Where in the world is the Mayor?

Day - 27
Total gas purchased: 329.9
Miles for the day: 222
Total Miles: 7622
Average Speed: 32.3
Total States: 17

National Parks/Monuments and other significant points of interest:

Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devils Tower, Yellowstone, Glacier Park, Rt. 20 through the Arcadia National Forest, The Space Needle, Olympic Park, most Northwestern Point in the US, Pacific Coast Highway (101) from Seattle to Northern CA, Avenue of the Trees, Rt1 in CA from it's northern start to San Francisco, Golden Gate and Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, Sequoia Park and the General Sherman Tree, King's Canyon, Sherman Pass (9200'), Inyo National Forest, Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon NV, Mt. Charleston, Valley of Fire, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Escalante National Park, Capital Reef National Park, bisected Canyonlands/Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Natural Bridges National Monument..

Just one set of pictures from yesterdays trip to Monument Valley in the southeast corner of Utah, most of you have probably seen these rock formations before. A lot of westerns were filmed here.

I have been here in my 20's but there is a story to why I came back. We had stopped at Mexican Hat which is little north of Monument Valley and some unnamed dumbass put the camera on top of the car before driving away. It wasn't just any camera either, it was a pretty nice Yashica SLR that my Grandmother had owned. Not only did I lose the pictures but I also lost the camera.

Mexican Hat:
Not sure if it came out on the phone pic but I did send my cousin picture of him on my laptop. I have been hearing this story of the lost pictures for the past 30 years. I haven't looked at that picture in a very long time, we don't even look old enough to drink. This was from the first trip we took.

Monument Valley is on a Navajo Reservation, they run it like the National Park system. There is a small fee and you get access to 17 mile one way dirt road that goes around the valley floor. They have tour "buses" but I would not recommend it. Firstly it's pretty dusty, I'm still picking red boogers out of my nose. Secondly it's pretty rough ride, the "buses" are pickups and they have about 4 rows of seating with 4 across. I was watching this one go down the road with few old ladies in last row bouncing up and down through the dust. There backs were probably broke by the time they were done and probably covered with dust as well. The road wasn't terrible but there was some spots it was rough enough I had to pretty much idle through it. I'm glad I came back here because I honestly I didn't remember it that well.

Last note, they are still requiring masks here for any buildings on the reservation. The only other place I needed a mask was Rushmore if you were entering any buildings, I still had one from there.

Day - 28
Total gas purchased: 355.4
Miles for the day: 281
Total Miles: 7903
Average Speed: 39.7
Total States: 18

National Parks/Monuments and other significant points of interest:

Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devils Tower, Yellowstone, Glacier Park, Rt. 20 through the Arcadia National Forest, The Space Needle, Olympic Park, most Northwestern Point in the US, Pacific Coast Highway (101) from Seattle to Northern CA, Avenue of the Trees, Rt1 in CA from it's northern start to San Francisco, Golden Gate and Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, Sequoia Park and the General Sherman Tree, King's Canyon, Sherman Pass (9200'), Inyo National Forest, Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon NV, Mt. Charleston, Valley of Fire, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Escalante National Park, Capital Reef National Park, bisected Canyonlands/Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Natural Bridges National Monument, Monument Valley,

Faces hidden to protect the innocent fro the ugly.

I've been stopping at lot of these stands and small permanent take out places for Mexican food. Even with the little mobile stands it's just out outrageously delicious. The best Mexican restaurant in the Wyoming Valley doesn't even close.

Today I hit the motherload on the room. Ideally I'm looking for something in the $100 range and keep in mind some of the best rooms were that cost at least for my needs, is it clean? So I pull into the motel I'm staying at tonight mostly because there is restaurant next to it in walking distance. You would be surprised how hard it is to find a decent but reasonably cost motel next to a restaurant.

The clerk goes the only thing I have left is is a queen on the first fllor that is smoking room for $100................. pffffffffffffffft sold. This is only the second room with smoking the first one was the casino.

I go to the restaurant which is Mexican, order a $25 skirt steak burrito and $12 margarita. This margarita is like a fish bowl, and the burrito the best I have had yet. It was just so good and you could taste freshness of everything, After a second margarita I'm walking out the door and the light bulb hits, can I get one for takeout? You sure can says the bartender....

That's the pepsi in the picture above and it was full. That dude knew I was paying in cash and gave me the change from his tips, after my tip of course.

Today started a little rainy , since yesterday there has been a rain system to the north of me and apparently I was on the edge of it since then as it moves east. Even had a few sprinkles yesterday. No weather guy needed, you can see so far it's along the lines of "There is rain 50 miles to the north of me".

First stop was Four Corners and Bam! I add two more states. Weirdly between Hoover Dam, Monument Valley and Four Corners I have gone in and out of Arizona numerous times. If I haven't seen at least 8 "Welcome to Arizona" signs I haven't seen any.

Next and fianl stop for the da is Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado. Never heard of it? You have now, This is a very long drive in and out, there is no exit on the other side. 22 miles to the the end of the main road with 2 loops at the end and 10 mile side spur. Must be a good 100 miles altogether.

These are some pictures from the just the road and other miscellaneous pics.

These are at the end of the spur. This first set is from location called the "step House." It's from two different eras. This one approximately 600 BC and it includes the path going to it.

Obviously a lot of this has been restored, the roof for example in one of the pictures above is not original. In the following pics that are to the left of it from the 1200's the rock walls to accommodate tourists are clearly not original. This is something I noticed on my original trips n the 90's while visiting some Indian ruins south of Phoenix, it just seemed overly restored and or way overdone to accommodate tourists.

From there we move onto the "Badger Community" which was protected by modern enclosures. These were on the top of the mesa. For those that don't know a mesa is a extensive flat top on a mountain with very steep sides.

Noth the Grand Finale but it's pretty cool. They off guided tours of the following structures but tickets are limited, I could of ordered one for tomorrow. This what they call the long House it's 150 rooms inside.

If this gets your attention.....hold on.

This one was difficult to find.

This was y favorite called "Cliff Palace". I'm not quite sure why I didn't take more closeups here, probably because I was in awe.

Last but not least Spruce Tree House which is he main attraction here and considered the most well preserved.

Some random photos.

Day - 29
Total gas purchased: 368.1
Miles for the day: 235
Total Miles: 8138
Average Speed: 39.4
Total States: 18

National Parks/Monuments and other significant points of interest:

Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devils Tower, Yellowstone, Glacier Park, Rt. 20 through the Arcadia National Forest, The Space Needle, Olympic Park, most Northwestern Point in the US, Pacific Coast Highway (101) from Seattle to Northern CA, Avenue of the Trees, Rt1 in CA from it's northern start to San Francisco, Golden Gate and Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, Sequoia Park and the General Sherman Tree, King's Canyon, Sherman Pass (9200'), Inyo National Forest, Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon NV, Mt. Charleston, Valley of Fire, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Escalante National Park, Capital Reef National Park, bisected Canyonlands/Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Natural Bridges National Monument, Monument Valley, Mesa Verde National Park

Day - 30
Average speed: 0