My sunrise jaunt out into the Monument Valley area was a nice teaser; after fueling up the car and our bellies, we set out again. We didn’t stop and get the full Navajo tour of the valley, but we did see quite a bit from the road. Amazing open country scenes; hopefully the people, the state and the country are able to preserve that openness for generations to come.
Beyond Monument Valley, the drive gets a bit less interesting. More miles of stark, empty desert landscape. The colors change, the rocks change, the names of the rivers and towns change, but they’re all kind of blurring together. I’ve lost track of how many hours we’ve spent cruising through this southwestern landscape.
Hardly a stop worth comparing to some of our other recent highlights, but we did hit the “Four Corners”, a (probably well deserved) cash grab for the Navajo nation, celebrating the intersection of the Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico borders. Costs three bucks per person to get in; for that, you get a portapotty, a few stray-ish dogs, some flags, a bit of history, some Navajo crafts for sale, and an unending line of excited visitors plopping their feet and hands in four different states. Choose for yourself whether or not this place is worth a visit; I’m not sure that I’ll be back.
Next up was Cortez, Colorado and then quickly on to Mesa Verde (green table) National Park. As you may have noticed, much of the Floodcation has been dedicated to covering miles and taking in amazing scenery. Mesa Verde offered up some surprisingly memorable scenery, but the history is the more interesting part. It is the location of hundreds of former dwellings from nearly a millennium ago, built into the cliffs of the area. A great way for these smart folks to beat the heat, and live comfortably. I admit that I need to do more reading on the area – if you’re into history/anthropology, this could be the place for you.
Heading on toward Durango, we again lost the race against the sundial, and finished our drive in the dark. We dined at the Irish Embassy (Pub); food and beer was good, though I did feel a little guilty for not enjoying some of the local brews. Next time. Durango has the feeling of an old school Western town somehow merging with the biker and ski culture. My brief visit in the dark makes me think that this is a little like Nelson, a great town in British Columbia. Maybe I’ll have to include that in my Canadian West at 100km/h site. Donations of cash and vacation time are welcome.