3rd June
I wake early. Actually, I wake about every hour, as a succession of freight trains say good morning to Holbrook in the time honoured way – by sounding their horns… The room actually shakes, when one goes past during the night, enough to shake the ice bucket of the table – I’m reminded of the Blues Brothers’ apartment…
A beautiful cloudless morning, I’m on the road at 0720. I’m going to head north east towards Monument Valley. I’ve already ridden the main roads in that direction and they’re not inspiring, so I’ve decided to try a couple of dirt roads. I fill up with fuel at Keams Canyon and then enter the rabbit warren of dirt roads that criss-cross the Navajo Reservation. The quality of the roads vary, from almost concrete like baked hard mud…
to sudden washes of soft sand, which, unfortunately, is of very similar appearance – I almost come a cropper on a couple of occasions, until I ‘get my eye in’. It’s pretty warm and the engine, always being kept in a low gear and often revved quite hard, is getting warm. I’m able to hear it rattling despite earplugs!
Luckily, I come across some asphalt and I’m able to get some cooling air across the oil cooler…
Eventually, after negotiating my way around the outside of the Black Mesa Mine (the mesa is apparently black with coal), I reach the top of the bluff and see the 160 laid out on the valley floor…
…the pipeline like feature is a covered conveyer belt, carrying coal from Black Mesa to the large Silo on the railway line in the centre of the picture.
I’m soon travelling north east along the 160 and, after filling up at Kayenta, head up the road for Monument Valley. Last time I was here, the 17 mile track which loops around the valley was waterlogged - I don’t anticipate this being a problem today – it’s already over 100º F…
I pay my $5 entrance fee, then step up to the viewing platform…
…the view is stunning. I go to the restaurant and have a light lunch (including some ‘Navajo Fry Bread’ – a local delicacy – imagine naan bread which has then been pan fried
), before stocking up on bottled water, getting kitted up and starting the trail.
At first the track is OK, gravely, but firm. These two buttes are called ‘The Mittens’ – nobody I asked knew why
. I stop often to take pictures and get into the habit of drinking whenever I stop – did I mention that it was hot? Soon I come across deep sandy sections, though, and life gets less comfortable. The views of the Mesas take mind off it though – there’s something really peaceful and ethereal about this place…
Although there’s a fair amount of traffic about, there are still long enough gaps to get a little silence now and again…
If you think these pictures are familiar, you’re probably a John Wayne / John Ford western movie fan. ‘Stagecoach’ and ‘The Searchers’ were both filmed here (as were parts of Back to the Future Pt III). This is John Ford Point – where queues of tourists were waiting for their turn to be photographed on the back of some poor horse with this view in the background. Personally, I don’t thin it needs any additional help to make its statement…
All too soon, it seems, despite the heat, I’m heading back towards the visitor centre.
It dawns on me that I’ve not really planned today beyond visiting Monument Valley – so I turn right out of the Reservation and head north into Utah, a state of which I have many fond memories. I soon pass through the small town of Mexican Hat, named for this rock formation…
I feel hot, but not tired, so I keep pressing in a northerly direction. I stop, for a much needed drink and cool down (it’s now 107º F) at the Twin Rocks Café…
There’s a clue as to why it’s called this looming over the building…
The owners’ children put their handprints and names in the wet concrete of the steps when the café was built – a nice gesture, I thought…
Feeling suitably refreshed (it’s now about 1430), I get kitted back up and notice that the café isn’t the first enterprise to be started here – I hope they have better luck than the owners of the Cow Canyon Trading Post…
…anybody want to hazard a guess as to the make & age of the car?
I carry on riding through the canyons of Utah – beautiful enough to keep my mind off the fact that it’s over 100º F – I’ve ridden some of these roads before. I see a signpost to Hanksville – 152 miles. It’s a long way, but I know it’s a great road and the Whispering Sands Motel has great rooms and a good restaurant next door. I ride fast through the spectacular canyons – I seem to have the roads to myself…
I still love the landscape and this bridge – I’m approaching Lake Powell now…
When I get to Hite Overlook, I’m certain the lake is much lower than last time I was here. Bridge fans will recognise the one I just rode across.
I look back at the bike – suffering in the heat – it’s even thrown off the sheepskin seat cover – time to rest.
I arrive at the Whispering Sands, to be greeted by the owner ‘Nice to have you back Mike – do you want your usual room?’. 380 miles today, in pretty warm conditions and about 50 or so of it off road – good riding, but I’m in need of a shower (which was great) and something to eat (Dutch Oven BBQ Chicken
). Good day.
I wake early. Actually, I wake about every hour, as a succession of freight trains say good morning to Holbrook in the time honoured way – by sounding their horns… The room actually shakes, when one goes past during the night, enough to shake the ice bucket of the table – I’m reminded of the Blues Brothers’ apartment…
A beautiful cloudless morning, I’m on the road at 0720. I’m going to head north east towards Monument Valley. I’ve already ridden the main roads in that direction and they’re not inspiring, so I’ve decided to try a couple of dirt roads. I fill up with fuel at Keams Canyon and then enter the rabbit warren of dirt roads that criss-cross the Navajo Reservation. The quality of the roads vary, from almost concrete like baked hard mud…
to sudden washes of soft sand, which, unfortunately, is of very similar appearance – I almost come a cropper on a couple of occasions, until I ‘get my eye in’. It’s pretty warm and the engine, always being kept in a low gear and often revved quite hard, is getting warm. I’m able to hear it rattling despite earplugs!
Luckily, I come across some asphalt and I’m able to get some cooling air across the oil cooler…
Eventually, after negotiating my way around the outside of the Black Mesa Mine (the mesa is apparently black with coal), I reach the top of the bluff and see the 160 laid out on the valley floor…
…the pipeline like feature is a covered conveyer belt, carrying coal from Black Mesa to the large Silo on the railway line in the centre of the picture.
I’m soon travelling north east along the 160 and, after filling up at Kayenta, head up the road for Monument Valley. Last time I was here, the 17 mile track which loops around the valley was waterlogged - I don’t anticipate this being a problem today – it’s already over 100º F…
I pay my $5 entrance fee, then step up to the viewing platform…
…the view is stunning. I go to the restaurant and have a light lunch (including some ‘Navajo Fry Bread’ – a local delicacy – imagine naan bread which has then been pan fried
), before stocking up on bottled water, getting kitted up and starting the trail.
At first the track is OK, gravely, but firm. These two buttes are called ‘The Mittens’ – nobody I asked knew why
. I stop often to take pictures and get into the habit of drinking whenever I stop – did I mention that it was hot? Soon I come across deep sandy sections, though, and life gets less comfortable. The views of the Mesas take mind off it though – there’s something really peaceful and ethereal about this place…
Although there’s a fair amount of traffic about, there are still long enough gaps to get a little silence now and again…
If you think these pictures are familiar, you’re probably a John Wayne / John Ford western movie fan. ‘Stagecoach’ and ‘The Searchers’ were both filmed here (as were parts of Back to the Future Pt III). This is John Ford Point – where queues of tourists were waiting for their turn to be photographed on the back of some poor horse with this view in the background. Personally, I don’t thin it needs any additional help to make its statement…
All too soon, it seems, despite the heat, I’m heading back towards the visitor centre.
It dawns on me that I’ve not really planned today beyond visiting Monument Valley – so I turn right out of the Reservation and head north into Utah, a state of which I have many fond memories. I soon pass through the small town of Mexican Hat, named for this rock formation…
I feel hot, but not tired, so I keep pressing in a northerly direction. I stop, for a much needed drink and cool down (it’s now 107º F) at the Twin Rocks Café…
There’s a clue as to why it’s called this looming over the building…
The owners’ children put their handprints and names in the wet concrete of the steps when the café was built – a nice gesture, I thought…
Feeling suitably refreshed (it’s now about 1430), I get kitted back up and notice that the café isn’t the first enterprise to be started here – I hope they have better luck than the owners of the Cow Canyon Trading Post…
…anybody want to hazard a guess as to the make & age of the car?
I carry on riding through the canyons of Utah – beautiful enough to keep my mind off the fact that it’s over 100º F – I’ve ridden some of these roads before. I see a signpost to Hanksville – 152 miles. It’s a long way, but I know it’s a great road and the Whispering Sands Motel has great rooms and a good restaurant next door. I ride fast through the spectacular canyons – I seem to have the roads to myself…
I still love the landscape and this bridge – I’m approaching Lake Powell now…
When I get to Hite Overlook, I’m certain the lake is much lower than last time I was here. Bridge fans will recognise the one I just rode across.
I look back at the bike – suffering in the heat – it’s even thrown off the sheepskin seat cover
– time to rest.
I arrive at the Whispering Sands, to be greeted by the owner ‘Nice to have you back Mike – do you want your usual room?’. 380 miles today, in pretty warm conditions and about 50 or so of it off road – good riding, but I’m in need of a shower (which was great) and something to eat (Dutch Oven BBQ Chicken
). Good day.
