Sunshine and Silliness...

Part of my rotation experience this month has been the informal assignment of getting to know the local people, culture, and area. What a fun assignment! I've traveled to quite a few of the national parks nearby the past two weekends.

I started with Petrified Forest, south of Keams Canyon, which consists of a 35 mile drive through a small painted desert dotted with petrified logs. The Painted desert is amazing: hills of purple, red, tan and white stone and clay in horizontal layers. The clay itself is marked by lines where the water has flowed down for years. They look like foothills of a larger mountain. The best part is that for the most part they are only 60-80 feet tall!

The petrified wood is spectacular. The Crystal Forest walk is dotted with large and small examples of the stone that has been uncovered from the dirt over the years. The colors are primarily red (iron) and yellow, but also purple (manganese), white (quartz) and black. The quartz glints in the sunshine.






I also visited the Navajo National Monument (site of the Batatakin ruins and Keet Seel ruins). We were able to walk to an overlook near the Batatakin ruins, and another trail halfway down into the canyon. There is a 5 mile round-trip hike down into the canyon to actually enter the ruins, but only two groups a day (and not the day we visited). The Keet Seel hike is 8 miles one way, so that's something else for the future.





The same day we visited Monument Valley, which is a large valley filled with tall mesas and buttes. All of them have names, given likely by europeans (the Navajo names aren't revealed to bahanas like us) like "Camel," "Elephant," right and left "Mittens," "Sleeping Dragon" and others. There are natural arches like the "Eye" and "Ear of the Wind." We took the long tour and our guide Roy showed us a few places other tours don't routinely visit. (Look left, it's Michigan! I think Traverse City is in the dark shadow at the left)


Then yesterday afternoon my mom and I drove to the Grand Canyon (if I'm in Arizona I have to see it!) The sun highlighted the western-facing walls and the almost-endless number of layers of stone. The haze (pollution) blowing from California made the shaded eastern-facing hills look misty and the contours difficult to discern. We stayed until sunset to get pictures (along with about 300 other photographers and visitors at the same point!)

Today, Sedona and Jerome...

Labels: all about the national parks, baby

After a long and daring trip to Arizona (two days of driving) I reached my destination, the Hopi reservation. Little did I understand how far from wireless and running water I was going. The compound where I live and the Health Center of course have electricity and running water, but you can't assume that when you send a patient home with a nebulizer that there's a socket to plug it into in their home.

So starting at the beginning: I heard about rotations on the Hopi and Navajo reservation, and I'd been looking for an adventure... Not that I had realized the NEED for adventure until I was already driving. I passed through IN, IL, MS, KS, OK, TX, NM, and then AZ (the last four of which are new states for me). The drive gave me time to prepare for the next step in the journey.

I am working at an Indian Health Service Hospital, the Hopi Health Center. Many doctors, PA, and NPs are from elsewhere-- some doing military service or getting loan repayment (might be a good option for me someday). The clinic provides outpatient, ER, Urgent Care, PT, social and behavioral treatment; someone told me last night that it's set up like a Hopi village-- public space in the center, with twisting halls and clinics tucked back in one behind the other. It's a nice space, overall. The electronic health record is a nightmare for a resident, who needs to precept and have all the orders co-signed. But mostly I use paper charting.

I live in a bright, white trailer on the IHS housing site in Keams Canyon, 12 miles from the Health Center, with two other rotators. It's pretty fun. No internet, unless you sit in your car two streets away borrowing someone's wireless. No tv. But I have dvds (and no working player on my computer)

The Hopi live on a reservation in the middle of the Navajo reservation; archeologically they actually lived here earlier than the Navajo, but it seems the latter were more vocal to the US Government and received more land (the story depends on who you ask). The Hopi live primarily near three large mesas; traditionally they lived below until the Navajo and Ute and Spanish raided them too much; they moved up on top in the 1600s and many still live up top in the "old" villages, most without running water or electric lines. Villages have grown below, and most there have running water and electricity. Many speak the Hopi language, especially the elders. I've had to use translators for Hopi and Navajo elders at the clinic. The spiritual traditions are VERY important to the people here.

Last weekend I hiked Canyon de Chelles, Sunset Crater, Wupatki, and one of the SanFrancisco peaks near Flagstaff. Few trees are in leaves, but on the mountain very little is budding yet. It'll be gorgeous with the aspen stands. I visited my brother and his girlfriend, and we had a great time. I'm looking forward to seeing them again when my mom visits soon.

The closest city with wireless and reasonable gas and groceries is Winslow. (Gas is $3.40 at the Flying J here, and $3.65 plus on the Res) Flagstaff is 2.5 hours away. But I drive out on weekends anyway because there are too many places to explore to stay home. And next weekend there is a katchina dance in one of the Hopi villages! It's very special to see one of these!

Enough for now. I hope you all are well!