Back on the Hopi

[Riverkilt]

Had an early up this morning for a drive down to Moenkopi, AZ, on the Hopi reservation, for a Methamphetamine Prevention Conference. Pretty routine information but lots of networking and we took the clients for a change of pace and they liked it. State Police meth guys, County Sheriff was there, County Attorney, a Flagstaff Drug Court counselor I've known and worked with for 11 years, and a Navajo Comedian Master of Ceremonies who made a lot of hay out of my name and that I was kilted - but in good fun. That's what I get for sitting in the front row.

The JROTC unit from Tuba City High School up the road presented the colors turned out in Forest MARPAT. Lots of colors - the American flag, the Arizona flag, the Hopi flag, the Navajo flag, the U.S. Marine Corps flag, and their high school JROTC flag. The National Anthem was sung a capella (no small feat) by Miss Gray Hills Academy High School turned out in her traditional Navajo dress. May not sound like much but it was pretty cool.

Went kilted for comfort for the long drive down and back and the long sit for the 8 hour conference. Took a couple pics at Antelope Pass on the way down. Cold and windy. That's the Echo Cliffs on the left with the snow and the Shinumo Alter on my right - that mesa looking thing. Its near Marble Canyon which you can't see that becomes the Grand Canyon downriver a few miles. Far right is the Kaibab Plateau (aka Buckskin Mountain). The road to the North Rim runs down the top of that forested oasis in the canyonlands.



And a pleat shot where they weren't flying around in the updraft.



That's my treasured Arizona tartan kilt 16 ounce wool special weave by D.C. Dalgliesh and hand sewn by Kathy Lare. That's a Scottevest in lieu of a sporran since I was gonna be sitting all day. And them thick warm cable knit hose that USA Kilts sells....and Z Coils...

All in all it was a long tiring day but also a nice break from the routine in the middle of the week. And - no wrinkles in that 16 ounce tank after two hours on the road and 8 hours of sitting in a chair. Gotta love them tanks!