The Great Southwest Adventure
- Thread starter Tyler
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beemerdons
Certifiable Old Fart
Your Ride Report just keeps getting better and grander Miss Tyler, certainly well worth a patient wait and it is so very rewarding.
Don't mind Simon's impatience, he suffers from a case of Premature Adulation. Wait a minute, that's Premature Ejaculation!
Don't mind Simon's impatience, he suffers from a case of Premature Adulation. Wait a minute, that's Premature Ejaculation!
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Thanks, Papa... as for the premature stuff, check out some of the rock formations in Arches!! LOL
We awoke the next morning, again to overcast skies and cold temps but no rain. Passing Capitol Reef, Sue asked if we wanted to take the scenic route in and back out before continuing to Moab… well, of course!! As we took in the views along the way, the sun slowly fought its way through and things finally started to warm up a bit and the colors of the landscape really started to show…
Came across this section that seemed a bit dicey so Scott, ever the gentleman, went ahead and checked it out… just a bit messy but not too slimy so we made it through fine…
Heading out…
Onward ho… had to slab it for awhile… not real exciting but still pretty countryside…
We stopped for gas in a small town and asked for a recommendation for lunch and that is where we went since it was a place for everyone… great burgers and a hoppin’ little place!
Can you tell Sally was getting tired of feeling like the Michelin man all bundled up like that?
Another hop, skip, & a jump and we arrived in Arches. I had been there once before years ago but it is still an astounding collection of rock formations… Sally and I also noted that many of them resembled, um, a certain male appendage… we started renaming some of them but I don’t think the National Park system will go for the names… LOL
Park Avenue… so named because it resembles a cityscape…
On the left, EffU Rock, and in the middle… well, I’m sure you can guess what we called that one…
Be on the watch for hoola hoopers ahead… never saw any of them… I was disappointed…
Do you see the itsy bitsy Spyder down there? Really puts perspective the size of this formation…
See what I mean??
Balancing Rock… wonder what’s gonna push that sucker over the edge…
Moody clouds…
Devil’s Garden… I think I know a few folks who frequent that place…
Me and my shadow…
Heading for Moab…
Got set up in our hotel for the evening and sought out sustenance… given the day’s focus on interesting shaped rocks, this establishment seemed the perfect place…
Next up, Canyonlands and the journey to Mexican Hat…
chivvalry
Well-known member
Fantastic... I want to hop on my bike and start riding south west...
And just when you think this RR can't get any better. OMG what an epic ride Tyler!! 
I need to get down there in the very near future.
I need to get down there in the very near future.
Haven't even hit Monument Valley or the North Rim yet! B)And just when you think this RR can't get any better. OMG what an epic ride Tyler!!
I need to get down there in the very near future.
And yeah, you should... although the very near future may be a little too late in the season... we managed to dodge most of the rain and snow but I don't think you could dodge it much longer!
The morning dawned bright, beautiful, and blue-skyed... perfect day to continue the adventure. We decided to visit Canyonlands because, well, we were there and we could so we did… it was such a pleasure to visit all these places after summer… so much less traffic and crowds… the world was ours for the taking!
We pulled into the first vista point and heard a noise up in the sky… sounded like a small plane but it was a motor-propelled parachute glider thing (yes, that’s the technical term for it)… looked really pretty against the brilliant blue sky…
On into the park (man, that annual park pass was the best $80 I spent all year!) to witness more vista grandeur…
Scott tried to lay down on the job but didn’t get it quite right…
That’s better…
Fun bit of tarmac…
Rock markers leaving messages for travelers… this one said don’t fall off the cliff…
Not sure why but I had a certain Led Zeppelin song playing in my head when I looked up…
Back on the road we go, headed for Mexican Hat, a lovely little hotel nestled up the cliffs and a view of the river below, and lots of relaxing spots to ponder, perchance to wonder… we arrived and proceeded to find the first place we could sun ourselves, the warmth of that glowing orb feeling so good after so much cold…
Sunset…
We ate dinner at the onsite café… not a culinary highlight but there weren’t many other options. Trudged back to our rooms and readied ourselves for what would be my personal high point in the journey.
Next up… monumental Monument Valley!!
We pulled into the first vista point and heard a noise up in the sky… sounded like a small plane but it was a motor-propelled parachute glider thing (yes, that’s the technical term for it)… looked really pretty against the brilliant blue sky…
On into the park (man, that annual park pass was the best $80 I spent all year!) to witness more vista grandeur…
Scott tried to lay down on the job but didn’t get it quite right…
That’s better…
Fun bit of tarmac…
Rock markers leaving messages for travelers… this one said don’t fall off the cliff…
Not sure why but I had a certain Led Zeppelin song playing in my head when I looked up…
Back on the road we go, headed for Mexican Hat, a lovely little hotel nestled up the cliffs and a view of the river below, and lots of relaxing spots to ponder, perchance to wonder… we arrived and proceeded to find the first place we could sun ourselves, the warmth of that glowing orb feeling so good after so much cold…
Sunset…
We ate dinner at the onsite café… not a culinary highlight but there weren’t many other options. Trudged back to our rooms and readied ourselves for what would be my personal high point in the journey.
Next up… monumental Monument Valley!!
Haven't even hit Monument Valley or the North Rim yet! B)And just when you think this RR can't get any better. OMG what an epic ride Tyler!!
I need to get down there in the very near future.
And yeah, you should... although the very near future may be a little too late in the season... we managed to dodge most of the rain and snow but I don't think you could dodge it much longer!
You're right, the very near future is not going to be doable. I was thinking next summer. We'll see....
Now I'll wait patiently for Monument Valley and the North Rim.
Attemped post gobbled up by phone. So I apologize if this somehow gets double posted..
Love this one Tyler! You are constantly outdoing yourself! Great story telling and spectacular pictures! Indescribably spectacular actually!
I am kicking myself for not being able to ride with you, but it seems it was intended to be this way so the red brigade could retrace steps, reconnect and rebond on this epic adventure!
So glad you had such a wonderful time and this report probably isn't even half way done! This is stuff that legends are made of!
Love this one Tyler! You are constantly outdoing yourself! Great story telling and spectacular pictures! Indescribably spectacular actually!
I am kicking myself for not being able to ride with you, but it seems it was intended to be this way so the red brigade could retrace steps, reconnect and rebond on this epic adventure!
So glad you had such a wonderful time and this report probably isn't even half way done! This is stuff that legends are made of!
How about next summer, Sam? I'm planning on the gathering in Canada in June then swinging through Wyoming, hitting Ouray, CO (since we had to abandon that part on this trip) and parts thereabouts! :yahoo:
I was advised by Montana locals to save Western Montana (Glacier) and Yellowstone and Tetons for September next year. It will be cold(er) but we have cold weather gear - the beauty would be NO or very few tourists! Now that alone is worth the price of waiting isn't it?
FJRkid
Member
Is there away you can post a map route you took? cause someday I would like to take that route.
thx
Here is the Google map. Only change was not heading into Ouray, CO because of snow and instead moving south to Moab where we visited Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands... not a bad replacement, imo.
Yeah it would be but NAFO is end of June and there is an annual trip to my friend's 2nd home in Powell right after that. That was the trip I was on when I had my accident in 2009. So doing it and completing it is on my bucket list. Given that will be a 2-3 week trip alone (and I'm taking a week to ride to Mexico in March), I doubt I'll be able to do another long trip again in September... the whole work thing gets in the way of that much time off, y'know?
Again, a brilliant blue sky day waits for us… and we are off to Monument Valley. Mexican Hat is about 30 miles away so we toodled along with teaser glimpses of the valley until we came around the bend and there it was… that view that you see in photos but still just takes your breath away. I was filled with anticipation for a wonderful day.
This particular day was another personal highlight for many reasons. The landscapes here are rich with the Navajo heritage and there is an energy that is difficult to put into words. We arrived at the visitor’s center and set off to find a guided tour.
We lucked out and got a private tour with just the four of us and our guide, Karen, a native Navajo who grew up in this area. The cost of the tour was $70 for the main floor and an extra $10 to visit the restricted areas that you can reach only with a Navajo guide. We spent the extra $10 and it was worth every penny. The tour is supposed to be 2-1/2 hours long but since it was just us, Karen took her time with us, telling stories of growing up on the land, ceremonies that were held, and folklore of the different rock formations. It was fascinating and quite magical.
Three Sisters
John Wayne shot a movie here… do you remember which one?
Indian Chief (you can see the profile in the middle of the rock section)
Sleeping Dragon (couldn’t get the entire formation in the shot… it was long!)
Karen pointed out the different shapes that could be seen (or, in some cases, we couldn’t find at all!) in the rocks… do you see Elvis here??
How about Woodstock from the Peanuts cartoons?
The clouds had an energy all unto themselves as they graced the sky like an artist’s brush strokes…
Karen parked the truck and we all got out for a short jaunt (we couldn’t say “hike” because Sally is allergic to hiking) to see some hieroglyphics etched into one of the rock walls…
Me and Shannon… the early years! Lol
There was a small body of water that were home to some sort of weird prehistoric-looking creature… we first thought they were tadpoles but upon closer inspection, realized they were something very different… anyone have any ideas? Luckily, they weren’t the featured guests in some sort of horror movie where they infested our brains…
Wild horses were spotted grazing and getting a drink along the way…
Ear of the Wind… you can see a horseback tour coming up the sand hill… the guide reared his horse back and held his hat up rodeo style for a photo op… there are posers everywhere!
The next formation that we were taken to was Eye of the Eagle… it was massively tall and the concave shape on the face of it made our voices echo as we yee-hawed… the natural acoustics were fabulous!
There was another guide and his two guests who had arrived just before us… the young man, also a native Navajo, offered to sing a song for us and it was lovely…
We asked Karen if she would sing one for us too and she graciously agreed… she had us all come sit at the base of the rock, lean back, and let the sun shine down on us…
She told us the song she was going to sing was a special one to her… a prayer for healing… obviously, that one had exceptionally special meaning to me and tears welled up in my eyes (still do when I think about it) as her lovely lilting voice filled the air with that song of healing. I felt so grateful to be alive to experience that moment… it will forever be etched upon my heart and memory.
This particular day was another personal highlight for many reasons. The landscapes here are rich with the Navajo heritage and there is an energy that is difficult to put into words. We arrived at the visitor’s center and set off to find a guided tour.
We lucked out and got a private tour with just the four of us and our guide, Karen, a native Navajo who grew up in this area. The cost of the tour was $70 for the main floor and an extra $10 to visit the restricted areas that you can reach only with a Navajo guide. We spent the extra $10 and it was worth every penny. The tour is supposed to be 2-1/2 hours long but since it was just us, Karen took her time with us, telling stories of growing up on the land, ceremonies that were held, and folklore of the different rock formations. It was fascinating and quite magical.
Three Sisters
John Wayne shot a movie here… do you remember which one?
Indian Chief (you can see the profile in the middle of the rock section)
Sleeping Dragon (couldn’t get the entire formation in the shot… it was long!)
Karen pointed out the different shapes that could be seen (or, in some cases, we couldn’t find at all!) in the rocks… do you see Elvis here??
How about Woodstock from the Peanuts cartoons?
The clouds had an energy all unto themselves as they graced the sky like an artist’s brush strokes…
Karen parked the truck and we all got out for a short jaunt (we couldn’t say “hike” because Sally is allergic to hiking) to see some hieroglyphics etched into one of the rock walls…
Me and Shannon… the early years! Lol
There was a small body of water that were home to some sort of weird prehistoric-looking creature… we first thought they were tadpoles but upon closer inspection, realized they were something very different… anyone have any ideas? Luckily, they weren’t the featured guests in some sort of horror movie where they infested our brains…
Wild horses were spotted grazing and getting a drink along the way…
Ear of the Wind… you can see a horseback tour coming up the sand hill… the guide reared his horse back and held his hat up rodeo style for a photo op… there are posers everywhere!
The next formation that we were taken to was Eye of the Eagle… it was massively tall and the concave shape on the face of it made our voices echo as we yee-hawed… the natural acoustics were fabulous!
There was another guide and his two guests who had arrived just before us… the young man, also a native Navajo, offered to sing a song for us and it was lovely…
We asked Karen if she would sing one for us too and she graciously agreed… she had us all come sit at the base of the rock, lean back, and let the sun shine down on us…
She told us the song she was going to sing was a special one to her… a prayer for healing… obviously, that one had exceptionally special meaning to me and tears welled up in my eyes (still do when I think about it) as her lovely lilting voice filled the air with that song of healing. I felt so grateful to be alive to experience that moment… it will forever be etched upon my heart and memory.
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Totem Pole on the left…
A respite from the heat… the shade of this tree is where the children would go after the last day of school to play in the water… no drinking it as it was contaminated but they could roll around in it I guess!
This was Karen’s least favorite part of the road but she was in her favorite truck (said it never had broken down on her or gotten stuck) so she felt safe traversing it… it was a very BUMPY ride!
Fascinating trees dotted the seemingly barren earth…
At various points along the way, there were merchants selling their wares… jewelry, rugs, and dream catchers…
Late afternoon view of the valley heading back to Mexican Hat…
-----
We got back to the hotel to do some laundry and take a break. I had Moki Dugway on my radar to do in the late afternoon to get some sunset/dusk shots and experience this road that I had seen in pictures so many times… the road ascends at an amazing rate… 1100 feet in three short, dirt-gravel-packed, miles… I couldn’t believe how high up you got in such a short amount of time! Scott and Sally accompanied me although Sally decided this was not her cup of tea and turned back for the hotel…
This is the first hairpin where the road goes to dirt/gravel…
Made it to the top!
Jonathan Livingston Redtail Hawk (cousin of the Seagull)…
Scott making his way down…
Half way down… still a pretty spectacular view methinks…
Scott had already skeedaddled back to the hotel leaving me to my reverie of the approaching desert dusk… near full moon rising… not another soul around… I turned off the engine and just sat in the peaceful silence, drinking in the moment of the amazing world around me…
Arriving back at the San Juan Inn, we shared another beer or two, reminisced of the day’s adventures, and laughed… lord, I don’t remember laughing this much for that long in long time… absofrickinglutely stellar day!!
Next up… Grand Canyon North Rim….
A respite from the heat… the shade of this tree is where the children would go after the last day of school to play in the water… no drinking it as it was contaminated but they could roll around in it I guess!
This was Karen’s least favorite part of the road but she was in her favorite truck (said it never had broken down on her or gotten stuck) so she felt safe traversing it… it was a very BUMPY ride!
Fascinating trees dotted the seemingly barren earth…
At various points along the way, there were merchants selling their wares… jewelry, rugs, and dream catchers…
Late afternoon view of the valley heading back to Mexican Hat…
-----
We got back to the hotel to do some laundry and take a break. I had Moki Dugway on my radar to do in the late afternoon to get some sunset/dusk shots and experience this road that I had seen in pictures so many times… the road ascends at an amazing rate… 1100 feet in three short, dirt-gravel-packed, miles… I couldn’t believe how high up you got in such a short amount of time! Scott and Sally accompanied me although Sally decided this was not her cup of tea and turned back for the hotel…
This is the first hairpin where the road goes to dirt/gravel…
Made it to the top!
Jonathan Livingston Redtail Hawk (cousin of the Seagull)…
Scott making his way down…
Half way down… still a pretty spectacular view methinks…
Scott had already skeedaddled back to the hotel leaving me to my reverie of the approaching desert dusk… near full moon rising… not another soul around… I turned off the engine and just sat in the peaceful silence, drinking in the moment of the amazing world around me…
Arriving back at the San Juan Inn, we shared another beer or two, reminisced of the day’s adventures, and laughed… lord, I don’t remember laughing this much for that long in long time… absofrickinglutely stellar day!!
Next up… Grand Canyon North Rim….
chivvalry
Well-known member
Wow. Literally breath taking.
BikerGeek99
Yeah, it's a concrete corn cob. So?
Wow.
:good:
:good:
Surly
Well-known member
Hi Tyler, great no awesome. Words fail me, what scenery. Thanks for sharing.
Best regards
Surly
h34r:
Best regards
Surly
h34r:
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Awesome report. Thanks for sharing.
