On the Road: Navajo Nation

Allright, so I wasn’t able to find a wireless hotspot to post from the road yesterday. I did more driving yesterday than anyone should ever have to do. A five and a half-hour shot across Northern New Mexico to the Navajo Reservation in the Northeastern corner of Arizona. My destination was the little town of Kayenta, home to a husband and wife team of filmmakers who produced an award-winning documentary about meth use on the reservation.

I strongly recommend checking out their website, where you can see the film, and find out about their forthcoming feature: Milepost 398, a semi-autobiographical tale of life on the rez.

I spent about five hours in Kayenta, interviewing the film makers, watching the new flick, and fending off a few “locals” that were attempting to break into my car. I collected more amazing stories about life there in just a few hours than I can even begin to recount here.

At about ten o’clock, it was time to make the five and a half hour drive back through the dark, over one of the most remote stretches of mountain road in the West. I can’t even tell you the amount of elk that almost became intimate with my bumper. I slowed down and added an hour or so to the total trip time. Wish I had more to report, but it was a bit of a whirlwind trip and I need a nap…