Update: Michele joined us on Wed in Las Vegas and on Thursday we had a long day seeing many sites and got into California. But first, here is the report on getting to Page, AZ.....
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We had a great camping afternoon and night in Red River, NM and I get a little more efficient packing the Suburban. Not quite perfect but I am able to get the tailgate closed.
We left out of Red River drive through Taos area and started our drive to Four Corners and Monument Valley. I have to say that the driving , though long, has been enjoyable. Wide open two lane scenic back roads is my type of driving. I was especially amazed and blown away by the beautiful country through the Carson National Forest on Rt 64. I would go back to talk to a real estate agent if I had the time and or the money. I begin to picture Michele and myself on a cold spring night sitting in front of a stone fireplace as I look out at the setting sun from by one room lodge pine cabin as we wonder what our, now grown children, are doing and...
“Dad!” “Tell Riley to hand me the map.”
“But Dad, Keegan doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
“Shut up, yes I do. I have it right here and and know exactly where we need to turn.”
“You’re on the wrong page you idiot.”
“Guys, stop the nonsense. Riley, Keegan’s doing fine so knock it off and leave him alone.”
So goes our travels through more of God’s Country and my brief day dream.
We make our way to the NM/AR border and start our trek to Four Corners. From Shiprock, NM to the border was pretty much dry, dusty and hazy. The smoke from the fires in Southern AZ were being blown in on some pretty stiff winds. As we head west, we see more and more energy company trucks on the road. You soon realize that it is not what you don’t see in this hard scrabble landscape, it is what you don’t see under this hard scrabble landscape that is important. With the price of oil going higher as we head farther from home those oil trucks were busy.
As we head to the red sand and rock of the Navajo nation and it just blows me away at the stark transformations we encounter as we head further west. We know we are heading to a famous land mark but I was not prepared for the anti-climatic experience of Four Corners set against an incredibly dramatic back drop. The scenery was fantastic, the Four Corners Monument hot, overly priced and if it wasn’t such a unique roadside attraction we might have skipped it to make better time. But we have traveled this far and we are committed to the idea that this road trip will me about seeing things that will not always make sense logistically but need to be seen and accomplished because that what Dads do to their children on these types of trips.
To make our route seem even more ridiculous was the fact that an old Indian hitchhiker we passed in Farmington, NM was actually making better time as he crossed the state. We know this because every time we stopped to take a picture, or see another must-see monument, this old hitchhiker was always ahead of us as we returned to our main route of 64 to 60 into Page.
We continued west to Monument valley and just as every picture has promised you, the views were breathtaking. We passed on entering the Monument Valley’s “The View” hotel and Park gate as we were tired of more fees. You can really get a great shot from the roads just outside the park. We instead decided to stop in a Navajo jewelry stand a had a great conversation with a local Navajo Indian and discussed what life was like on such a dry sandy location. He was very nice and pleasant to talk to and gave us a graet deal on a necklace/bracelet set for Micehele’s birthday. I think it was late and he was ready to go home and figured this crazy tourist will never leave unless I give them a deal. Actually I think it was our youngest son picking out a gift for “Mommy’s” birthday that loosened those margins for this jewelry seller. I’m not saying I use my children’s cuteness to work a deal but the price of gas keeps going up like I said. We have to pay for this trip some how.
We finally made it into Page. It was late and we were tired but the scenery getting into Page was spectacular.
--From Paul
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The trip has been exciting so far. I’ve seen some pretty cool things like Cadillac ranch, monument valley, but the most amazing one was the GRAND CANYON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought that a couple of cliffs in monument valley was cool, but boy was I wrong! In New Mexico, I thought there were going to be cactus but there was actually mountains with green trees. We ended up camping on a river in New Mexico!
--From Nolan(a whole other post will be on the Grand Canyon)
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Well, I have to say this vacation has really improved once we got out west. We stayed a night in Red River, New Mexico camping right on the river. Normally I don’t like camping, but it was pretty awesome being able to wash myself with the river water. Next, we had a long day driving in the car on the way to Page, Arizona. During this drive we saw everything from the Rio Grande to Four Corners, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah all meet at a point. And finally, as the sun was setting, we saw the famous Monument Valley.
When we got to Page, Arizona, my dad started to flip out, not being able to spot the hotel. He told me to dial the Day’s Inn hotel number and ask them where it was. Turns out it was just 200 ft. away and easily in sight.
--from Keegan
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At this point I think my head may explode from all the sights I have seen in this week. We went from Red River, NM to Page, Arizona stopping at 4 corners and monument valley. Then we went from Page to camping at the north rim, Grand Canyon for two nights.
There we saw , well, the north rim!-which was spectacular- then we spent one more day camping at the north rim and went on a hike in the grand canyon. Now on this hike called Cape Final there were probably 7 other people that we saw but we were all spaced out on the trails. I personally think there should’ve been 400x more people on that hike. That’s how good the views on the hike were! Not to mention you only have to walk-not trek for two days like some trails-for only 1.5 miles! That’s a walk park, literally.
Did I make clear to you guys how great the views on this trail was?
--From Riley
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