into the air and was instantly downed.
Little did I know this plant would end up being less than a mile or so
away from the canyons. Upon arriving at the parking lot of the tour area
I was instantly thrown back at how commercialized the whole thing was.
There were giant tour buses coming in from vegas with mostly Asian
tourists among many others. The tour area held a small shack where you’d
pay $35 dollars for a 4x4 ride with a small group and a Navajo escort
to the canyon. While parking the bike and securing my gear I felt the
dense atmosphere and already regretted being there. Watching the moon
set behind the high powered lines and coal plant sure didn’t help.
I set out to do what I had planned and went up to the shack, paid my fee and proceeded to wait with a the other tourists. As luck or faith or chance would have it the group I waited with were 6 and I ended up being odd number 7. Since the converted bed of the 4x4 tour truck only fit 6 I got to ride shotgun with my guide. Who again by chance or what have you ended up being non other than the granddaughter of the original Najavo elder who as a child stumbled upon and discovered the canyons. Not being much of a conversationalist I somehow ended up deep into one with my guide. She proceeded to tell me the whole story behind the canyons, her grandmothers discovery and so forth. She opened up and basically talked the entire ride there while I mostly just listened. In addition to hearing about the canyon and it’s history we somehow ended up talking about the power plant. She told me how the power company had persuaded her grandmother among other elders to sign a land contract to build the plant. Promises were made that jobs would be made available to the Navajo and that the electricity generated would be first routed to benefit the local area and people. Nothing but lies as is the norm with ALL industry and corporations of this planet. She went on to mention how local livestock, plant life and unfortunately the very people of the area were chronically ill and suffering from the emissions of the plant. The power generated was sent out to power places outside the Nation like Vegas. She mentioned how different cancers, lung and immunity diseases were common in the area, affecting everyone from the elderly to the young. The more I listened and learned the more disgusted I became and the more I wanted to leave however I knew I had to experience what was happening and stick through it.
Once we got to the staging area of the canyons I was overwhelmed by the amount of people and 4x4s in the place. There must have been at least a dozen trucks and over 50 people standing around, each group of tourists with their own Navajo guide. The guides somewhat coordinated leading the groups through the canyons so we were waiting for our turn. After my guide stepped off the truck and back into the “real world” all I saw were dollars signs in her eyes. After riding through the Nation and witnessing the shacks, drunks and poor conditions these people had to endure I really couldn’t blame her. She finally led our group through and the place was packed to the point where it was claustrophobic to be there. The groups were rushed through and there was maybe 6 feet of space between us. Sometimes groups piled up while people flashed photography of themselves against the beautifully smooth carved walls which must have taken nature millions of years to carve. I felt like I was alone in a sea of zombies and the only one taken back by what was happening to this magic place and these once proud and flourishing people. Though with camera in hand I was so disgusted and overwhelmed by the whole experience that I only managed to snap a few shots. It felt wrong to be there! This was a sacred beautiful place turned commercial merely because of the conditions the very native people of this land were forced to endure. Thoughts and feelings ran wild while witnessing the masses hypnotized by the beauty while ignoring the truth. I wanted nothing more but for this whole experience to end!
The whole ride back again riding shotgun I was shocked and stunned while listening yet to more and more about the Navajo and their miserable daily lives. I got back to the parking lot packed up and left the place in disbelief, anguish and with my stomach in knots. I couldn’t belief what I had just heard, learned and witnessed but I knew my gut had led me there for a reason. I spent the rest of the day in silence just wanting to find a hole to crawl into. I headed northwest towards the Vermillion cliffs where I would spend the night listening to the Colorado carving away at the land and contemplating the events of that day.
I set out to do what I had planned and went up to the shack, paid my fee and proceeded to wait with a the other tourists. As luck or faith or chance would have it the group I waited with were 6 and I ended up being odd number 7. Since the converted bed of the 4x4 tour truck only fit 6 I got to ride shotgun with my guide. Who again by chance or what have you ended up being non other than the granddaughter of the original Najavo elder who as a child stumbled upon and discovered the canyons. Not being much of a conversationalist I somehow ended up deep into one with my guide. She proceeded to tell me the whole story behind the canyons, her grandmothers discovery and so forth. She opened up and basically talked the entire ride there while I mostly just listened. In addition to hearing about the canyon and it’s history we somehow ended up talking about the power plant. She told me how the power company had persuaded her grandmother among other elders to sign a land contract to build the plant. Promises were made that jobs would be made available to the Navajo and that the electricity generated would be first routed to benefit the local area and people. Nothing but lies as is the norm with ALL industry and corporations of this planet. She went on to mention how local livestock, plant life and unfortunately the very people of the area were chronically ill and suffering from the emissions of the plant. The power generated was sent out to power places outside the Nation like Vegas. She mentioned how different cancers, lung and immunity diseases were common in the area, affecting everyone from the elderly to the young. The more I listened and learned the more disgusted I became and the more I wanted to leave however I knew I had to experience what was happening and stick through it.
“Those who seek the truth deserve the penalty of finding it”
Once we got to the staging area of the canyons I was overwhelmed by the amount of people and 4x4s in the place. There must have been at least a dozen trucks and over 50 people standing around, each group of tourists with their own Navajo guide. The guides somewhat coordinated leading the groups through the canyons so we were waiting for our turn. After my guide stepped off the truck and back into the “real world” all I saw were dollars signs in her eyes. After riding through the Nation and witnessing the shacks, drunks and poor conditions these people had to endure I really couldn’t blame her. She finally led our group through and the place was packed to the point where it was claustrophobic to be there. The groups were rushed through and there was maybe 6 feet of space between us. Sometimes groups piled up while people flashed photography of themselves against the beautifully smooth carved walls which must have taken nature millions of years to carve. I felt like I was alone in a sea of zombies and the only one taken back by what was happening to this magic place and these once proud and flourishing people. Though with camera in hand I was so disgusted and overwhelmed by the whole experience that I only managed to snap a few shots. It felt wrong to be there! This was a sacred beautiful place turned commercial merely because of the conditions the very native people of this land were forced to endure. Thoughts and feelings ran wild while witnessing the masses hypnotized by the beauty while ignoring the truth. I wanted nothing more but for this whole experience to end!
The whole ride back again riding shotgun I was shocked and stunned while listening yet to more and more about the Navajo and their miserable daily lives. I got back to the parking lot packed up and left the place in disbelief, anguish and with my stomach in knots. I couldn’t belief what I had just heard, learned and witnessed but I knew my gut had led me there for a reason. I spent the rest of the day in silence just wanting to find a hole to crawl into. I headed northwest towards the Vermillion cliffs where I would spend the night listening to the Colorado carving away at the land and contemplating the events of that day.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Arizona continued...
Meteor crater
The cost
Window rock Navajo Nation
Canyon de chelley
Arizona the story......
The cost
Window rock Navajo Nation
Canyon de chelley
Arizona the story......
So last I left off on page 4 I was in
Flagstaff and had finally split with the rider from Moab I had joined up
with. The relief and sense of freedom from being alone again was
reviving. I really can’t explain it but I’ve learned to accept that I’m
just better off alone. I decided to slab it to Window Rock, AZ where I
would meet up with 2 guys I had ran into in Arches/Moab. They were into
rock climbing and had offered me a place to crash for a few days if I
made it down that way. They also had told me about Canyon De chelly
which wasn’t far from Window Rock and the old native cliff dwellings
which really interested me. I rode East on I-40 straight towards the
Arizona/ New mexico border. The ride was boring and when I saw a sign
for Meteor crater I decided to take a detour and check it out.
I had seen pictures of the crater before and
had read about it and being into cosmology I was siked to see an
actual meteor impact crater. As my experience at Mammoth caves back in
Kentucky should have taught me anything that requires a ridiculous fee
or a tour should be skipped at all costs. This will be road rule # 4 in
my book. I rode up to the entrance and was surprised by how small the
crater actually was. From the pics it looked like a small town could
be built at the bottom but this was not the case at all. Second shock
was how much they were charging for a person to go look at a big hole
on the ground. $25 dollars if I remember correctly and I was very
hesitant to shed out over 75% of my daily budget on this hole. I
haggled with the attendant for a while trying to get a senior or junior
discount but she said my beard was too long and not white enough.
Turns out some clever guy had bought the hole back in the day and
decided to make his living out of charging people to look at it.
Reluctantly I decided to bite the bullet and pay the stupid fee since I
was already there. As soon as I walked in the regret washed over me.
The crater wasn’t too impressive, they had built the tourist
rails/stand to where you had to stay on and you only got one point of
view of the crater. No walking around or exploring and definitely no
going to the bottom. I took a few shots to make the best of it, used
the bathroom, filled up my camelback and was probably out of there in
under 20 min. Lesson learned or not.
Heading east back on 40 with a bad taste in
my mouth I saw another sign for the petrified forest, thinking back
now this might have been a better detour but i passed it and just
throttled on. Eventually I veered north towards window rock right
before the border. Stopped for gas at a small station and noticed I was
in Native territory and the atmosphere had quickly changed. I had seen
a dirt road on my map that would save me some time and asked the
attendant about it. She said it wasn’t bad and I’d have no problems on
it on my loaded bike. After gassing up I headed north on 191 and looked
for any signs of the dirt road. Saw a bunch of dirt roads with no
signs and spent some time exploring a few of them which all led to dead
ends. It was getting late so I decided to just slab it up 191 and take
it all the way to window rock.
Window rock caught me by surprise to say the
least. I had heard of the poor conditions natives lived in but was not
ready for the shock of how westernized the people had become. I had no
cel service and decided to pull into a Mcdonalds for some wifi to let
these guys know I was there. There were native teens dressed in skinny
jeans with gauged ears, tats and slick girls hair playing on their
iphones. Tons of natives munching on mcdeath food. Drunks stumbling
about in the parking lot asking for money and looking shady. Finally I
noticed I was the only “white” guy hanging aroundI wasn’t uncomfortable
at all. But the sights were getting to me and I was eager to get on my
way to somewhere fast.
Finally I hooked up with the two guys and we
shoot over to their house to drop off the bike and my crap. They both
worked for the Navajo nation, freaking lawyers but environmental
lawyers so not so bad. They lived inside a gated sort of community with
really nice prefabbed homes, a far luxury compared to the standards
the native people were living in outside. We hopped In the car and they
took me to see the window rock. It was a pretty cool looking place
with crazy rock formations but there were buildings all around it so it
wasn’t pristine by any sense. We did a bit of bouldering around and I
got to take some shots and learn a bit of history about the place.
After a bit of talk they decided to drive to canyon de chelley to go
check out the cliff dwellings and do a bit of climbing. We shot up
route 7 straight to the canyon and made it there just passed sun down. I
hadn’t packed my tripod but managed to get a respectable low light
shot of the canyon anyways. Hung out there for an hour or so talking
and learning more about the Navajo. The place had a pretty magic feel
to it at night and reminded me of being in the middle of the everglades
at night watching stars. We split a room in the nearby town and
grabbed a quick dinner and a few brews. In the morning we were to hit
the canyon around sunrise to do a bit of hiking and climbing.
Cannyon de chelley looked completely
different and had a very different vibe during the day. I hadn’t
imagined the scope of the place at night and even coming from Grand
canyon the previous week this place just had a magic of it’s own. I
don’t have many pics of the guys or that day and the reason is I really
don’t like taking pictures of people. Maybe it’s because I don’t like
pictures of myself being taken but I just feel awkward and rude taking
pics of people so I simply don’t. We spent the day hiking around doing a
bit bouldering and a couple of climbs. To say I was instantly hooked
to climbing and a natural would be an understatement. We headed back
to window rock later that night and I spent another night there
learning, sharing and eating. I had a great time with these guys and
they had gotten me hooked on a new vice climbing. They had also
introduced me for better or worse into the reality of what the American
system has done to the original people of this land. The next day I
packed my crap said my goodbyes and hit the road. The Antelope canyons
and my most horrible experience while in the Navajo nation were up
next...
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Arizona
After spending a quiet evening knocking back a few brews, catching up
with the lunar cycle and going to sleep in the hammock to the sound of
flowing water; i was pumped to ride through Monument valley where Hopper
and Fonda had laid the foundation years back. Those mounds of dirt
beaten by time weren't just sights to see but signified the freedom i
dreamed off! Waking bright an early and breaking camp as quickly as
possible we hit the road and soon enough the valley was within sight. My
first look was one of those moments i was still getting accustomed to
where emotions build and rise from the pit of the stomach and quickly
overwhelm the mind. Sadly the actual valley looked nothing like what it
must have looked like in it's hay day. Instead it was overrun with
tourist attractions and firework native side stands. We didn't bother to
ride into the valley road and just made our way through the place
snapping few shots and heading towards Kayenta and Tuba city to hook up
with the road leading to Grand canyon. Going through the Navajo
reservation was sad to say the least and i'll get back to that later on.
We made it to Grand canyon that same day shortly before sunset and getting my first glimpse at the canyon in late light with a light fog hovering over the walls was simply indescribable. We both snapped a round of shots and headed into the park being chased by the dark into the most expensive town i had been through. Tusayan! Settling in the cheapest motel in town we decided to stay for two days to fully explore the scenic beauty of the area. This place would prove to drain my wallet faster than i cared for but it was after all Grand Canyon! The next morning we woke before sunrise to catch the magic happen in the canyon. We choose to go our separate ways and thankfully for most of our time at the canyon it followed the same. After two amazing days at the canyon chasing sunrises and sunsets it was time to finally head south. Just like in Moab the other guy chose a dirt path out of Tusayan and into Flagstaff which was suppost to be fun.
The beginning of the ride was scenic and fun double track through pine forests. Not half way into it dodging sharp large sized boulders and fighting foot deep ruts was the norm. The other guy was nowhere to be seen and I might as well have been riding by myself. After a few dirt naps, a set of destroyed highway pegs and a sore knee I was looking forward to pavement and wondering wtf I was doing. When our route crossed 180, an easy paved two lane which headed straight into Flagstaff I took the easy way out. I caught some lip from the other guy and gave some back after all I had no commitments and this was my trip. I decided to follow my gut and avoid any more damage to my overloaded bike and hit the tar. He set on his way and continued down the boulder fest by himself.
It’s funny how sometimes things just work them selfs out. As soon as I hit the pavement I felt relieved to be riding at my own pace, taking in the scenery and actually enjoying my journey. Not long after hitting 180 I saw a sign for a hike to a small peak which looked interesting swung a u turn and followed the gut. The hike was peaceful and the area stunning. After hiking up some old lava formations and sitting down for a snack everything came together and my decision was made. Alone again it shall be!
After pulling into Flagstaff and grabbing a bite to eat I met up again with said rider and broke the news. I had arranged for us both to couch surf that night and the next morning we finally parted ways. To say the relief was huge would be an understatement. I headed east out of flagstaff towards window rock where I’d meet up with some guys I had met previously in Moab…
We made it to Grand canyon that same day shortly before sunset and getting my first glimpse at the canyon in late light with a light fog hovering over the walls was simply indescribable. We both snapped a round of shots and headed into the park being chased by the dark into the most expensive town i had been through. Tusayan! Settling in the cheapest motel in town we decided to stay for two days to fully explore the scenic beauty of the area. This place would prove to drain my wallet faster than i cared for but it was after all Grand Canyon! The next morning we woke before sunrise to catch the magic happen in the canyon. We choose to go our separate ways and thankfully for most of our time at the canyon it followed the same. After two amazing days at the canyon chasing sunrises and sunsets it was time to finally head south. Just like in Moab the other guy chose a dirt path out of Tusayan and into Flagstaff which was suppost to be fun.
The beginning of the ride was scenic and fun double track through pine forests. Not half way into it dodging sharp large sized boulders and fighting foot deep ruts was the norm. The other guy was nowhere to be seen and I might as well have been riding by myself. After a few dirt naps, a set of destroyed highway pegs and a sore knee I was looking forward to pavement and wondering wtf I was doing. When our route crossed 180, an easy paved two lane which headed straight into Flagstaff I took the easy way out. I caught some lip from the other guy and gave some back after all I had no commitments and this was my trip. I decided to follow my gut and avoid any more damage to my overloaded bike and hit the tar. He set on his way and continued down the boulder fest by himself.
It’s funny how sometimes things just work them selfs out. As soon as I hit the pavement I felt relieved to be riding at my own pace, taking in the scenery and actually enjoying my journey. Not long after hitting 180 I saw a sign for a hike to a small peak which looked interesting swung a u turn and followed the gut. The hike was peaceful and the area stunning. After hiking up some old lava formations and sitting down for a snack everything came together and my decision was made. Alone again it shall be!
After pulling into Flagstaff and grabbing a bite to eat I met up again with said rider and broke the news. I had arranged for us both to couch surf that night and the next morning we finally parted ways. To say the relief was huge would be an understatement. I headed east out of flagstaff towards window rock where I’d meet up with some guys I had met previously in Moab…
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