An early start this morning to make our way back to Alburquerque in time for Beth and Chrissy to catch their flights home!  After a huge breakfast at the hotel, we hit the road back towards Arizona, but with a detour this time to Acoma.

Acoma is a Pueblo settlement that is the oldest continuously inhabited place in the United States.  The pueble peoples are descended from the Anasazi who once inhabited Canyon De Chelly.  After 20 years of drought, they migrated out in four directions with some ending up high on a hill to establish Acoma.  Acoma means "white hill" - an apt description!  The pueblo people continued their traditional existence there for centuries until the first missionary - a Franciscan monk - arrived, and introduced both schooling, Spanish and catholicism.  Today the people practice a mix of both their traditional religion and catholicism - the Franciscan philosophy and love of nature being a great fit to their traditional culture.

After a one hour tour we raced back to the vans and back to Albuquerque to the airport!  We were in a hurry not only to make sure Beth and Chrissy caught their plains, but as the Navajo Nation is alcohol free, we were keen to share a drink to celebrate our amazing journey and achievements.  Thanks to some flight delays we made it in plenty of time, and enjoyed a late lunch and margaritas before Beth left for her flight.  Chrissy's flight was so delayed she had to stay overnight and share a room with Kerrie, but will make it out tomorrow morning.  After emotional goodbyes we all made our separate ways to our hotels, but weknow that we will see each other again and will always be in touch by email and phone.

It has been a truly incredible week.  Thank you to Winnie, and Marian from Adventures in Good Company, our adventure guides, for another journey of a lifetime.  Most of all thank you to those amazing women who journeyed with us and struggled and won their way along every track, and all those supporters and donors back home who made this possible!

Wow!  Our trek is over and this will be our last night together.  Winnie's prayers have kept us all safe.  This morning we trekked to White House Ruins where I bought some jewellry made by Winnie's relatives.  Then it was onward and upward as we made our way up and out of the canyon.  Very challenging but what an awesome feeling to reach the top and look down at how far we'd come! 

Thanks Winnie and Marian and thanks to all my Arizona Amazon sisters!  This has been a once in a lifetime experience and I feel very fortunate to have been able to take part.

Cheryl

Tonight the Amazon sisters are spending their last night together in Chinle.  Thank you all so much for sharing your journey with me.  And for making this once in a lifetime experience something I'll never forget.  My sisters I wish you all safe travels back home and look forward to our next adventure together.  Marian our guide/cook has been amazing trekking along with us and then cooking up a storm in Winnie's Hogan.  Marian my stomach thanks you, you are amazing "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, (You Rock) Oi, Oi, Oi!"

To everyone at home - I made it!  I had some doubts along the way but there is something so amazing in that canyon that drives you to keep going.  The beauty, peace and tranquility takes your breath away.  I am so fortunate to have participated in this. 

Thank you all so much for your love and support.  I am truly blessed.

Maria

I fly home today.  Of course, I have mixed emotions.  On one hand, I can't wait to see Matt, my parents, the Salem Clawsons, and my precious kitty cat, Pilgrim.  I hope I get to see you soon too, Grandma.  I hope the weather in Greater Boston is (finally) nice - true, sunny, warm, spring.  I am anxious to see if my tulips are in full bloom - I hope I didn't miss them - and if the sugar snap peas have popped their little heads out of the soil.

On the other hand I have enjoyed a wonderful Expedition this past week, and have bonded closely with my fellow Amazon women, both of which will be difficult to bid "Adieu" for now.  Absolutely, we sisters will keep in touch, but it won't be the same.  I will hug tightly and never let go the little things like Cheryl's laugh, Maria's determination, Kerrie's energy and spotting ability, Beth's kindness and healing (she bandaged me up several times - thanks Doctor Beth!) aura, Meredith's fabulous stories, and Megan's honest talks with me.  You women rock!  I love you all!

I have to run - my veggie omelete just arrived.  Yum!  Yum!

Love,

Chrissy

Last night we had some visitors to our camp - Winnie's daughter Barbara and granddaughter Ellen had hiked down Sliding Rock trail (the same one we used) to the campsite to drop off Navajo jewellry that Winnie makes to sell to visitors.  We had all been keen to take home some of the beautiful Navajo jewellry on our trip, and having spent time with Winnie we didn't want to buy from anyone else.  After a short break, Barbara and Ellen turned around to hike back up again!  We were incredibly impressed by their fitness, even more so when they told us they'd walk back down again tomorrow to hike with us on our final day in the canyon!

Before we bought our jewellry from Winnie, she gave us a wonderful gift - juniper berry bracelets.  When Juniper berries fall from the trees, insects drag them into their holes underground to use as a winter food source.  All winter they eat the seeds from inside the berries, and then in the spring push the empty dried berries our of their nests.  The elder Navajo who tend the sheep know where to find them, and collect them to sell to the jewellry makers.  Winnie told us the beads would protect us in our future journeys and lives, and to wear them often so the oil from our skin would preserve the beads.

Then we sat around the campfire and talked for a while before the day's hike caught up with us and we headed off for our last night sleeping in the canyon.

The next morning dawned bright and early, and we began the sad task of breaking camp - packing up our gear and the tents.  Winnie invited us into her Hogan after breakfast and we held hands while she prayed in Navajo and English to thank the Creator for keeping us safe on our journey, and to watch over us in our future travels.  She threw cedar chips on her fire as a blessing and we all inhaled the smoke and blessed ourselves.

Before we left the Amazons shared a group hug and gave our intentions for that day's walk.  Although none of us had chosen the journey that had brought us to this beautiful place, the journey that we began that day was our choice.  Every step was a symbol of our power and taking control of our lives from this point forward.

Winnie drove our four wheel drive out of the canyon with all our gear, and Barbara and Ellen arrived again to lead us down to White House.  Along the way we passed many spots we had come to know and love so well - Wild Cherry Canyon, Sliding Rock where we had first hiked down, and Spring Canyon.  As we walked Barbara told us more of her family history.  When Winnie was growing up all of the children of the Navajo in the area were forcibly removed from their parents and sent away to Boarding school.  Winnie's brothers had both been taken, but her family had managed to hide her in the canyon.  Winnie's mother told her that if she ever saw strange cars around the Hogan she should hide and not come home.  She was eventually discovered when a jealous neighbour whose children had been taken told the authorities she was there.  They arrived to take Winnie away and she didn't even have time to find and say goodbye to her mother.  It was several months before her parents knew where she had been taken.

Along the way Barbara pointed out a cliff where the young Navajo men in her grandfather's time would have archery competitions.  They would shoot straight up and if your arrow went over the canyon rim you won.  Up to 15 years ago you could still see the arrows that missed stuck high in the canyon wall, but they are all gone now.

After two hours we arrived at the other end of the canyon at White House. This is one of the largest Anasazi Ruins in the Canyon, and the most accessible.  The trail to White House from the rim is not as challenging as those further up, and is the only one visitors can take without a Navajo guide.  Barbara told us that when Winnie's mother had gone into labour with her, it was the middle of winter, and her father and grandmother had led her mom down the canyon on a horse to try to reach the hospital in Chinle.  They made it to the bottom of the trail at White House, but when Winnie's mother got off the horse, Winnie popped right out!  She fell into three foot of snow and her father had to dig around to find her.  They went to a relative's nearby Hogan to warm up, then rode and walked all the way back to their Hogan as there was no point in going to the hospital at that stage!

Many of the Navajo have stalls at White House selling their jewellry and pottery.  The girls did a little more shopping (!), then we started the bitter sweet task of hiking out of the canyon.  It was the easiest trail we'd taken all week, but still a solid one hour climb.  Along the way we stopped often to look back at the magnificent canyon we'd lived in for a week.  As we reached the top of the trail we walked out singing our theme song. "I will survive".  We spent a little time at one of the lookouts on the cliff top, then climbed back into our minivan and drove back to Chinle for lunch and hot showers!

That night we went out to dinner at another hotel, and met again with Winnie, Barbara and Ellen.  It was a great time to share again our memories of our incredible week together.  We said goodbye to Winnie with hugs and some tears, then went back to our hotel for our last night's sleep in the Navajo nation.

Tomorrow we will head back to Alburquerque, stopping at historic Acoma on the way.

Last night Winnie's nephew David dropped by and sang several Navajo songs for us before dinner.  After a fantastic meal of African Ground Nut Stew, we sat around the campfire and talked and laughed and sang our won songs.  The Aussies did their best rendition of ABBA hits, and we all joined in our theme song of "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor.

Winnie sang several Navajo songs, and afterwards threw cedar chips on the fire for a blessing - we inhaled the smoke and wafted it over our heads and bodies.

The next morning we were woken from our sleep by the news that Daniel had returned to show us sand painting.  Sand painting is a sacred art.  Medicine men would create them in the Hogans of their patients as part of a healing ceremony.

Navajo believe that this current existence is the Fourth World.  The Third World was when the Holy People still lived among them.  When the Holy People left, they told the Navajo taht if they needed help to use the sand paintings to call them back.  Sand painting is a sacred art, so out of respect for the Navajo, we won't describe the ceremony or put any photos in this blog.

After the sand painting we headed out on today's trek - up the canyon to Window Rock.  After a short break we tackled the steep ascent, straight up the canyon wall to a huge natural arch in the stone - Window Rock.  Every one of our group made it to the top and the feeling of achievement was enormous!  We celebrated at the top with a group photo and by singing "I Will Survive"!

Then we spent some time just sitting in silence and taking in the incredible view.  We made it back down the cliff in great style then settled underneath a cottonwood tree for lunch.  Afterwards we trekked back home and headed for the river for a quick swim.  Then it was showers in the open in an old corral, and some time to each take in the magic of this special place.

Tomorrow we will begin our journey home and already it seems this trip is over too soon.  All along every hike we have had the chance to share our experiences, thoughts, fears and joys.

Last night we sat by the fire with a clear sky, stars and the moon and dark canyon walls rising above us.  Winnie sat with us and told us the story of Spider Woman.

In the old times, the world was full of monsters - in the rivers and in the air - like dinosaurs.  At that time twins were born who grew to be great monster slayers and helped the five fingered people.  The twins heard that there was a huge spider living in Spider Rock who knew how to weave.  They decided to go and see for themselves, and to see if she could help the people learn how to weave.

They couldn't reach the rock from the canyon edge.  An air person offered to fly them across as long as they followed his rules and their intentions were good.  He flew them over and they hid until they saw a huge spider crawl out at the base and all around the rock.  It crawled around the other side and disappeared.  After searching for some time they found a tiny hole and the air person told them that was where the spider had gone.  The air person offered to send them through the hole as long as their intentions were good.

They went inside and saw a beautiful woman weaving at a loom.  She offered to teach them how to weave to help the people, as long as whatever was made was put to good use. Her loom was made of lightning, rain, gravity and rainbows - all of the universe.  She told them how to weave and then sent them back through the hole out of the cave.  And that is the story that Winnie's mother, who was a weaver, told her about how the Navajo learnt to weave.

The next morning after a good night's sleep, Winnie brought out her loom and showed us how she weaves.  Just like the Spider Woman, the loom represents all the elements of the universe.  Winnie only makes rugs to order.  For some customers she shears the sheep, cards and spins the wool, dyes it, then weaves the rug.  Each design has a special meaning.

After the weaving demonstration we had lunch and rested in preparation for our afternoon hike.  Kerrie was using the outhouse (or the loo with a view as we have named it as the door doesn't close!) when she saw smoke nearby and some bushes on Winnie's property burst into flame.

She raised the alarm and we all dashed to the rescue with shovels and buckets.  Cheryl, Megan and Meredith shovelled dirt on the blaze while the others ran to the river to fetch water.  We put the blaze out quickly and were glad we'd delayed our start to the day!

After the excitement settled down, we started on our hike to Spring Canyon. It was another glorious day.  Photos will never convey the incredible beauty of this place. 

In Spring Canyon we hiked to a cave with fantastic pictographs (rock

paintings) and Anasazi ruins.  Kerrie climbed up the rock face for a closer look, followed by Marion, Winnie, Megan, Meredith and Beth.

We stopped for a while to take in the views before hiking back home.  Winnie took us down a side path to see some petroglyphs (rock carvings) that few guides knew about.  We saw people, Kokopelli, birds, mountains, deer and other symbols we couldn't decipher.

Then it was back home and another night by the fire.

Participant Comments:

Here I am sitting near Spider Rock after a 4 hour hike through the canyon. It is a perfect day today.  The sky is very blue with just a few fluffy clouds.  The scenery is spectacular and the weather is just right.  Not cold like yesterday when we started hiking where it had been snowing!  That was cold but exciting for a Queenslander.

I slept in our guide Winnie's original Hogan last night with dirt floor and walls and a fire burning.  We heard coyotes howling early this morning and have seen lots of squirrels today.

After our lunch break and rest stop here at Spider Rock we will hike back to our camp.  Winnie says we will be going back a shorter way which sounds really good because every muscle in my body is protesting after this morning's hike!

Cheryl

Well here I am sitting in front of Spider Rock.  It is simply amazing.  It looks like it touches the skyh it is that high.  It was a good 4 hour hike and Martin you were right my hiking boots are my best friend, no blisters at this stage of my trek. 

I am sitting here watching Megan, Meredith, Beth, Kerrie, Chrissy and Marian climbing up to Spider Rock, while Cheryl and I stayed behind with Winnie to keep her company - NOT!  Our feet said NO WAY! and it is another 8/9 kms back to camp.  We will be lucky to make it, but I'm sure I will, I've got your bracelet on Helen and its giving me the strength to keep going.

Last night was cold so I thought I'd share the Hogan with Cheryl and Kerrie.  It was like a sweat box, but towards the night I found it hard to breathe, so I moved back into my tent and fell into a deep sleep.  For a qhile it got colder, and the urges to go to the toilet became less urgent. Why is it every time you are settled and comfortable its time to get up?

Maria