Shiprock stands in an open plain and can be seen for many miles in all directions, but to get a real impression of it I felt the need to get closer. I turned off Highway 666 onto Navajo 13 and got my wish. After easing down a dirt road for a couple miles I was close enough for some photographs.

I got out of the car and started to set up as a thunderstorm approached. The wind gusts knocked down my tripod before I had a chance to weight it down, the first time that had ever happened to me. Fortunately I hadn't yet taken any cameras out of the car due to the wind-blown dust. This photo is of one of the thunderstorm's wind blasts kicking up dust.

The thunderstorm was typical of those I was to witness in the coming days--much wind, little lightning and almost no rain. Just enough rain--a few splotchy drops--to make some dust stick to the car, but not enough to rinse it off.