Holidays

Status: parked decision — keep ticket open while Nicolas thinks it over.

Alternative to the self-drive scenic loop on Wed 9/23. Reason it's on the table: the Enterprise rental agreement on the F150 (see #50) prohibits unpaved roads — driving the 17-mi Valley Drive ourselves voids the damage waiver and leaves us personally liable for anything that happens on the dirt.

Current plan still has us self-driving the loop in the truck; this ticket exists so the alternative isn't forgotten and can be booked quickly if Nicolas decides to switch.

If we go this route — what to book:

• A Navajo-guided tour of the Valley Drive (and ideally backcountry areas like Mystery Valley / Ear of the Wind that the self-drive loop doesn't access)
• Wed Sep 23, morning slot — needs to fit between the Antelope Canyon tour earlier that day and the drive to Cameron Trading Post in the afternoon
• Operators are based at the View Hotel / visitor center; ~2–3h tours typical, ~$70–90/pp range

Trade-off to weigh:

• Pros: contract-clean, Navajo guide adds cultural depth, access to restricted areas, removes the one real risk on the trip
• Cons: less freedom on pacing, costs ~$140–180 for 2 of us, less of the "big US truck on a dirt road" experience that's part of why we got the F150

If we don't book this: plan stays self-drive in the F150, accepting the (undocumented-in-practice but real-on-paper) contract violation risk.