Antelope Canyon

The sunrise bouncing off of Shiprock is a beautiful sight to see. It stands tall over northwestern New Mexico, and can be seen from over 50 miles away. One legend says that Shiprock, or Tse’ bit’ai’ (rock with wings) is a Monster Bird that once terrorized the Dine’ (Navajo People) and was slain by Monster Slayer, who then turned it to stone. It is a gorgeous monument of the southwest. I once again found myself traveling west, this time, away from home. My time with family in my hometown was relaxing and much needed. I spent three days feasting on green chile, playing high-altitude tennis (literally every ball I hit was two feet out), hiking with my mutt, Kai, analyzing life with my father, and just generally lying around. The one productive activity I stumbled upon was attending a meeting with the mayor of our city to advocate for tennis in the community. Tennis players have faced some hardships and resistance from the city lately, and this meeting was hopefully the beginning of change. Hopefully.

Amanda, Cathy, Corkie and I left the Land of Enchantment before the sun rose in order to get to Antelope Canyon in time for our noon tour. Amanda rode with me and we gossiped about work and boys and marveled at the landscape as we journeyed across the Navajo reservation, ‘the rez’. When we arrived at Antelope Canyon, it didn’t look like much. It was mostly flat land with hills and mountains off in the distance. The Biligaanas (white people) in my group paid their fees to the Navajo girl in the booth who looked at me skeptically when I said I, too am Navajo, exempting me from the entrance fee. We followed our guide on a short walk to the entrance of the slot canyon where we climbed down a very steep metal staircase into a narrow crevice. I was immediately thankful for good eyesight and steady balance. When I set foot on the sandy canyon floor my heart melted. The canyon walls have been carved out by sand and water over the years, leaving smooth, beautiful curves. Rays of sun radiate from above, hitting the arcs and curvatures of the stone at angles that give the walls character, bringing the canyon to life. We looked up as we walked, bumping into rocks and tripping all through the tour. Tourists took hundreds of pictures and their ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ echoed off of the cold, hard walls. The beauty of this canyon is humbling. I felt frustrated that I couldn’t soak it in as much as I wanted to. I wanted to seep into the canyon, becoming part of it, never to leave. I wanted to read, cook, dance, get married, sleep, cry, make love, laugh, and live in the canyon. The light hit the rock walls at a different angle with every stride as we proceeded through, each step seemingly more extraordinary than the last. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. 

Upon emerging, we sat on the trunks of our cars and made sandwiches in the parking lot. We discussed the flawless magnificence of the canyon. After weighing our options of what to do next, we decided to check out Lake Powell.

Amanda and I sprawled out on the rocks overlooking the massive lake. We had been awake way too long and were absolutely exhausted. After a short nap, I led my crew through a yoga session on the cliffs before heading to our hotel. Tonight I have been invited to be a part of a Kinaalda, a Navajo puberty ceremony beginning at midnight. Rest is the only factor I forgot to plan for Tour de Polkahontas. It’s naptime.