Navajo Service project - Spending the weekend in an amazing place with amazing people

We had the incredible experience last weekend of going to Monument Valley and the Navajo Nation with a group of trail and Ultra runners to do some service and running in places that most will never get to go. We feel so blessed and lucky to have been a part of this adventure.

Photo by Matt Van Horn

We left on Friday afternoon for the drive to Monument Valley. Because it was 5 girls and Brad, we stopped a lot for bathroom breaks and the drive took much longer than it should have.
We got to Monument valley at about 7:30PM but the directions were not very detailed so we did not find the right place for an hour. The first dirt road we went down took us to a Hogan filled with Navajo's hanging out. This was not the right place. One more failed attempt later we drove to the View Hotel to ask. Saw another dirt road and decided to try that direction. Finally we found the right Hogan and Camp.

Photo by Aaron Williams

It is amazing how many people you can fit in one of the Hogan's. There were 5 families with 18 kids(I think) sleeping in our Hogan. There was also a Hogan with just adults in it. By the time we got everything situated and rearranged on Friday night we just went to sleep.

Saturday morning there was an early morning run planned, which I was so excited about. To be able to camp in Monument valley and run there is so rare and it is just stunningly beautiful.
As I walked out of the Hogan, I was completely struck with the beauty of this place. We were camping in between the East and West Mittens.
As we assembled in the cold morning air, I looked around at this group of strong trail runners, so grateful for the opportunity to run with them but also intimidated. As I have said I am not fast at all. We all jumped in cars to drive on the "dirt roads" to where we were starting our run.
As we started this run we were in the sand, in the shadow of the three sisters formation. There are not words to describe the beauty of this place. It is simply awe-inspiring.

The group at the start of the run

Some of the group at the top of the Mesa

We ran for a couple of miles through the sand and washes to the base of Mitchell Mesa and the climbing began. It was so much fun to run and hike with new people to get to know them as we climbed higher and higher. It is crazy to me that there used to be a Uranium mine up on top of this 400+' mesa.

Photo by Aaron Williams

Photo by Aaron Williams

Photo by Aaron Williams

Photo by Mark Kreuzer

The views were as stunning as they come once we reached the top. We goofed around and took tons of fun photos. One of the things I love about trail running is the people. You can go on a run, barely knowing anyone and feel like good friends when you are done. This time I was truly running with some trail running legends.
I loved running down the mountain chatting with Breanna as we ran back to the jeep, excited to see Brad. His Achilles is still not doing so hot. He turned around after a couple of miles.
After this amazing run, we went back to our camp/Hogan for Breakfast prepared by our new Navajo friends. Fry bread, spam, eggs and blue corn meal mush. YUMMY! The kids had all helped prepare our meal.
Our day was packed with service projects for several different families. There were about 30 adults and 20 kids there to work. It is amazing what you can do when you have determined hardworking people.
Over the two days we were there we did repair work on a sweat lodge, cleaned out and tore down an old house that was condemned. We installed cabinets, tile countertops and backsplash, repaired a sheep corral, fixed a furnace and truck. Installed solar panels, compost toilets, built a trail, installed a propane fridge, hung sheetrock and painted.

It was so fun to learn more about these proud people, to hear their stories and have our kids learn a bit more about a completely different way of life. Something they could not experience any other way.

On Sunday morning, Brad and I went back to Linda's house(which is currently a tuff shed) to finish the sheetrock, tile and painting in her new concession stand we were talking with Linda about her home and life. She told us about her first marriage to a man that she had never met. It was an arranged marriage where his family gave 2 cows and goats to her family for her. She also talked to us about how she has to go to Gouldings about 10 miles away almost every other day to get her little propane tanks filled because she can't afford to buy a big tank that would only need to be filled once a year. These propane tanks were her only method for hot water, cooking and heat. It made me think how often we run to the grocery store for something simple. We turn our heaters on and don't think twice about it. We spend more in a month than a propane tank would cost to install.

Sleeping in the Hogan was an experience.....Dirt floors, wood circular walls with a coal burning stove in the middle. We were all just side by side all the way around. I had Brad on one side and one of Matt's kids on the other. I don't know that our pillow cases and blankets will ever get the red dirt out of them. It was truly wonderful to shower and sleep in my own bed on Sunday night, BUT I LOVED the experience of sleeping there.

I loved the food that was prepared for us, I love that our kids got to help make the fry bread.
These beautiful people made us feel as if we were a part of their clan and not visitors.

This was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am SO GRATEFUL that our family got to be a part of it. It will take me a long time to stop thinking about what a cool experience this was. I hope that I am always able to remember the lessons I learned. I hope that my kids will reflect on this for the rest of their lives.
When you think of the people that live there and you see the conditions that they live in, no running water, no electricity, no toilets, no "real" houses to speak of, no internet. Your first thought is how do they live this way?!?

After spending a couple of days with them in their beautiful land, I think that they may have the better life. It has certainly made me think about all of the things we think are important and a necessity and the things that REALLY are important. I am filled with gratitude for all that I have.

Photo by Aaron Williams

Photo by Aaron Williams