The Four Corners is the eleventh installment of Finding My Way Home. To view the previous installment, click here. If you wish to start from the beginning, click here. This is the ongoing story of the six years I spent as a vagabond photographer.

After the huge disappointment that was Sedona, Monument Valley is literally a breath of fresh air. There are no fast food joints, no real estate sales offices, no faux Native American shopping centers, and no stop lights! Monument Valley is a very remote, yet popular destination. Many people mistakenly believe that it is a national park, however it is actually a Navajo Tribal Park, operated and managed by the Navajo Nation. The Navajo People are constantly navigating the fine line between exploiting a popular tourist attraction and preserving a sacred natural ecosystem. They do a fine job of balancing these things, in my opinion. Visiting Monument Valley is a breathtaking and unique experience. Since it is so popular, I am only able to secure three nights at the RV park in the valley. Interestingly, the RV park is in Utah, while the tribal park is in Arizona. Yet it’s only a four mile trip between the two.

Since I don’t have much time here, and since it is so beautiful, I am up every day before sunrise to visit the park and shoot it at dawn. Mile Thirteen, the spot where Forrest decided to stop running in the movie Forrest Gump, is also on my list. The weather is somewhat turbulent, which creates dramatic clouds. There is even a tornado reported north of the valley on the first day. We experience some desert monsoon type storms, which are short, but very intense rainstorms that leave temporary streams and waterfalls for a short time after the rain stops. Having made the most of my short time here, I’m excited to continue my exploration of the Four Corners region.

The reason it’s called the Four Corners is because four states intersect here at ninety degree angles. The square corners of Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico fit together like a preschool-level puzzle. I have fond memories of coming to the actual demarcation plaza as a child and placing my feet and hands so that I was in four states at the same time. It was a very cool thing to do as a little kid. There has lately been some controversy over whether the monument is actually in the right spot, but does it really matter? Anyway, since I’ve already been there and done that, I decide to skip that particular exercise this time around. The entire region of southeastern Utah, northeastern Arizona, southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico is known as the Four Corners region and it is filled with wonderful geology, ancient archaeology, and complex culture. All of which are way more interesting to me than a metal disc in concrete marking the borders of four states.

As I set out for Bluff, Utah, Chris heads back to California. Once again, I am navigating new territory alone. I am excited to see in real life so many things I have only read about. I plan to visit the House on Fire ancient cliff dwelling, The Mexican Hat, and the Goosenecks of the San Juan River. One thing I’m starting to notice, however, is that I usually discover something even more amazing than all the places I already know about. When I check in to my RV park in Bluff, I ask the proprietor what sights she thinks I should see. She tells me about a place called Valley of the Gods and gives me directions, along with a warning not to go if it is raining or has rained in the past day. This is because the twenty mile dirt road through the valley can turn to deep mud with only a small amount of rain.

The first three days I’m in Bluff, it rains at least once per day. I don’t want to get stranded out in the middle of the desert, so I spend my time visiting the other places on my list. The House on Fire is a popular attraction. I’m pleasantly surprised to have the trail and the structure to myself on the morning I visit. The Goosenecks is a popular state park and campground, but not too crowded when I go there. The Mexican Hat is a lone rock formation out in the desert with a few hiking trails around it and the general area. All these places are as beautiful as I expected or more so.

The RV park has a pond on the premises, so I get the bonus of a little wildlife photography, too. For the first time, I see freshly hatched American Coot chicks. What a surprise they are! With their brightly colored face feathers and their little bald heads, I can’t decide whether they’re cute or just weird.

I’m starting to worry that I will either be unable to visit the Valley of the Gods, or I will have to take a chance on the muddy road. Then, finally, a full day without rain. I make a plan to go first thing in the morning. At about 4:30a.m. I am awakened by thunder rumbling. Crap! As I lay there listening to the distant storm, I’m thinking that it’s in the other direction. After checking the local weather on my phone app, I determine that if any rain fell, it was not on the Valley of the Gods. My plan is still on!

After being blown away by the beauty of Monument Valley, I didn’t think anything could impress me more. I was wrong. The Valley of the Gods is every bit as impressive as Monument Valley, but without the crowds. I keep wondering while I’m there why it isn’t preserved as a National Park or Monument. Then again, I’m secretly happy so few people visit. The stark beauty of the towering bluffs is only enhanced by the relative emptiness of the place. There are a few primitive campsites occupied here and there, but other than that, it’s nothing but breathtaking scenery.

To the extent I’ve been planning ahead, I’ve contacted my friend Colleen. We were close friends in high school, but have lost touch for at least twenty-five years. She’s living in Durango, Colorado, which is near my next reservation in Cortez. We make a plan to meet.

When I arrive in Cortez, I find out the RV park doesn’t accept credit cards. This is a first for me. I’ve been paying all my expenses with a credit card, and then paying the balance at the end of the month. It’s a handy way to keep track of my spending, and helps me stay on budget. I pay all my bills (insurance, cell phone, etc.) electronically, therefore, I have no need to carry checks. This causes a mad scramble to find an ATM or someplace I can get enough cash for my stay. I end up getting cash back at the grocery store. I have to go back through the checkout twice because of a limit on the amount per transaction. After I get back, I post a little rant on a Facebook RV group about the inconvenience, and to warn others who may want to stay at this place. The post garners over a hundred comments, some lecturing me on the evils of credit and how I should learn to live within my means! I can’t help but laugh at all the silly responses.

I’m still in the wonderful four corners region, with spectacular scenery and ancient history. Mesa Verde National Park is a must visit while I’m here. Plus, being surrounded by majestic mountain peaks reminds me of my childhood. I spent several years of my young life in the mountains of Colorado. I’m starting to feel like that curious little girl again.

Colleen and I decide to meet for breakfast in Durango. I am feeling a little nervous about seeing her after such a long time. A lot of water can flow under the bridge in twenty-five years. I can tell she is a little anxious, too. A breakfast date seems like an easy way to meet and then go our separate ways if things are awkward or uncomfortable. When I see her, it’s like traveling back in time. She looks exactly the same as she did a quarter century ago. We have so much to catch up on. We meet for breakfast and end up walking and talking till three in the afternoon!

While we’re together, I mention that I’m thinking of going back to our home town in Wyoming later in the summer. Together, we hatch a plan to surprise another friend of ours, Kristy. We’re just like mischievous teenagers again. Except now, I have to watch what I say on social media so I don’t give it away.