Monument Valley

When I left Santa Fe this morning, the view to the west was outstanding. The sun was up, but not over the mountains to the east, so that the setting full moon was brightly illuminated as it descended towards a mountain that was covered with the recent snow. I thought I should pull off of US-285 and take a picture, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to capture its beauty, so I just looked at it every time I could and imprinted it in my brain.

The plan was to follow the semi-shortest way to get here, about 330 miles, but as with most of my driving plans, it went astray. Instead of turning north onto US-191 in Shiprock, NM, I stayed on US-64 West. Wondering where I might get lunch, I couldn’t stomach any of the fast food places in and around Farmington/Shiprock, so I thought of the restaurant that Sally, I, and her friend Holly ate at in Kayenta three weeks ago. It was a place called Amigo Cafe, and I could still taste the pork taquitos I had. Checking the map and the timing, I opted to go on a 110-mile detour. Worth every mile and minute. A place that I can highly recommend eating at if you find yourself in that area.

This route also took me by Monument Valley. I had seen very little traffic on the road past the entrance to it, so I thought that there wouldn’t be anyone standing in the road at Forrest Gump Point. Wrong, there were at least ten cars pulled over and about forty people pretending to be turkey vultures trying to get to some tasty roadkill. Singles, duos, and whole groups would run out into the road to get the selfie on the yellow line, only to have to hop back real quick to the sides when cars came through.

 
Started the morning in Monument Valley and ended the afternoon in Cottonwood, AZ. In between there were dinosaur tracks outside Tuba City, a brief tour of Flagstaff, and a fabulous drive down AZ-89a through Oak Creek Canyon to the majestic red rocks of Sedona.

The stop in Cottonwood is because this is a possible landing place for me. I am totally settled in in the Portland area, but the winters, while not brutal, are absolutely dreary AF. I can get a similar arrangement here in a 55+ manufactured home community as there, but with the addition of a garage instead of a carport. The home price is more, but the land lease is smaller—not enough to break even, but I get the warmer/hotter weather and the more sunshine I’d like. The town has a vibrant downtown with quirky shops and plenty of good dining. Now if the Sedonuts Donut & Coffee Shop is halfway as good as Stomping Grounds, I’m sold. There’s also a Dunkin’ if that doesn’t work out.

On our way to Monument Valley, we drove about half of the 17-mile loop in the Valley of the Gods. In a few ways this section of Bears Ears National Monument is nicer than Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. There are plenty of red buttes with different shapes (just not the iconic ones), there is no entrance fee to drive it, and there are near zero tourists there.

Seven Sailors Butte

 
I don’t know the “official” name of tis one, but I’m naming it “Command Chair” because I can see Capt. John Luc Picard sitting in it.

 
The high clouds in the blue skies are a marvel.

 
And just looking down, you could convince yourself you are on the surface of Mars.