Monday 25 Sept
Overnight at Green River
336 miles
So we set off from SLC as the weather got better on a fine and sunny morning - but Mike still had to defrost the car before we left!
First of all - coffee while Mike got petrol. So many choices, so little time!.
The mountains were beautiful and a lot of snow had fallen on them overnight - very pretty in the sunshine!
The journey down to our next stop at Green River was lovely and very picturesque. It was quite strange because the sun was shining brightly and the temperature in the car read just above freezing - but we had the air con on!
We arrived at our accommodation quite early but decided to call in and see if our room was ready before continuing on to Goblin Valley state park. The man who came to reception quite surprised as he appeared round the corner with a huge shock of white hair and a tatty sort of t shirt and no shoes - looking quite scary and Neanderthal!
But he was lovely and sorted out our room out whilst throwing back a teatowel to show a batch of blueberry muffins he'd made. So we drank coffee and ate muffins while the girl went off to finish the room cleaning.
Neanderthal Wayne gave us directions for a couple of places we'd asked about and we popped the luggage in the room and set off for Goblin Valley. I was really pleased to be going here as it was somewhere I'd remembered from conversations with Mandi, Jared and Siobhan two years previously.
It was worth the wait!
The road to the park was very straight - about 20 miles of very straight! Right through the San Rafael desert.
We decided to go from here to the Sego Valley where there was a deserted town and some petroglyphs.
There wasn't a lot of the old town left to see apart from a few bits of buildings and a rusted car which may or may not have been anything to do with it! But it was interesting to see the bits of bridges still standing over the dried up river bed.
And the petroglyphs were really interesting although sadly, some had been defaced.
A lovely sunset as we drove back.
Tuesday 26 Sept
Overnight in Monticello
157 miles
Decided to go to Arches NP with a view to maybe doing something else later. Hadn't realised quite how big this park was (about 20 miles from one end to the other with numerous turn offs that you just have to visit as well lol...) so we ended up staying here all day and walking about 7 miles!
The Arches was such a big park that we ended up spending all day there and setting off at 7pm to make our way to Monticello. All was going well until about 5 minutes from our destination when a deer shot out in front of the car. Neither of us saw it but we heard a sickening thud and I saw the back of the deer and some hooves and legs on the windscreen while Mike had the bum end in front of him.
And then it was gone! We didn't see what happened to it and Mike kept on driving. The car behind us didn't seem to swerve or stop.
In the motel they were very matter of fact, telling us that it happens all the time. It didn't need to be reported and we did the right thing in not stopping. But we did need to tell the car hire people as the front headlight had been smashed out, the bonnet had antler or hoof marks across it and it was buckled.
After several phone calls (of course no one was available at that time of night) it was left that Dan (or someone?) would phone the nearest car rental place when it opened at 11am - which was Moab airport to see what cars they had. This was halfway back to where we had been the previous day!!
Wednesday 27 Sept
Overnight at Monument Valley
241 miles
After discussing it Mike and I decided that we would preempt things by taking the car back there by 11am otherwise we would be wasting another couple of hours and our next stop was in totally the opposite direction. So we were up early and Mike drove the car very gingerly (with no lights through heavy rain!) to the airport - 70 miles - only to be told that no-one came there unless they had an appointment and that we needed to go to Moab - 20 miles back!!
Long story short - we eventually got the only car they had - a 7 seater Dodge and set off again back on our journey for the third time! So another 100 miles to go - plus the 70 minus the 20 we'd gone back on ourselves...
So it was goodbye to our little SoMo car and hello to the black monster - and another quick car driving learning curve for Mike!
We were heading to Monument Valley to spend the night in a tent. It was windy, raining and cold. Even so it was lovely to see these huge shapes appearing out of the mist!
We eventually got to the tent and bundled everything inside wondering what were we doing!
We put more clothes on and ate. Then the wind dropped, the tent stopped shaking, the rain abated and a rainbow appeared! Quite magical.
Loo with a view!
View from the loo - how good was this?!
There was a glorious, stormy evening sky.
A cold night but we were quite cosy.
Thursday 28 Sept
Overnight at Holbrook
289 miles
Mike unzipped the window to a beautiful sunny view!.. and bundled up to set off for the trek to the toilet.
The skies had cleared and we woke up to sunshine - which unfortunately didn't last as we went round monument valley.
As we hadn't been able to tour Monument Valley the previous evening we decided to make the most of driving the huge black 4 x 4 monster and take ourselves round.
That was fine until we reached the part where the road was flooded and had to turn round. But at least it answered why everyone was going the wrong way round the one way system!
Onwards to Holbrook. Long journey.
Out to the Petrified Forest NP.
Part of the old route 66 ran through here.
More petroglyphs - called the Newspaper as it did look like a full page of hieroglyphics type print!!
Lots of petrified logs - well it was a forest!
Friday 29 Sept
Williams (3 nights)
256 miles
Off to Williams today but via Flagstaff airport to change the hire car again as the 7 seater Dodge is a gas guzzler and a bit too big for us!
First stop was at a trading post called Geronimo's.
Then we moved on to Winslow to do a bit of standing on the corner! There were several other couples there all doing the same thing and an American get said to me 'look at us - all around the same age, wonder why!'
Then off to Flagstaff airport to see what cars they had there. Not pleased to find that we'd need to wait another hour while they went to pick one up for us which had been having an oil change. Part of the reason that the Dodge was being traded in was that it needed an oil change which we would have had to sort if we kept it!
After a few minutes the man came to find us to say that a car had just been returned and that they would do a quick valet. So once again we transferred all the luggage and once again we were off!
We had decided that we would drive to Sedona as Siobhan had recommended it. Two minutes later we were stuck at the head of a queue in roadworks!!
So within five minutes of getting into another new car Mike was once again on a very quick learning curve!
A lovely drive.
We arrived in Williams, dumped our bags and went to look for food.
Saturday 30 Sept
100 miles
A trip to the south rim Grand canyon.
There was a cycle race going on - we passed about 400 pedalling madly away from the canyon. Think the idea was to beat the train back!
There is a beautiful walking trail along the rim and the weather was great for walking.
Saw an elk and some deer in the trees at the side of the trail. Those elks are HUGE!
Sunday 1 Oct
161 miles
Busy morning - washing started in the laundromat, went to see Grand Canyon train before it set off, had steak and eggs for breakfast then went to fetch dried washing! Oh and handed in a set of car keys which someone had dropped near a car which Mike had spotted. One relieved lady!!
Breakfast. Steak and eggs. Mike was very happy!
Our breakfast was in the same place that Siobhan and I had visited two years previously with the same sheriff in attendance!
Then a trip along route 66 towards Peach Springs.
Funny signs...
Grand canyon caves. Nice to see but such a shame as they have destroyed loads in making them a tourist attraction.
Bit of tourist shopping then a quick pint and a photo with the sheriff before eating - same man from two years previously!
Overnight at Green River
336 miles
So we set off from SLC as the weather got better on a fine and sunny morning - but Mike still had to defrost the car before we left!
First of all - coffee while Mike got petrol. So many choices, so little time!.
The mountains were beautiful and a lot of snow had fallen on them overnight - very pretty in the sunshine!
The journey down to our next stop at Green River was lovely and very picturesque. It was quite strange because the sun was shining brightly and the temperature in the car read just above freezing - but we had the air con on!
We arrived at our accommodation quite early but decided to call in and see if our room was ready before continuing on to Goblin Valley state park. The man who came to reception quite surprised as he appeared round the corner with a huge shock of white hair and a tatty sort of t shirt and no shoes - looking quite scary and Neanderthal!
But he was lovely and sorted out our room out whilst throwing back a teatowel to show a batch of blueberry muffins he'd made. So we drank coffee and ate muffins while the girl went off to finish the room cleaning.
Neanderthal Wayne gave us directions for a couple of places we'd asked about and we popped the luggage in the room and set off for Goblin Valley. I was really pleased to be going here as it was somewhere I'd remembered from conversations with Mandi, Jared and Siobhan two years previously.
It was worth the wait!
The road to the park was very straight - about 20 miles of very straight! Right through the San Rafael desert.
We decided to go from here to the Sego Valley where there was a deserted town and some petroglyphs.
There wasn't a lot of the old town left to see apart from a few bits of buildings and a rusted car which may or may not have been anything to do with it! But it was interesting to see the bits of bridges still standing over the dried up river bed.
And the petroglyphs were really interesting although sadly, some had been defaced.
A lovely sunset as we drove back.
Tuesday 26 Sept
Overnight in Monticello
157 miles
Decided to go to Arches NP with a view to maybe doing something else later. Hadn't realised quite how big this park was (about 20 miles from one end to the other with numerous turn offs that you just have to visit as well lol...) so we ended up staying here all day and walking about 7 miles!
The Arches was such a big park that we ended up spending all day there and setting off at 7pm to make our way to Monticello. All was going well until about 5 minutes from our destination when a deer shot out in front of the car. Neither of us saw it but we heard a sickening thud and I saw the back of the deer and some hooves and legs on the windscreen while Mike had the bum end in front of him.
And then it was gone! We didn't see what happened to it and Mike kept on driving. The car behind us didn't seem to swerve or stop.
In the motel they were very matter of fact, telling us that it happens all the time. It didn't need to be reported and we did the right thing in not stopping. But we did need to tell the car hire people as the front headlight had been smashed out, the bonnet had antler or hoof marks across it and it was buckled.
After several phone calls (of course no one was available at that time of night) it was left that Dan (or someone?) would phone the nearest car rental place when it opened at 11am - which was Moab airport to see what cars they had. This was halfway back to where we had been the previous day!!
Wednesday 27 Sept
Overnight at Monument Valley
241 miles
After discussing it Mike and I decided that we would preempt things by taking the car back there by 11am otherwise we would be wasting another couple of hours and our next stop was in totally the opposite direction. So we were up early and Mike drove the car very gingerly (with no lights through heavy rain!) to the airport - 70 miles - only to be told that no-one came there unless they had an appointment and that we needed to go to Moab - 20 miles back!!
Long story short - we eventually got the only car they had - a 7 seater Dodge and set off again back on our journey for the third time! So another 100 miles to go - plus the 70 minus the 20 we'd gone back on ourselves...
So it was goodbye to our little SoMo car and hello to the black monster - and another quick car driving learning curve for Mike!
We were heading to Monument Valley to spend the night in a tent. It was windy, raining and cold. Even so it was lovely to see these huge shapes appearing out of the mist!
We eventually got to the tent and bundled everything inside wondering what were we doing!
We put more clothes on and ate. Then the wind dropped, the tent stopped shaking, the rain abated and a rainbow appeared! Quite magical.
View from the loo - how good was this?!
There was a glorious, stormy evening sky.
A cold night but we were quite cosy.
Overnight at Holbrook
289 miles
Mike unzipped the window to a beautiful sunny view!.. and bundled up to set off for the trek to the toilet.
The skies had cleared and we woke up to sunshine - which unfortunately didn't last as we went round monument valley.
As we hadn't been able to tour Monument Valley the previous evening we decided to make the most of driving the huge black 4 x 4 monster and take ourselves round.
That was fine until we reached the part where the road was flooded and had to turn round. But at least it answered why everyone was going the wrong way round the one way system!
Out to the Petrified Forest NP.
Part of the old route 66 ran through here.
Lots of petrified logs - well it was a forest!
Friday 29 Sept
Williams (3 nights)
256 miles
Off to Williams today but via Flagstaff airport to change the hire car again as the 7 seater Dodge is a gas guzzler and a bit too big for us!
First stop was at a trading post called Geronimo's.
Then we moved on to Winslow to do a bit of standing on the corner! There were several other couples there all doing the same thing and an American get said to me 'look at us - all around the same age, wonder why!'
Then off to Flagstaff airport to see what cars they had there. Not pleased to find that we'd need to wait another hour while they went to pick one up for us which had been having an oil change. Part of the reason that the Dodge was being traded in was that it needed an oil change which we would have had to sort if we kept it!
After a few minutes the man came to find us to say that a car had just been returned and that they would do a quick valet. So once again we transferred all the luggage and once again we were off!
We had decided that we would drive to Sedona as Siobhan had recommended it. Two minutes later we were stuck at the head of a queue in roadworks!!
So within five minutes of getting into another new car Mike was once again on a very quick learning curve!
A lovely drive.
Saturday 30 Sept
100 miles
A trip to the south rim Grand canyon.
There was a cycle race going on - we passed about 400 pedalling madly away from the canyon. Think the idea was to beat the train back!
There is a beautiful walking trail along the rim and the weather was great for walking.
Saw an elk and some deer in the trees at the side of the trail. Those elks are HUGE!
Sunday 1 Oct
161 miles
Busy morning - washing started in the laundromat, went to see Grand Canyon train before it set off, had steak and eggs for breakfast then went to fetch dried washing! Oh and handed in a set of car keys which someone had dropped near a car which Mike had spotted. One relieved lady!!
Our breakfast was in the same place that Siobhan and I had visited two years previously with the same sheriff in attendance!
Then a trip along route 66 towards Peach Springs.
Funny signs...
Grand canyon caves. Nice to see but such a shame as they have destroyed loads in making them a tourist attraction.
Bit of tourist shopping then a quick pint and a photo with the sheriff before eating - same man from two years previously!
