Monument Valley: Things Lost, Things Found

[articulate]

http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/mv_2.jpg

If you haven’t been here, you must go. And not just to Monument Valley, but also upward to Utah to see Goosenecks State Park, Valley of the Gods, Natural Bridges National Monument. The problem with Utah, is that when you hit one site, it’s soooooo easy to go hit another, and then another, and then another. Utah. Utah. Is there a better word for it than Utah? It’s the crux of adventure and beauty, where they mix into something that you never want to leave.

Being on the reservation gives me several feelings. On one road trip, I laughed with a friend about how when we were kids we wondered about Indian reservations, “Why would anyone want to live here?” We laughed at us being naïve kids, not at the fact that people live on reservations. Now that I’m sort of grown up, I like the reservations for the open space, the mountains, the sacred spaces. Sacred. As a white guy, it’s real work to try to understand sacred. But also as a white guy it’s really dangerous territory to navigate because you’ve got to be careful not to come out the other side unsophisticatedly thinking, “Ohhh, Indian stuff is so cool. Where can I buy a giant kokopelli to hang on my wall?”

I’ve read Sherman Alexie books, and maybe learned a thing or two about reservation life since then: “Thomas was not surprised by Victor’s sudden violence. These little wars were intimate affairs for those who dreamed in childhood of fishing for salmon but woke up as adults to shop at the Trading Post and stand in line for U.S.D.A. commodity food instead.” (Reservation Blues) We’ve all woken up as adults doing something far different from what we dreamed as children.

http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/mv_4.jpg

Well, so I get in the car and drive. Hokey? Another idiot pretending to be enlightened? Sure, but I’m comfortable with that. And this time we ended up on the rez, and I was working again not to be an Indian-loving yo-yo or another obnoxious white guy. Don’t know how it came out, though.

http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/mv_5.jpg

So, we declined a $200 escort service and decided to just visit the sights on our own. And when we returned to camp, my $200 Paha Que shower tent was gone. The floor still held down by rocks, the stakes in the ground. The wind, we figured, picked it up and took it away as some sort of sacred payment for turning down the $200 Indian guide. It seems that the gods of all religions have a sense of humor.

Camp was on the San Juan River, at Goosenecks State Park. We virtually had the place to ourselves. And we chose a spot on a peninsula-type mesa with a massive cliff facing west. “Westward I go free” wrote Thoreau. This is what we needed, see. KC’s been on the road; the long road. He’s out here trying to figure some stuff out.

Here, his figuring out how to take a pee in secrecy:
http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/kc.jpg

View from camp:
http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/camp_view.jpg




Someone say something funny, because I’ve carried on too long….
http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/sunset.jpg

[articulate]

And! More shots:

Our new bull bar:
http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/truck.jpg

Mmmmm...Jeep Girls:
http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/jeep_girls.jpg

Kachina Bridge at Natural Bridges:
http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/kachina_bridge.jpg

Another:
http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/kachina_bridge2.jpg

The adventurers:
http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/crew.jpg

now, seriously...say something funny....

[ccd8541]

now, seriously...say something funny....

dirka dirka?

Thanks for the photos! Some real nice shots.

I will be up that way for 14 days in the near future, doing days runs but no camping out. Any "must see" spots or suggestions, other than what you mentioned?

Chad

[goodtimes]

Mmmmm...Jeep Girls:
http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/jeep_girls.jpg




How come they never show up when I'm around?!?!?! Seriously, WTF.



The adventurers:
http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/crew.jpg



livin' the good life. You guys suck. ( :friday: )

[DaktariEd]

Awesome! Wish I could have been there....

[desertgirl66]

Those photos are why I love living in the Southwest!! Love it!

That new "bull" bar is pretty wicked ;)

Utah is one of my all time favorite states, scenery wise, and for being able to go camp in gorgeous places--if only they could get over the 3.2 beer thing! :beer:

Great write up Mark, and superb photos.

[crawler#976]

Two blondes were driving along a road by a field when they saw a blonde in the middle of it rowing a row boat.

Great pic's and narrative! I'm really due to get up there again.

Last time we were up there we planned to take the ferry from Halls Crossing to Bullfrog - I completely forgot about daylight savings time. Got to the dock just in time to see the boat a mile off shore...makes for a long trip around!

The driver blonde turned to her friend and said "You know - it's blondes like that that give us a bad name!"

To this, the other blonde replies "I know it, and if I knew how to swim, I'd go out there and drown her."

So, does that count as something funny???

[Boston Mangler]

AMAZING AS USUAL MARK!!!

:clapsmile

I gots to gets me to Utah

[Dave]

Very cool trip report! We are kicking around the idea of camping at Gooseneck instead of Natural Bridges for our trip in October.

[BajaTaco]

As always, interesting words and great photos...

This is defintely my fav...

http://www.markdstephens.com/monument_valley/crew.jpg


LMAO at crawler's joke. Hadn't heard that one :)

I think it would be really cool to have a bullbar like that with a human skull! :orngartis hehehe

Glad you guys hooked up with the travelin' man. And sorry to hear about your involuntary offering to the gods... :( So did you still take showers? :)

[bigreen505]

Wow, those pictures are stunning! I have to go there sometime soon.

[articulate]

In order....


I will be up that way for 14 days in the near future, doing days runs but no camping out. Any "must see" spots or suggestions, other than what you mentioned?

Chad
Depends on your style. MV was phenominal, but the three of us agreed we enjoyed Valley of the Gods more since it wasn't nearly as cluttered with people. The only stuff I saw was what I listed. KC might have more insight.


How come they never show up when I'm around?!?!?! Seriously, WTF....( :friday: )
Luck?


Awesome! Wish I could have been there....
:jumping:


That new "bull" bar is pretty wicked ;)

Utah is one of my all time favorite states, scenery wise, and for being able to go camp in gorgeous places--if only they could get over the 3.2 beer thing!
What is the 3.2 beer thing?


Last time we were up there we planned to take the ferry from Halls Crossing to Bullfrog - I completely forgot about daylight savings time. Got to the dock just in time to see the boat a mile off shore...makes for a long trip around!
It's stuff like this that gives the rest of us a bad name: Stupid white guys :xxrotflma


AMAZING AS USUAL MARK!!!
:clapsmile
I gots to gets me to Utah
Utah: you'll never want to leave. Thanks for the kind comments.


We are kicking around the idea of camping at Gooseneck instead of Natural Bridges for our trip in October.
One thing about Gooseneck: there isn't a tree to be seen for at least 50 square miles. The views are pretty cool in the morning and at dusk, but I wouldn't want to kick around there during the day. Just a llittle input.... :)


I think it would be really cool to have a bullbar like that with a human skull! hehehe :orngartis

Glad you guys hooked up with the travelin' man. And sorry to hear about your involuntary offering to the gods... So did you still take showers? :)
Hilarious! We laughed about the idea of a human skull, too. Felt like bad asses driving a black truck with skull on the front. She's like the Black Pearl, savvy?

Yes, still took showers in the bliss of open air nakedness. A "little" George Costanza action, too, if you know what I mean?

....And, again, thanks for the kind words about the photos and the report.

Honorable Mentions: ScenicWonderRunner - where ever he may be, running 'round some wonders maybe. He had battery troubles and left San Diego late. Due to no cell coverage we never were able to connect with him.
Pskhaat - He dropped me an email about visiting with us on Sunday since he was going to be passing through. Again, we weren't able to communicate. I'm sure a 2M radio would have solved that perhaps.... :costumed-smiley-007


Cheers,
Mark

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Hello Mark,

From Cortez, CO.


Great Trip Report and Pics....as always Mark!!!!!!!!!!!!

I pulled into the Valley of the Gods (because you told me you were camping there the first night!) ....at 2:15am Sunday morning (late Sat. night).

This was after passing through 4 Monsoons!......doing the Elk Slalom at 65mph!....one huge horse on road.....multiple deer sighting at 65mph (I then slowed it down to 50mph).

I drove the first half of the trail to the back corner were it drops down. I could not find you anywhere so I camped at the perfect spot just below the huge spire at the drop off with views in both directions!

Sun. am early, I drove the rest of the VOG looking for you and calling on the radio. I even drove right past the entrance to Goose Neck SP but had no idea you would be there. This area is so vast....you could never find anyone if you just kept guessing.

After VOG......I headed down to the San Juan River for a a dip, but it's kind of a muddy river. Then I headed up the Comb Ridge wash and the Mormon Trail for a beautiful campsite with complete views of Comb Ridge and surrounding areas including the Sleeping Ute!

The next night I headed up towards Bears Ears for a campsite above Mule Canyon with the most amazing views.

Yesterday I stopped in Monticello for pizza..........got back in my truck after an hour....and my truck would not start!

It finally started and I made my way to Cortez last night and I now have a nice little motel room with an auto shop next door and I'm having all systems checked. I don't want this happening at 12,000 feet along the Alpine Loop this weekend!

So to anyone planning to join the Alpine Loop Gathering this weekend.....I AM still planning on being there. As hard as it has been! I'm not giving up!

So for now I say goodbye from the beautiful new library in Cortez....which is the only library I have ever found that passes out free watermelon!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hltoppr]

I guess I gotta get off my butt and do my Valley of the Gods trip report now!

Great pics!

-H-

[kcowyo]

Oh God.....the pressure to say something funny.....:rolleyes:

Well first, I feel honored that MarkF'nStephens traveled up to Utah, in the most tricked out Frontier I've seen, with his hottie Norwegian-Navajo princess wife and amid all of the mind boggling scenery, he still thought to take a pic of me with my johnson hanging out. Natural wonders are everywhere, if only we chose to see them.



Mark has written far more eloquently about life on the Res than I will. My memories of the Monument Valley weekend will include -

His wife Brooke expertly piloting their outfit through a trench that swallowed half of their truck
A wind storm that nearly swallowed both trucks
Wishing I had told him not to set up the shower tent, so when it blew away I could have said, "I told you so."
Seeing the Custer-like expression on MFS' face when a Navajo guide yelled to him, "You're on the wrong road!"
The Heep girls, who he covertly snapped a pic of while riding in the safety of my rig, while Brooke solo'd in the F'nmobile
Shmorkle Farkle
The climb out from Kachina Bridge and me huffing and puffing like Darth Vader having an asthma attack
Valley of the Gods is for real. Here I felt on sacred ground
In MV I felt I was in a tourist trap or at least Tijuana, as Mark and I prepare to haggle with Stanley over the tour guide fee
There is no ice cream in Mexican Hat
AZ doesn't recognize Daylight Savings Time? WTF? Next thing they'll think they're Texans, ready to succeed
Showing Mark how a Boy Scout cheats to get a campfire going in record time (still not as fast as desertdude's method though)
Mark doesn't like Mayo and may not be ready for Wasabi Horseradish
The Largest Navajo Windtalkers exhibit in the USA, (and presumably the world) is located at the Burger King in Kayenta, AZ. It really is an impressive display and compliments the #4 combo meal quite well
I thought it extremely classy of me not to pee in his shower
"The best nuts are the hardest to crack."
- overheard in Mammy's Kitchen & Whiskey Bar, Lake City, CO

.

[Ursidae69]

LMBFAO at KC... :xxrotflma :xxrotflma

[bigreen505]

Oh God.....the pressure to say something funny.....:rolleyes:

Well first, I feel honored that MarkF'nStephens traveled up to Utah, in the most tricked out Frontier I've seen, with his hottie Norwegian-Navajo princess wife and amid all of the mind boggling scenery, he still thought to take a pic of me with my johnson hanging out.


I would say you succeeded. :xxrotflma



Natural wonders are everywhere, if only we chose to see them.


That is something that I discovered a long time ago, and why it takes me seemingly forever to get anywhere. That is also how I got into photography, just trying to share the beauty that I see.

[Brian McVickers]

Did you take a picture of the Truck Eating Trench?

[datrupr]

Wholly Crap!!!!! Mark & KC, you guys are cracking me up with this thread. What a great trip guys, sorry I was not on this one. KC, AZ is not on daylight savings because we were the last state to join the union in the continental US, and we are a bit rebellious. That, and I think we have more than enough daylight and probably do not need to save any of it. Mark, do you think that, maybe, if Brooke threw a Shiner Bock on your shower tent it would have stayed? Because when she tossed beer on my tent I had no troubles. Perhaps the gods took you shower tent because it was not properly blessed before hand??? HMMMMMMM...... And please do not tell me you were tallking about shrinkage? I, and the rest of us on this board do not need to hear about Mark D. Stephens.com and his shrinkage. And back to KC, you should have seen Mark light the fire on the Gunsight trip. Now that was a real treat to see. It was a bit dark until Brian showed up with artificial fire starting aids and got it done right. Good report guys, and great pics as usual. Sorry I missed this one. Mark, KC, and I all need to get out and do a trip together. And of course Brooke can come along too and bless my tent with whatever kind of beer offering she is so inclined.

[articulate]

I pulled into the Valley of the Gods (because you told me you were camping there the first night!) ....at 2:15am Sunday morning (late Sat. night).

This was after passing through 4 Monsoons!......doing the Elk Slalom at 65mph!....one huge horse on road.....multiple deer sighting at 65mph (I then slowed it down to 50mph).

I drove the first half of the trail to the back corner were it drops down. I could not find you anywhere so I camped at the perfect spot just below the huge spire at the drop off with views in both directions!

Yesterday I stopped in Monticello for pizza..........got back in my truck after an hour....and my truck would not start!
Hi Mark --- sorry about throwing you the curve ball, but Goosenecks was tugging on my spine once I saw it. That's the way it goes sometimes, eh?

As for the SWR: Don't shut 'er off! :) :costumed-smiley-007

Fellas, sorry no photos of the abyss that nearly sucked in the truck. Brooke just drove 'er on out with a little scrapage. We almost needed a snorkel to get it out; damn! I mean tow strap. You know how snorkels go. They're needed for nearly everything. Especially those dusty roads in Utah. I don't think it's wise to go to Utah without a snorkel. WHEW! Way too much dust. KC trailed behind at least 1/2 mile since he wasn't well equipped with one.

:rockon:

Aaron, you been drinking early today?

[datrupr]

Aaron, you been drinking early today?

What do you mean early? I have not stopped drinking since last weekend. Is the holiday over already?? Man, not having a hand brake to keep me in line is a real pain in the ***....... NOT!!!!:sombrero:

[datrupr]

What the hell is the matter with me. No wonder you asked if I was drinking early. I re read my first post and noticed all of the typos in it. Well, I have to blame it on the fact that I was at work, on my lunch, new (to me) keyboard, and I don't have a snorkel. I understand snorkels help you type better too.:hehe:

[desertgirl66]

K.C.

Sorry that the "heat" of Arizona was too much for you! Woulda' loved to have seen you here in Sedona. But sounds like you need to be in Colorado and the North :smiley_drive:


Mark,

3.2 beer is the most that the state of Utah will allow for alcohol content. (At least for brewskis) For comparison--in the Yukon Territory, from the Yukon Brewing Company, the beer, "Lead Dog Ale" is 7.2%. Man, this will knock your socks off! In Utah, they sell a 7 pack of beer, cuz' it takes 7 beers to get a buzz! Utah has "different" views of drinking beer :elkgrin:

[david despain]

you can get real beer you just have to know where to go to get it. i think thats the way its done here to keep everyone else in world from wanting to move here :ylsmoke:


mark did you listen to ktnn the voice of the navajo nation?

[kcowyo]

OK, got a few more pics ready from my weekend in Monument Valley with the Super Cool Chick and his wife Brooke (did I get that right?) -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/kcowyo/Utah002.jpg

[OverlandZJ]

I dont know if i should thank you guys for the pics or the laughs...both were awesome, but we need more. :elkgrin:

Thanks!

:tent:

[seth_js]

Freak'n sweet... I'm totally pissed I missed this one.