Dear Maia, Isaac, and Virtual Wanderers,

Today’s journey is a long-cut home. Long-cuts can help us get more enjoyment out of life at times. Today was no different.

I really didn’t plan the route in advance. I thought of it during the windstorm. I thought we would cut through New Mexico going home. Then, I just decided to go to Window Rock and up the Indian Route 7 that a Navajo man had told me about several years ago. I had taken the route one other time.

The road winds up from Window Rock to Fort Defiance and almost to New Mexico, then back west through Canyon de Chelly’s North Rim. I stopped and got photos along the route. There are a few turnouts on the north rim – I took them all. I had a good time doing the video because it is really the only way to capture the expansiveness of the Canyon.

Here I am on 1/20/23, finally editing the video. I was too exhausted when we got to Cortez. After the Canyon, the trip home is sort of drab until you get to the Ute Casino area. It was late, the hotel was under construction. I would not change it, though. the section of the drive from Window Rock to Chinle is just too good to miss.

The trip was almost over at this point. I feel like I am back reliving it editing the video and writing about the trip this many months later.