~ In Pursuit of Wildness: Canyon de Chelly National Monument ~

After retiring from the National Park Service following a 36-year career—one that took me to many of our nation’s crown jewels, including Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, Mount Rainier, Joshua Tree, Pinnacles, Bighorn Canyon, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks—I set out in search of a new kind of adventure: one found on two wheels.

Traveling light, camping along the way, and taking the backroads whenever possible, I chased wildness across Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and California.

This is one of those journeys: In Pursuit of Wildness: Canyon de Chelly National Monument.

"The heart of the Navajo Nation"

"The rain is hard and relentless. The gas station ahead, a few miles from Window Rock, AZ, offers shelter. In seconds, the parking area is flooded, but my motorcycle is safe and dry.

“Do not go out further just yet,” the old Navajo man says. “The roads will be full of mud, and it will be very dangerous.” I nod in agreement, wet from the quick downpour..."

One of my first solo trips brought me to Canyon de Chelly National Monument.

White House is an easy 2 1/2 mile walk from the parking lot.