Day 15

Tuesday 15th May 2007<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

Well eventually we stayed up late last evening so that we could speak to Ellen, our youngest granddaughter who was 6 on 15th May.  This caused great amusement with her as she was just getting up on Tuesday and her birthday, and for us it was still Monday and we had not yet gone to bed.  After a chat we said goodnight, only to have Skype call us about 15 minutes latter so that Ellen could tell us what presents she had for her birthday.  Unfortunately the birthday card we had sent her 5 or 6 days ago had not yet arrived.

 

So we eventually got to bed around 12.30 in the morning.  As there was no breakfast at this Super 8 we decided not to set the alarm and consequently slept in till around 10.00 am.  Having done the usual morning ablutions, packing of cases and checking out we went back to the restaurant we had visited the evening before for breakfast.  We arrived about two minutes to 11.00, and by the time they came for our order we were refused breakfast as it was after 11.00 and lunchtime.  This left us both having to decide what we fancied because all we really wanted was eggs.  So, reluctantly fortified with a toasted cheese sandwich for me (which came with fries) and a chicken sandwich for Bob, we decided on our next course of action.  Any idea of visiting the dinosaur museum was abandoned, as time was marching on, so I popped to the Family Dollar shop to get soap powder for this evening’s clothes washing, whilst Bob settled the diner bill (ticket) and went to retrieve the car from the Super 8 car park.  Then to the petrol station where Bob was shocked to pay $3.50 per gallon for fuel (this was 50 cents more that we had paid anywhere else), and I stocked up on a picnic lunch, knowing that once his nibs was behind the steering wheel he might not stop again for many (many) hours J.

 

We headed out onto the US 191 in search of Monument Valley, leaving it just after Bluff, where we took US163 in a south westerly direction.  After another half hour’s drive or so, we passed a mountain range called Mexican Hat: the range of mountains had a sort of zig zag colour formation, a bit like the pattern on a poncho, and in front was an outcrop of rocks which looked like a man under a big Mexican Hat.  Spectacular.

 

Soon we saw a smallish sign which was not particularly clear and only announced the visitors centre, immediately before the Arizona State Line.  I quickly realised that the Monuments were now behind us, and Bob reluctantly made a U-turn back out of Arizona (not something he is good at – not U-turns, but going back on himself).  We then followed the signs to the Monument Valley Visitors Centre where, on paying our $10, we were told to take the first left for the 70 mile round trip of the Valley.  Being the hardy people we are, we first went to the Visitors Centre whence we could see the Valley and the track down.  After purchasing a Stetson for Bob and a Rangers hat for me (the baseball caps purchased in New York having done little to keep the sun from our ears and necks), we took the car down into the Valley.  The road surface was not what you would call smooth, and was probably better suited to 4 wheeled drives, but none the less we had a fantastic journey through the Valley amongst such treasures as the Three Sisters, Elephant Butte and John Ford’s Point.  At every turnout, we had a spectacular picturesque view over the valley, and there were also Navajo Indians selling jewellery.  At the one where I purchased various items the ladies were actually making it as they were selling it.  At another a man was also making jewellery and was keen to impart the history of the area.  If you are prepared to take the time to listen people are more than happy to talk with you for ages we have discovered, from the inn keepers to visitors centre staff and like yesterday the Navajo Indians at their market stalls.

 

One of the things that amused us were the people who had booked the tour buses, sort of jeeps with maybe 16 seats on the back.  It would appear that the people on these tours were issued with white face masks and only the Japanese tourists were wearing them.  Reminded us of the SARS scare when we flew into Toronto and it was only the Japanese wearing masks then.

 

We are not sure that the journey was the 70 miles that they advertised, but we were gone for around 2.5 hours, so it could well have been.  The car now looks like it has half the desert on it, so we may consider taking it to a car wash if we can find one that does it for you, rather than the do it yourself kind.  Once back at the Visitors centre we had a cup of tea and coffee on the terrace overlooking the mesas.  We saw several Martins swooping around, and were overawed by the peace and contentment we felt at the stillness of the place.

 

Once back in the car we headed for Tuba City where we thought we might stop for the night.  Looking at the clock and the breathtaking scenery we then decided to carry on further.   Tuba City itself did not appear to have much to recommend it and appeared short on eating places and motels.

 

Along the way we were amazed by the changing scenery, from flat desert to rugged mountains, from redstone to brownstone to greystone, greenstone and limestone, and all colours in between. At one point we could have been back in Badlands.  Whatever the rocks or soils, there was a good sprinkling of sagebrush and juniper trees, often some tough-looking clumps of grass as well.

 

We again found the inevitable roadworks (we find at least one lot per day) and had to wait ages for the pilot vehicle to escort us through.

 

One of the things that has amazed us is the miles of railroad cut through the mountains and the engineering feat that must have been, because presumably you cannot have the contours in the railroad that you have in the roads.  We have seen little evidence that trains actually use them, but what trains we have seen have been freight trains about a mile long and often double deckered.  Mind you there must be a railway station near this motel we are staying at, because we have heard the train blasting their horns as they rolled past.

 

At the junction with US 89, we had to decide between North to Page and South to Flagstaff.  We eventually decided to head for Flagstaff, where there are 3 Super 8 Hotels, but (you have guessed it) the one we have booked into (because it has laundry facilities) was not the easiest to find, even with Connie’s instructions (yet again getting her right and left mixed up).  To cap it all the laundry facilities were out of order.  Still, we found an Outback Restaurant within easy walking distance and, joy of joys, we could actually get a drink with our meal (the first for 3 days).  So having decided on the priorities – which martinis to order and what bottle of wine to have with our meal, we opted for the Blooming Onion again and I had an excellent Swordfish steak, whilst Bob had Jumbo Shrimp, which unfortunately he did not enjoy as they were deep fried in batter and came with nothing other than French Fries.  He sorely regretted not having the Swordfish Steak, especially after I have him a taste.  The Ice Cream dessert topped with Cinnamon and Apple Sauce and Cinnamon Croutons was delicious and one between the two of us was more than enough.  All finally washed down with an Irish coffee, made to our instructions as the restaurant staff had not heard of them.