One should never miss sunrise here. The images will last a lifetime.

Video of the first month in USA

Just to imagine staying in a place like we were fortunate to be last night makes one shake his head in disbelief. Each team had our own house in a complex that overlooked the most spectacular area of the Monument Valley with a view of the setting and rising sun. The soft colors of the sun in all its beauty and brightness embracing the ancient stones with the sweetest light and color makes one silent and peaceful.

The silence and grandeur of this region holds one spellbound.

We are very grateful to Julie Viramontes who made it possible for us to stay at this magical place called Gouldings Lodge in Monument Valley.

With ears aglow, this high desert denizen takes in the early morning sun.

The next morning we had to drive through Kayenta to start where we finished the last day. Leaving Kayenta felt like leaving behind a lot of friends. But it is not a real leaving behind, since we are carrying their prayers and wishes with us and especially because we will come back soon.

Everywhere you look is a masterpiece of Mother Nature.

Carrying the Torch further on our journey it brought us right into another wonderful community waiting for us with a lot of hopes and dreams inside their hearts.

The Moenkopi Hopi Reservation was our next destination. Vice-Chairman of the Moenkopi Reservaton, Tod Honyaoma, and his wife Rayma, Linelle his secretary, Linda and a group of young people welcomed us with an open heart and open arms.

Meeting with the youth of the Hopi Reservation meant a lot to us also as about 8 young people were there to share our thoughts and sentiments on harmony and mutual cooperation among all people.

The joys of spreading harmony are contagious.

They seemed to grasp the message of our run quite easily as they themselves are working on different projects to create more harmony and cooperation between the reservations.

To give hope to people and try to make them feel that everyone can accomplish something better in the world is one of the main reasons for their work. Keep up this great work and aspiration!!

Todd Honyaoma of the Hopi Tribal Council, recites prayers over corn that he later spread on the ground. The team soulfully walks on the path of the blessed corn to receive the protection of the Great Spirit on their Journey.

Tod then offered a blessing to us to be safe for the rest of our journey. He had a little bag with cornmeal in it symbolizing the fruit of the earth. After saying a prayer and taking some corn meal out of the bag he opened his hand and sprinkled it in the wind while making a line on the ground for us to follow and walk one after the other as a symbol of the journey or the path we will go along.

Eric strides along powered by that pure desert air.

One can not find words to describe the happiness and fulfillment one gets while meeting our new Moenkopi friends who have in their hearts and lives the wish for a more harmonious world.

The Days Inn Rte 66 in Flagstaff was our next destination after the running for the day was done just short of Flagstaff, Arizona. Nancy Hudson was so kind to offer four very nice rooms for us for the night. It is always a joy and a pleasure to have various people along the way offer us our comfortable accommodations for the night.

Gregor, our local coordinator, rejoices in the freedom of the torch on the plains.

Anja and Team Harmony

---

Harmonemail:
You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.

< USA 27 May

USA 30 May >