Monday July 27, 2009
Location: Gallup, New Mexico

I left Flagstaff finally and headed east to Meteor Crater where I did some filming and thought about how fragile life really is on this ball of rock hurtling around the sun. The imagery was less spectacular than I had expected but I captured a lightning storm moving along the horizon behind the crater.

From Meteor Crater I continued east towards Zuni. I'm doing a large loop east through Zuni, up through Canyon de Chelly then west through Hopi to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. From there I'll likely head west past Hoover Dam, through the Mojave Desert and finally to LA for the 5th. Once in LA I'll drop the dog off at day care then fly up to Alberta for Sun Dance for ten days. Then back to LA for some filming and finally into Mexico in the fall.

I've been pretty isolated out here the past few days, with the exception of a nice Zuni gentleman named Destry who upon meeting him on a dirt road, invited me over to his place for a shower and lunch with him and his wife. When he's not at his day job Destry takes people out horse back riding into the Zuni Reservation providing a solid history of the landscape.

In Zuni I also took the time to make an offering, in the way I was taught by the Blackfoot, to an elder medicine man. It's always intimidating to come into a reservation in search of someone ot make an offering to. In Zuni it wasn't so bad as when I asked about it, no one really looked at me sideways, but instead gave me directions with a smile. After following directions that were made up of go to this corner by the tree, turn across from the water tanks, then drive a ways... I finally found his home. His family was sitting outside giggling at this strange white bird walking up to them, I introduced myself, told of my wish, and they called on the old man. He came out to greet me and there with his grandaughter translating, I made him an offering for all the people of the Zuni, Navajo and Hopi Reservations. He smiled and said something, which I can only assume was wonderful, while motioning his hands to my chest. I explained a little about the offering I had prepared and my connection to the Blackfoot and was off back into the desert heat heading towards Gallup.

I arrived in Gallup yesterday and it was dead quiet, I assume because most are off to chuch...

I spent the night at Walmart for lack of a better place to camp and took the dog for a hike on the ranchlands behind the big box store. It's amazing to sit in nature and look out over big box stores and McDonalds and see everyone coming and going bound to the world of concrete. I found myself finding peace out there on those ranchlands, since I know my place is in nature and true beauty isn't to be found in the Walmart down below, but in the lightning storm moving across the horizon. Although I'm grateful for the bathroom and a place to sleep.

peace,
d