2008 West Vacation -- Southern Utah and Colorado. Day 12

Day 12, Monument Valley, UT to Durango, CO

Get up sorta late, and there sounds like there’s a party outside. Turns out there are dozens of people that are going to take the MV tour, and the place to wait for the trucks is just outside our door.

We check out and get gas even though we have 3/4 of a tank. Don't know what conditions are going to be like. We're getting off the main roads today. There's a quick food place in the gas station, and we get two breakfast burritos. One burrito has wrong ingredients (mine), but they only charge us for one, so I guess it's fair.

We arrived at Monument Valley from the South on US-163, and leave to the North on US-163, where you get yet another gorgeous vista of Monument Valley. From there, it's not too far to the San Juan River, where you leave the Navajo Indian reservation and enter Mexican Hat, who's claim to fame, is a rock formation that looks...kinda...like a Mexican Hat. I start humming one of those classical Mexican guitar tunes, and I get warned if I make that song stick in her head, she'll do me harm.

US-163

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Another mile up the road, and turn left on UT-261. There are two reasons for this. First, Valley of the Gods is down this way, and second, it's the most direct route to Natural Bridges National Monument.

Then there's this little squiggly line on the map just past Valley of the Gods, and as soon as we turn, we get signs that warn us, 10% grades, unpaved, no trailers... Don't worry, it'll be fun!

We get to Valley of the Gods, and find it's a 17 mile unpaved road. We drive a mile or two of the washboard it is, and elect not to take it. After seeing what the 14 mile unpaved road yesterday in MV, I'd rather not subject my car to that.

We get to it the squiggly line, and its a road, and it goes up, then disappears someplace on the side of the rock wall. It's time to decide if we want to do the road or detour around, and a group of bikers (as in Belgium Harley-Davidson bikers, believe it or not) with a chase van to go along goes by, so we're brave enough to follow.

And our fears were foundless. The road's okay if you only go 20 miles per hour, and you probably don't want to more than 20 anyway. It would make my top 10 road list if it wasn't for the fact it's only 3 miles long.

What a road. It goes up the side of the rock and switchbacks until you get to the top. Views are incredible. Halfway up, the Bikers stop and so do we. They're our road testers after all. They ask me, and I'd take their group picture. Only if I can take one too.

While I'm taping something, a *tour* bus passes by, and I figure if a damn tour bus can make it to the top, we probably can too. So we take off, get to the top, and continue on to Natural Bridges National Monument.

UT-261

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Travel the next 40 or so miles through virtually empty road, get to Natural Bridges with the Bikers not far behind. Get a map, and take the park loop. There are really only 3 accessible bridges from the scenic loop, but there's some incredible goosenecks and other rock formations. Extremely desolate here doesn't describe this place. Desolate, arid, hot and sunny might.

Natural Bridges National Monument

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We leave Natural Bridges National Monument, taking a few backroads. We get to the roads that go to Hovenweep, but we had decided earlier not to go there, and end back up on US-160, 5 miles from Four Corners. So I decide we're going to go back there anyway, and take a few pictures.

We decide to get a fry-bread (my favorite Navajo delicacy) and go to one of the stands that surround the monument. The woman who runs the joint was asleep, so we decide to let her sleep and go to another place across the way. Get a sugar/cinnamon fry-bread. Better than funnel cakes. Honest.

Speed down US-160, get to Durango. It's packed, and I don't know why. No reservations at any name brand hotels, and end up at the north side of the city at a place called Alpine Inn. At least there's a BBQ joint two doors down, a decision point for this hotel.

Pass Mesa Verde, and I want to stop in and get a picture of the entrance sign, but decide it's getting late as it is, and I reluctantly pass it by. I wish we had gotten more entrance sign pictures in my early vacations.

Serious Texas BBQ was pretty good, except for the flies, the stingy decor, and the lack of BBQ sauces, but the Brisket and the pork sandwiches were excellent. Got a Steiner Bock with dinner. Pretty good, but not the best.

Alpine Inn wasn't that bad, a fridge and microwave in the room. It was one of those places that still had keys, as opposed to a key card. The fake Peony bush in the corner was tacky, but it was a standard two bed room. Carpet was a little dirty, but the shower was okay. No coffee maker though, and they seem to have run out of hot water in the morning. Room, 4 of 10. Shower, 7 of 10, when we had hot water.

Four Corners / Durango, CO

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End Part 8, Day 12.
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