If one day was to stand out as the day where one saw, did, and visited
more than any other day, this would have been it. The pinnacle of the
trip had been both Four Corners and the Grand Canyon, and in the span
of a single day, I was able to visit both. Which means, in theory, the
rest of the trip is downhill, right? Mostly...
All the this' and that's are loaded and we're on the road...
7:50am
After a fuel stop, we're on the road once again.
8:06am
We pass through one of my favorite natural oddity towns, Shiprock.
(They have a giant rock virtually floating in the desert, hence the
"ship" rock.)
8:23am
Politely enough, we slow down as we pass through the tiny hamlet
of Beclabito.
8:52am
Legally turning, we venture north-ish from Teec
Nos Pos.
9:02am
After paying for most of the passengers, we arrive into the Four
Corners monument. (I told the gate keeper the correct total, she misheard,
and I felt it wasn't my place to tell her how to do her job... a $3
savings, technically).
9:14am
We stood in queue a bit behind a group of leather-clad humans on
"hogs," which seems about right... whenever I visit this
place, there's always a group of leather-clad humans on Harleys visiting
the place.
Not
everyone apparently shares my enthusiasm for such travel. Maybe
if they had motorcycles...?
9:37am
Not one to let a rare opportunity get away, I shelled out the $3
for some fry bread with cinnamon for myself and Peep. He was underwhelmed
by the experience... silly Peep.
9:52am
With the fry bread gone and having had my fill of frowning children,
I got back on the road, opting for the scenic loop over into Colorado,
Utah and through Monument Valley.
9:58am
We crossed into Colorado at a nondescript point, though they did
trouble themselves to put up a sign.
10:14am
Same deal, except this time into Utah.
10:57am
We rolled into Bluff,
and this time had a wander around the fort there, established by local
LDS (Mormons) who were trying to build a peaceful relationship with
the local Native Americans (and for the most part, did rather well).
12:44pm > 11:44am
And once again, state line -- now into Arizona. And it's here technically,
we cross back over to Mountain Standard Time and lose the hour back
to the same as Pacific Time. Wacky world of ours, eh? Lovely
area, of course.
11:52am
Just a random placement found us where I did a photo shoot for my
book cover. If you're one of those who has to visit such places, it's
4.6 miles up on Highway 163 from Kayenta.
11:58am
We land in Kayenta
for a bit and opt to perch at Sonic for lunch. (It was that, McDonalds
or Burger King, and neither of those I much fancied, nor did I want
to build my own lunch from the local market.)
1:12pm
Back in the car, and we made the vast two minute journey to the
Giant (gas station) two blocks down to top off. And at only $3.04
a gallon, it was a virtual bargain.
1:22pm
Speaking of bargains, since we bought eight gallons, I was entitled
to a free treat... I opted for the Nerds rope candy. Yummy!
2:31pm
More driving, and driving, and driving, and oopa-loompa, we're in
Tuba City! (Yeah, whatever.)
3:03pm
We arrived at the eastern gate of the Grand Canyon. Not an oft used
gate, I'd guess, just one attendant and no other cars to be seen.
(Which suits me just fine.)
3:19pm
Peep
and I made the rounds of the various view points, but the weather
was making the place a bit tepid for my feathered-ness. I never fail
to marvel at how so many of the photos of this place -- at least that
I taken -- tend to appear almost as though they're of a mural somewhere
(as thus here
and there).
5:06pm
Having had enough of that bit of excitement, we got back on the
road for our destination for the evening, Williams.
5:58pm
We landed in Williams via the slightly more scenic inlet that, from
the interstate, would have been exit 165. Or 164; I forget. But definitely
not the touristy 163.
6:04pm
A drive down Railroad and we found suitable lodging (well, pursuant
to the reservation I made, of course.)
6:22pm
Peep and I made use of the pool, but when the place started to fill
up with pre-teens and rambunctious teenage boys, we were done and
heading back to the sanctuary of room 203.
8:24pm
I made occasion to have dinner at the Pine Country Restaurant, across
from the old train depot. Not bad, and the fries were particularly
to my liking. And, the served Pepsi and not Coke -- good on ya.
9:32pm
We made our way out and back to the room to make nighty-night. So,
nighty-night.
