Last year on our trek across the country, we took a detour to go see Shiprock. This plan came about one day on our trip while Chad was studying the map. He said something like, “One possibility if we go through New Mexico would be to stop and see Shiprock.” I’m sure my eyes lit up and that I couldn’t even respond with a sentence, just an “OoooOOOOO!!”

I had seen images of Shiprock while doing keywording work years ago. The idea of a huge rock in the middle of the flat desert was enticing, even worth adding extra time to an already long day of driving.

We weren’t able to get very close to it because it’s on tribal land and is considered sacred to the Navajo. They don’t want silly tourists bumbling around this amazing spot with their cameras. Can you blame them? So we kept a respectful distance and looked on in awe.