39.6/06 Two Monuments—One Man-made, One God-made.

FOUR CORNERS MONUMENT 

AZ, UT, CO, NM

{For some reason as I write this blog, the scene in Walt Disney’s production Fantasia that amazed me in 1940 (the original Fantasia) where hippopotami wearing tutus are en pointe flashed before my mind. I think the music was from Swan Lake.}


In 1912, when the New Mexico territory was split into Arizona and New Mexico in preparation for statehood, somebody had the unusual idea to not follow the rivers or watersheds, but to exactly match the Utah–Colorado border and voilà! we have a very unusual mapmaker’s feature.













Now it happens the four corners intersection falls on the Navajo Nation land and since the “crazy white man” is so intent of boasting, “I was there,” why not make a few bucks? So a monument was built with flags and a convenient platform from which to take a picture of your friend and vice-versa. And of course this area is hot, dry, and far from any fast food places, we can add some food and drink stands. And what would a stop where Native Americans live be without lots and lots of hand-made Indian jewelry for sale. So we paid our six bucks (three each), I stood in the appropriate place (I didn’t try to put one limb in each state—I might not be able to get up.), and Jean preserved the moment from the convenient platform.















Fried Bread

SHIPROCK MONUMENT, NM

Shiprock is famed in legends of the Navajo as Sa-bit-tai-c (the rock with wings—there are two volcanic ridges emanating from the rock like wings). Also legends tell of it being carried from the North by a great bird. The monument is sacred to the Navajo, and climbing or any sort of commercialization is forbidden.
This hugh volcanic neck was formed in Pliocene time, over 3,000,000 years ago. It rises 1,700 feet above the surrounding plain. Reports of being able to see it up to eighty mile away add to its fame. It is sometimes compared to Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Australia except for the color.


I see a ghost ship sailing on forever, never to find its port

Shiprock at Sunset

The first time we went by Shiprock, we were only barely able to make it out in the strong dust storm blowing from the West with gusts up to 50 mile per hour. We camped in Farmington at Mom & Pop RV Park (with WiFi—when it was working). The next day we retraced our route back to town of Shiprock, NM, then down to the south side of the mountain, where we planned to set up by eight p.m. We found several good spots, grabbing photos as we went, chose one spot about 5 miles away, and were ready to go for the sunset at about 8:20.
My favorite of the shoot, the second picture shown here, is the one I call the ghost ship, which was taken about a half hour before sunset from one of the preliminary viewpoints.
After the sun had gone, Jean suggested we go back to the east side and look for color in the sky, because of all the dust in the air, were able to get this beautiful closing shot.