Hey there!
Been a while since I wrote, another sure fire way to know I’ve been busybusybusy.
I stayed over in Flagstaff for the week, completing a bunch of work and huddling up inside. I left the East coast to escape snow, but it found me! In Arizona of all places!
Flagstaff is at an elevation of 6,909 feet above sea level, making it much more temperate than the rest of Arizona I had experienced thus far. Still, the sight was pleasant as I experienced it while bundled up inside.
I was able to allow myself some slowness to relax and really focus on my work, and to spend time connecting with loved ones. I facetimed with Dela, whom I’m excited to see when I return home.
I was also able to connect with a local friend, and spend some time on home activities I’ve missed on the road, like cooking and cleaning and getting some laundry done.
Oh Vegetables, how I have missed you
Also quite unfortunately, the second rock in less than two weeks hit my windshield on the highway, and I had to do a shoddy repair again.
After the completion of my workweek, I was able to get around and see some sights in the area, including Meteor Crater Natural Landmark, a site of an ancient meteorite impact.
Taking a break is so great because it revitalizes my interest in the outdoors and seeing new things!
Also nearby was another craterous monument, the Sunset Crater. This was a site of an old volcanic eruption and lava flow, blanketing the area in black rock and soot.
Unfortunately, hikes to the sunset crater were closed for ecological reasons, so there was no option to see it up close and personal. However, I was able to make the hike up to the neighboring Lenox crater.
This national monument was a two-for-one with the Wupatki National Monument also in the vicinity. Before me laid another ancient community on the way over, the Wukoki pueblo.
After traveling a few miles up the road, I came upon the Wupatki pueblo, an enormous and well-crafted living area and cultural center.
I wanted to stay longer and check out more of the local area, but was enmeshed in a time crunch as I had plans to travel about five and a half hours northward and was burning daylight. So unfortunately my stop was cursory, but also well-enjoyed.
Honestly, I have treasured this experience of travel and the ability to learn more about the natural culture and history of our country. I wish that I had learned more about this in school, rather than memorizing the name of this battle or that war general. There’s such a richness here that exists to be uncovered, if only we had more resources to access it.