Sheep for Dinner The Slaughter During my first visit my dad's girlfriend's family had sheep for dinner. Only we didn't get it from a Safeway.

Dam! Modern Marvel Just a few hours away from Flagstaff, Arizona, stands one of mankind's greatest accomplishments, a true modern marvel.

Taking a Hike Experiencing Grand Canyon There are no photos, no postcards and no television programs that can do justice for this wonder of the world!

Introducing Jeannie Album I and Album II When my brother came out to visit, he brought with him a very special guest. Her name is Jeannie, and she's now his wife.

The Picture Show David Gaines: Illustrated They say a picture's worth a thousand words. Here's where you can find millions of words of hundreds of people who've had an impact of my life.

The Big Apple ...and I'm in New York Over 100 photos in 4 different slideshows from my adventures in The Big Apple.

I am David Gaines The warped thoughts, views and writings of David Gaines.

Skinsaphrenia! Talking crazy about the Washington Redskins, the National Football League and everything else football.

Därú Apparel Ok, maybe my designs aren't on par with Versace, but there's a little something for everyone.

What's my 411? As I've always promised, the information provided is subject to change at any given moment.

Sign the Guestbook I do support the first amendment so say whatcha like.

Facebook Everyone has one. If you don't, you should.

OAHS Blackhawks Social networking site for alumni of Osterholz American High School.

Once we reach the trading outpost called Red Lake, we turned off the paved highway onto a dirt road. Out here, if you don't have four-wheel drive, a truck/SUV or patience — go home. These dirt roads criss cross the area without street signs and they're not the smoothest routes to drive.

And as you look into the distance, you're not going to see a lot of abodes. Actually, unless you know what to look for, you might not see most of them, tucked away off the beaten [literally!] path. Several years ago my dad and I visited some friends he wanted to introduce me to. While there, the sun went down and unlike in the city where everything is illuminated at night, it gets virtually pitch black in the desert. My dad and I were walking back to his friend Jerry's pad, but with no sun, a new moon [just our luck] and no street signs, we instantly got lost in a place where everything looks the same in every direction, especially since we couldn't see past five feet in front of us!

And just before we started walking back through the desert, Bummi, a friend of my dad's, warned us of three things: black widows, rattle snakes and pack of wolves. Getting lost in the desert isn't cool. Evertually we found some help who drove us the mile or two we were off from finding Jerry's place. And of course when we got there, Jerry was confused of why we just didn't locate the North Star, from there determine where the dippers were and some other constellations and the Milky Way and just head directly back. Maybe we should've spent more time studying astronomy in school!

Now, I always joke about coming from a cowtown in North Carolina, but Fayetteville [bka Fayettenam] has more tanks and bulletproof vests than livestock. Never have I ever been standing around while a herd of horses just walks by as if we're in the way. And there was a flock of goats, some chickens in the coup, stray dogs, probably a sheep or two, a lot of hay for feeding the animals and a ton of acreage for roaming.

Evelyn's, my dad's lady friend, family is from Red Lake, this part of the Navajo Nation where, ironically, there is no lake. On this day we're doing Thanksgiving on The Res with more friends and family, most I've met during previous visits and some new faces. There's no goat or sheep slaughter like my two previous visits, but it's cool, my toothache was protesting me getting anything to eat anyway.

We spent several hours on The Res meeting and eating, then in various groups taking a walk through the rock formations behind the main living area. I've taken several dozen photos of my latest visit to the Navajo Nation, what everyone here calls The Res.

As I looked through the 100+ photos to chose the ones to share, none of them can really do justice to the feeling of being out on The Res. For instance, it's impossible to capture the sounds you hear. Specifically at night when no one is around, all you hear is absolute dead silence. Nothing at all. So silent you can actually hear yourself think. And the limits of my digital camera can't capture the night sky which has thousands more stars in it than the one in Washington, DC. The horizon goes on for what seems like forever, but a camera just can't capture the sight of land going on endlessly until it just tucks itself beneath the sky.

I didn't get to snap a picture of everyone during this visit. I'll see if I can identify everyone who I did. Many of the photos, though, have no one in them at all. They tell a story [well, to me they do] of what it's like living in this minute corner of The Res. This being my third visit out to The Res, I must say I've gained an extreme respect with the culture of the Navajo, how they're able to improvise and make do with what little it seems they have. Electricity and running water are luxuries out here. Cellular service isn't a guarantee [well my phone didn't get a signal!]; television and radio neither. Some natives have those luxuries I'm sure. There's even a solar panel at a nearby house. But here at the compound, what you're about to see is what you get.

This is something that I feel everyone should experience. There's a purity in the way of life on The Res. There's nothing fake out here. There's nothing to brag about nor be ashamed of. But there is this one thing I witness everytime I come out here that I don't always see living in the city. And that's a closeness [even when they're fighting], a oneness, a family bond even if you're just a friend, that is missing from big cities. The Navajo have been out here for thousands of years and have preserved the beauty of The Res ever since...