Archive for the 'Further Afield' Category
5:27 a.m. 48 degrees. Dark and chilly.
We left early today for two reasons - we have a long drive ahead of us and Tom wants to get to Monument Valley when the sun gets up.
It was dark and cold when we left but I’m wearing shorts because it is going to get hot later. At first it is too dark to write. Also must add that the notebook is still damp from yesterday.
We took the short cut up to 160 and it was certainly much quicker. I reckon we saved nearly 100 miles. There was quite a bit of traffic around but surprisingly a lot of vehicles were school buses. I guess the kids have to set out early because everything is so far away. At one point we drove through water on the road. Obviously from the deluge yesterday.
At 6:30 we stopped at Kayenta for breakfast before turning down 163, which is the road through Monument Valley. It was all Tom hoped it would be and the scenery was pretty amazing. Hundreds of mesas rising out of the ground with lots of space between them. In silhouette they were stunning. You have to be careful of the wild horses roaming free though and there were quite a few dogs around as well.
We go through a small town called Mexican Hat, so called after a rock formation just to the north of the town. We are back in Utah and out of Navajo land.
The next part of the journey between Mexican Hat up to Moab was uneventful. I may have dozed off a little while Tom kept driving.
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October 03 2007 | Further Afield | No Comments »
8.45 a.m. 63 degrees. Cold and windy.
We were lucky to get out of the canyon in one piece. All in all, it was quite a day. It started normally enough though. As we were not driving anywhere today, we took our time having breakfast. We reported to the Gift Shop at Tunderbird Lodge just before 9. As the weather looked a little unpredictable we were in long pants and sweatshirts and had our raincoats with us. There was a bit of confusion as to whre we should wait. We were on the all day trip but there was not only a private tour going out but also a half day tour.
At 9.10 all those on the day long tour were collected and taken to our 4×4 truck. There were 16 of us on the trip and George was our Navajo guide. The truck was large and uncovered. The seats were padded but it was all a bit basic.
There is a road round the south rim and the north rim but the only cars allowed onto the canyon floor are tour jeeps or private SUVs as long as they have a Navajo guide with them. The valley floor with just sand with no proper roads at all.
Just inside the canyon George stopped the truck, climbed out of the cab and told us of the history of Canyon de Chelly. The first inhabitants of the canyon were probably the Anasazi Indians from 300 - 1300 and the first structures in the cliffs were probably built by them. Nobody knows why the Anasazi Indians left the canyon, it might have been due to illness or prolonged drought. The Hopi Indians were the next residents, though they only lived here in the summer. Some Hopi still come every year to plant crops. The Navajo Indians moved into the canyon about 1700 and they live here all year round.
He went on to say that there are three main canyons but many smaller ones. They were carved out by streams from the Chuska mountains to the east and by wind and rain. The streams are tiny now and just run off from the mountains. Within the canyon thee are two main dangers - flash floods and quick sands. Apparently quick sands do not stay in one place but move around so you never know when you are going to run into one. George said there were many vehicles buried in the sand.
We stopped at some ruins to take photos. They were some way up the sheer rock face. When the National Park took over the canyon, the Navajo wanted the ruins to be protected so all trails, foot and toe holds to all ruins in the park were erased and fenced off.
Our next stop was the junction where two of the canyons joined. George told us that he heard on the radio that it was raining up at Spider Rock. As it was at the highest elevation and the furthest distance away he decided to go there first instead of the Mummy Caves. We felt a few spots of rain so George handed out rain ponchos. I took one but Tom didn’t. We passed the White House Ruins. This is the only place where you can walk into the canyon. There are signs and fences around stopping people venturing into the canyon proper without a guide. We drove straight past. It began to rain heavily and I was pleased of the poncho.
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October 01 2007 | Further Afield | 2 Comments »
Kanab, UT to Chinle, AZ
7.30 a.m. 63 degrees. Warm.
We went down at 6.30 for breakfast and the place was packed out. The bus group had taken over the place. We were relegated to sit in the back room.
We checked out, fueled up, cleaned the windscreen (the cashier came over the loudspeaker saying we had missed a bug) and we were off.
The first part of the journey took us through the southern end of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Although this road is not marked as scenic, I think it is. Lots of unusual canyons and rock formations. The rocks appear to be older here, especially around Big Water. You can see how fragile some of the formations are and they seem to be disintegrating before your eyes.
Lake Powell comes into view. At 8.30 we cross the state line and we are back in Arizona. We cross the Glen Canyon bridge. It was completed in 1959, is 387 m long and 213 m above the water and is a steel arched bridge. We approached it with a few trepidations, trying not to look down, but we made it over OK. Page was just up the road but we bypassed it but frankly it does not look that exciting. I wonder why we could not find a room here for last night? Tom say it might be because Lake Powell is a huge recreation area.
We turn left onto Highway 98 and pass a huge power station with three tall chimneys. It’s been in our sights since Big Water and it’s a blot on the landscape but I’m sure it does a worthwhile job. Soon we enter the Navajo Indian Reservation. This is a huge area which completely surrounds the Hopi Indian Reservation and covers all the north western part of Arizona including the Four Corners. For those that have not heard of Four Corners, it is the only place where four states meet up.
At 9.50 we turn left on 160. More traffic around. The condition of the road in parts is not good and is much worse than the road we have just turned off.
The weather so far today has not been too bad. The forecast earlier this week said it would rain at the weekend but it doesn’t look as though it’s going to rain today. The sun is quite hot, temperature 72 degrees, but there are a few clouds around.
At the junction of 594/41 intersection we stop to stretch our legs. There is a gas station and mini mart with Indian arts and crafts. We get something to drink and some chips. The restrooms were out of order but tom was told he could use the employees restroom. He said the only light source in there was a flashlight on the toilet tank.
We were hoping to take the 591/59 Indian road to Highway 191, thereby cutting about 70 miles from our journey but when we turned onto 591 it was a dirt road and we didn’t want to risk it. It’s a pity because we want to take that same route back on Monday. The entrance to Monument Valley is to the left of 160. We may be doing a lot of driving on Monday.
At 191 we turn right and we’re on the last stretch to Chinle. We have made very good time. At 12 we are just a few miles from Chinle. Check-in time at the Holiday Inn is 4 p.m. so we have some time to kill. We decide to take a trip to Rough Rock, so at Many Farms we fill up with gas and take the 15 mile trip on Route 59. This is the other end of the road we were hoping to take to Highway 160. Rough Rock is an Navajo village with several schools. We followed the signs to the trading post. The last part of the way is a very rough unmade road. No wonder most of the locals have pick-ups. The shop was quite large but did not have a lot of stock. It was owned by a lady who came originally from San Diego. She is also a local teacher. There was a small craft section with some Indian hand made jewelry and we were assured it was made by the local community. So we bought a couple of bangles. We also bought some ice creams. Of course we also asked whether the road went all the way through to 160 and it does. The map is not quite right. So we will venture down it on Monday.
We hit Chinle at 1.30. Still too early to check-in so we went to the Thunderbird Lodge Gift Shop just inside Canyon de Chelly (pronounced che) to see about booking a jeep tour of the canyon tomorrow. We were thinking about doing a half day tour but then decided that as we have come all this way we might as well see as much as we can while we are here. So a full day we booked, which includes lunch. It starts at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
As there was nothing much else to do in Chinle we decided to see if we could check-in early and we were lucky. At 2 p.m. we were in our room.
The evening we had dinner in Garcia’s, which is the name of the restaurant at the Holiday Inn. For an appetizer we tried the local specialty - frybread. The bread is about 12″ round and flat. It looks very much like a pizza with no topping. Of course it is deep friend and was served with honey. I must say it tasted really good but very filling. We could hardly eat much of the main course.
Tomorrow Canyon de Chelly. Now it gets interesting….
September 30 2007 | Further Afield | No Comments »
Kanab, UT to North Rim, Grand Canyon, AZ
7:30 am, 54 degrees. Cold
Once again a cold start and once again I put on my jeans and sweatshirt at the car.
Today we are headed to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Most people head for the South Rim but we like to be different.
The road we take out of Kanab is 89A, which is not be be confused with the main Highway 89. We drive through Freedonia which is just over the border in Arizona. We were on the lookout for a Starbucks but we were out of luck. Tom is suffering from withdrawal symptoms from lack of strong coffee.
Tom told me an interesting fact about towns in Utah. All of them have very wide streets and it is because Brigham Young decreed that streets should be wide enough for a oxen team to turn round in.
Arizona is one hour behind Utah even though they are both on Mountain Time because they don’t have daylight savings time. I read today though that one part of Arizona does have daylight savings time and that is the Navajo area where we will be going tomorrow. Very confusing!
The scenery has changed dramatically from the red messes of Utah to almost flat with scrub land and grass.
At 7 a.m. we enter the Kaibab National Forest which is a large pine forest and we start to climb. The undergrowth has been cleared from the forest floor and for mile upon mile we pass hundreds of mounds of dead wood looking like unlit bonfires. What a huge undertaking that must have been. And what are they going to do with all that debris? Are they going to burn it or haul it away? One huge section to the south has been burnt. It must have been one hell of a fire.
Finally we come to the end of the burnt trees but the forest continues. It looks completely different here. Among the pines there are aspens and, not only that, but there are grassy areas. It reminds me of the New Forest in England. There are also cattle grids because cattle room free here, not that we saw any. No horses either. The aspens are beginning to change color. Some are really bright yellow.
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September 27 2007 | Further Afield | No Comments »
Kanab, UT to Bryce Canyon, UT
7.40 a.m. 57 degrees. Cold
Change of plan. We were going to Grand Canyon today but have decided to do that tomorrow then go on to Page for the night before going to Chinle.
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Today we are headed for Bryce Canyon. This is a smaller national park than Zion. It is 75 miles north of Kanab.
I was wearing shorts this morning but as it was cold when we went outside I now have jeans on and a sweatshirt.
According to the weather forecast, it is going to be a wet and windy weekend. Don’t know whether that will be good or bad. Will have to wait and see.
It is a very uneventful drive to Bryce. Very few cars on the road in either direction. We drive through the towns of Mt. Carmel, Orderville, Glendale, Long Valley Junction and Hatch. We don’t see anybody. At this time of the day surely there would at least be children going to school.
The trees are getting taller and there are fewer red mesas. We pass green fields with cattle and horses grazing.
I can now see red rocks to the right. Bryce Canyon must be behind them.
We turn right onto Highway 12. Now there is more traffic and there we were thinking we would have Bryce Canyon to ourselves. We begin to see strange rock formations which Bryce is famous for. We enter Dixie Forest and almost immediately we are in Red Canyon. Tom pulls over to take some photos. The rock formations are called hoodoos. When we go to the Visitors Center in Bryce, we will try and find out how they were formed.
At 9.05 we arrive at Bryce Canyon National Park. We show our pass and save another $25. After a visit to the restrooms (I was not impressed because the lock was broken and there was no toilet paper) we watched a 20 minute film of Bryce Canyon and learned how the hoodoos were formed. Quick geology lesson here. We are on what is called the Colorado Plateau. It is huge and extends into four states - Colorado, New Medico, Arizona and Utah. During the Cretaceous Period, 144 - 65 million years ago, the American continent was split in two and a seaway stretched from the north to the Gulf of Mexico. The plateau was huge island in the middle. The changing season, weather and water erosion over the remaining millions of years have carved the scenery I see before me now.
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September 26 2007 | Further Afield | No Comments »
St George, UT to Kanab, UT
8 a.m. Temperature 70 degrees. Warm
We will be visiting Zion National Park on our way to Kanab today.
As the Best Western we stayed at did a complimentary breakfast, we did not have to search for somewhere to eat. No breakfast blog today. Pretty good for a complimentary breakfast, however.
We set off a bit late because of having breakfast first. At this time we were expecting to get caught up in rush hour traffic but it was not too bad. We took I15 north for a few miles and turned of towards Hurricane, La Verkin and Springdale. It was a very scenic drive past towering red rock mesas.
Virgin was a funky little place with Fort Zion, which looked like a kids playground, and an ostrich farm. Rockville is a cute town. I can see how it got its name as there were some huge rocks in peoples’ gardens.
The closer we got to Zion National Park the more spectacular the scenery became. We arrived at the park at 9 a.m. and parked in the Visitors Center. The entrance fee to the park is $25 per car but we used our pass. We were able to get a parking space but the lot was nearly full. There is a free shuttle service from Springdale so you don’t have to bring your car into the park.
There is a different free shuttle bus service in the park. No cars are allowed into the canyon apart from those belonging to people staying at the lodge. It’s a very good service but we would like to pass on a few tips. Get here as early as you can because the buses can get very full. Also, sit on the left side going up. There is a very good commentary but all the sights are to the left. There is no commentary on the way down. There are seven stops in all and there are different trails from each, some easy, some moderate and some strenuous.
We opted to go to the end of the canyon to the Temple of Sinawava where we took the Riverside Walk. It was a two mile round trip and was an easy one. There was a photo opportunity nearly every step of the way. Tom had his tripod but had difficulty using it sometimes because of the number of people around.
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September 23 2007 | Further Afield | No Comments »
Death Valley, CA to St George, UT
Time 6:21. Temperature 70. Warm
First we top up with gas. Fortunately the gas station is 24 hours although there is nobody on duty. The price of gas here is $3.79 a gallon. Hopefully this is the most expensive we will have to buy on this trip.
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We pulled over on the way down the Panimint Mountains so Tom could take a photo and there, in the small car park, we saw the strangest sight - five egrets - who took off as we pulled in. What are they doing here? There is no water for hundreds of miles. Maybe they are migrating.
At 7:15 we stopped to take a photo of a sign at the lowest point on US State Highways at 242′ below sea level.
Crossed into Nevada at 8 am. Only interesting sights we saw were road signs riddled with bullet holes and signs with a picture of a Desert Tortoise presumably warning us to watch out for tortoises crossing the road.
We arrived in Pahrump at 8.15 am. Must find coffee and breakfast. Well, that was an experience. Only place we could find was a casino.
By 915 we were back on the road - Las Vegas here we come. The first part was pretty boring. Long straight road with srub land on either side but surrounded by mountain peaks in the distance. Saw another strange sign this time warning us to look out for donkeys.
Approaching Mountain Springs we begin to see trees again, the first in any number since leaving Yosemite. Soon we catch the first sight of Las Vegas in the distance.
We stopped in Vegas for about an hour. Found a parking place at the Tropicana and then headed for The Strip. It was hot and crowded. As we needed a restroom, we turned into the MGM Grand. Of course the restrooms were at the far end of the casino. Just because it’s Vegas I put four quarters in a slot machine and won $2. I promply lost it though.
Back to The Strip. We did not quite make it to the Belagio before we turned back. There is a big construction going on by the Monte Carlo. Must be a new casino.
At 11,30 we were back on I15 again and headed for St. George. All we spent in Vegas was the dollar I put in the slot machine. I think we got away cheaply.
Entered Arizona at 11.40. The scenery is a little more scenic now. Just south of the Utah border we were approaching a mountain range and there looked as if there was no way through. There was certainly no road round it. But there was a way through - the Virgin River Gorge - and it was a spectacular drive.
We enter Utah at 1.05 and St George at 1.20. Or should I saw 2.20 because we are now on Mountain Time. By 2.30 we had found our hotel and were able to check in. After a shower we ventured out to do some exploring and hopefully something to eat.
September 22 2007 | Further Afield | No Comments »
Monday, September 17, 2007
Left at 6.15 a.m. Temperature 65. Warm
We did intend to get up and out really early but it was difficult as there was no clock in the room. We did wake at 4.20 but that was far too soon to be on the move. The next time we woke, it was 5.45.
[Click on the image for a larger version]
Our first destination today is the Mesquite Sand Dunes just outside Stove Pipe Wells. The parking is alongside the road so easy to spot as there were already several cars parked there. The sun was just about to appear over the mountains and we could see the dune to our left. Pretty spectacular they were as well.
The temperature had risen to 70 degrees so plenty warm enough for shorts. We also covered ourselves in sunblock and wore hats. The first part of the walk was over rock strewn scrub land but soon we were on sand. The dunes got progressively higher the further we went and it was difficult to climb up some of them. Coming down the other side was good fun though. The sun at that time of the morning creates wonderful shadows and is the best time to photograph them.
We stopped frequently to drink water – it is very easy to dehydrate out here even at this time of the morning. The sun was getting quite hot so we turned back just before we reached the furthest peak. I felt sorry for Tom carrying not only his camera pack on his pack but his tripod over his shoulder. We think we got some good shots but we won’t know until we get back to the hotel.
Now somewhere for breakfast. We drove back to Stove Pipe Wells but could find nothing there. The next place was Furnace Creek, which was about 20 miles away, so off we set. Not much grows here in Death Valley and all plants must really struggle to survive. The mountains though are spectacular. I’ve never seen so many different colors of rocks before and the formations themselves are interesting.
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September 20 2007 | Further Afield | No Comments »
Oakhurst to Death Valley, CA
Time of Departure 6 am. Temperature 48 degrees. Cold but bright. Our route today Highways 41 north, 120, 395,
136 and 190.
Today our road trip really starts. It’s dark when we leave and I’m writing this by flashlight. The only trouble about leaving this early is that I can’t see the scenery but Tom wants to get to Yosemite to catch the morning light.
The road is curvy and uphill through pine trees and we can smell them. Maybe I will see a bear today!
We are on the look out for somewhere to eat. We were today at the hotel of a place in Oakhurst but it wasn’t open. The first town we drive through, Fish Camp is small and very quiet and definitely nowhere is open.
At 6.30 we enter Yosemite but nobody is at the booth to collect fees. We have bought a National Park pass and are going to get maximum use out of it over the next two weeks.
It’s beginning to get light and we start to see the wonderful scenery of Yosemite. Through the trees can be glimpsed the occasional mountain peak and lots of valleys. There is no water in any of the creeks we cross over.
Going through Wowona, past the golf club, the frost light came on - 37 degrees - and Tom and I are both wearing shorts!!
It is a huge park and it’s 28 miles from the west entrance of the park to Yosemite Valley and though we drive very close the the village we will not be stopping there today.
We drive through the long tunnel. Tom pointed out the two port holes drilled through the rock walls and I got a brief glint of daylight. I wonder why they were put there? Immediately after exiting the tunnel we pull over for that wonderful view of the valley. We get out of the car to take photos but I don’t stay too long because it’s far too cold for me. Tom is more hardy and hopefully he has a couple of good shots.
(Tom here. Nope, no good shots of Yosemite. I was experimenting with bracketing and messed up. Oh well it’s digital so not to worry.)
As we entered the valley, El Capitan is sheer and majestic in the early morning light. The Merced River was very low.
We turn onto 120 at 7.55. Temperature now 43 degrees. It’s getting warmer and we are still hungry. We will just have to keep going until we reach Lee Vining. Tioga Pass is always a wonderful road to drive and we get a thrill each time we come. The only wrinkle today was three RVs driving in convoy in front of us who didn’t pull over for about 20 miles. They belched out noxious fumes and we stayed way back. We were able to get past when they pulled into the Olmstead Point viewing area.
We exited Yosemite at 9. As we waited at the booth to show our pass I noted that the elevation was 9,945′. The rest of the journey along Highway 120 to 395 was through the Inyo National forest with that spectacular dive down the side of the mountain and with the view of Mono Lake in the distance.
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September 18 2007 | Further Afield | 4 Comments »
San Jose to Oakhurst, CA
We left at 8.30 am and the temperature was 65 degrees. Our route - 101, 152, 99, 145, 41
We encountered more traffic than we are used to but we left two and half hours later than normal so that is understandable.
As soon as we hit the start of the two lane section on 152 the traffic slowed right down and we could see a stopped traffic ahead. We thought our worst fears had been realised and that it would be stop/go all the way to the 152/156 interchange. Two police cars, sirens blaring, sped past. Fortunately the hold up was only 100 yards ahead so we were able to pick up speed and traveled at 55 all the way to Casa de Fruita - apart, or course, for the 40 limit through the road works.
Last week, when we traveled this part of the route to Fresno, there were no fruit stands open but today The Fruit Market just before Case de Fuita was open for business.
Just past Casa de Fruita the helicopters were gone and the mustering center was no more. The fire up at Henry Coe State Park was 100% contained last Tuesday though the fire continues to burn. There were over 868 personnel involved in putting out the fire and over 47,00 acres were burned.
I swear the level of the San Luis Reservoir is lower than last week or, should I say, the islands look bigger. We we drove downhill into the Central Valley the view was clearer than last week, obviously due to the fire.
We stopped in for a coffee at Starbucks in Los Banos. It was crowded and it took ages for get served. There were a lot of young cheer leaders in line. Tom just has black coffee but I had a cafe latte. After waiting for some time for my drink, I noticed that one cup had been waiting to be collected for some time. I checked the name written on the side and it said ‘Markum’. I asked everybody waiting for their drinks if their name was Markham and all said no, so I assumed they had misheard my name. We sat outside in the sun reading the New York Times for an hour. Well, we sat in the sun for 20 minutes and then moved into the shade because it was getting too hot. A quick visit to the restroom and at 11 we were back on our way again.
As we approached 99, the Sierras could be seen indistinctly in the distance. We passed a road named 15 3/4. Would you fancy that as your address?
At Madera we turned left on Cleveland. It was signposted Yosemite. As we drove through a residential area there were a lot of yard sales going on. Them hills are gettn’ closer.
Leaving Madera behind us, we entered farming country. We passed huge ranches on our right owned by Agri World with orchards on each side of the entry gates. We notice fig trees to our left. The Sierra foothills are looking up with the main peaks of the Sierras rising behind them. All the grass is short and brown, sorry ‘gold’ but there were few animals.
We turned left onto Highway 41 and the grass is beginning to disappear and the gound is becoming more rugged. Now we are into the foothills and there are lots of rocks and trees. Elevation 1,000′.
We stopped in Coarsegold to stretch our legs. Coarsegold is an old mining town and they have a historic village with a wigwam outside. We bought ice cream at Rose’s Frosty and sat outside to eat them. While we sat there several old Fords passed.
Entered Oakhurst at 1.15. We overtook all the old Fords struggling up the hill. Although the check in time was 3, we were able to get into our room at the Best Western Yosemite Gateway Inn. Right outside our room is a nicely restored Model A. We drooled over it for a few moments.
The reason we have come to Oakhurst on this particular day is to attend one of Tom’s class reunions. It is up at Bass Lake this afternoon. After a quick freshen up we set off on the seven mile trip to the lake. Tom used to ‘hang out’ here in his youth. The reunion was held at the Pines Resort which is right on the lake. As we were early we went for a drink at Ducey’s Lodge and sat out on the patio to enjoy not only the drink but the view. It was pretty spectacular. Lots of power boats out on the lake and the weather was perfect. We drunk in the view for an hour until we make out way to where the party was being held.
At first there were not many people there but soon the place began to fill up. Tom recognized some people but lots of them he didn’t know at all. This was my first all American class reunion and it was fun. Most people were very friendly and, as to be expected, there were a few characters. There was food, which we enjoyed, and a no host bar. Later on there was birthday cake and dancing. We didn’t stay til the end as we have an early start tomorrow, so at 7.30 we made our way back to the hotel for an early night.
September 16 2007 | Further Afield | 1 Comment »
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