Colorado Cruiser: Utah 2007 Motorcycle Ride

Day 4 - Bluff, Goosenecks, Navajo National Monument

I started the day by working on my Grandmother's swamp cooler. Last fall one of the grandkids winterized the cooler and now she needed it prepared for the summer. She has a very steep tin roof, and my work boots didn't give me enough traction to walk on it. So I wound up climbing onto a shallower portion, then walking carefully up to the peak and crawling over to the cooler.

Well, crawling is far to dignified for what I had to do. Tin roofs have very sharp edges and seams and screw heads sticking up that can easily tear jeans, or flesh. So I wound up putting my hands forward and kind of hopping my knees and legs forward in an awkward leap frog motion. I made my way to the cooler and untied the cover to remove it. I couldn't get to the far side of the cooler so I just had to reach over and around it.

Once I had everything ready I called down for my grandma to turn the water on. She called back that the line was physically disconnected from the house. So I had to twist around and leap frog back over and climb back down. I hooked up the water then checked that the fan and pump switches were connected and opened up the inside vents. I climbed back up and frogged over. I'd left the plug out so I could wash out any dust. I cleaned it then saw that the plug was on the far side. I had to stick my head inside and read around and under the cage and barely managed to get the plug. I really didn't want to have to go down to get another tool to reach it.

I plugged the drain and waited for the cooler to fill. Everything worked so I closed it all up and started going down. Just about the time I was getting off, my Aunt and Uncle showed up and my Aunt said "Get back up there and I'll take a picture." I held my tongue and my opinion of that idea to myself.

I said all my goodbyes and hugged my Grandma, gassed up the bike, called my wife, called my daughter, then turned the bike South and headed for Bluff.

My great great grandfather was a part of the group that settled Bluff. They crossed Southern Utah from Cedar City, and at one point they had to cross a Canyon by tacking a road to the side of a cliff. It was called the Hole in the Rock. When they arrived at Bluff they made a fort and that spot how has one of the original cabins so I stopped by and take pictures.

In one corner of the area are the remains of a large red stone home. It's the home my great great grandfather eventually built, and it's the place my grandfather was born. I spent a while looking through the remains and taking pictures.

Yesterday while I was at Natural Bridges there were 2 ladies that I kept coming across. It got to be a joke when we'd find ourselves at the same overlook over and over again. One time I even went for a hike, then sat for about 45 minutes relaxing. When I drove on to the next overlook, there they were.

So imagine my suprise when I walk back towards my bike and these same 2 ladies pull up. I explained about my family history there, and a bit about how Bluff was settled then headed off.

I rode down near Mexican Hat and turned off to go to the Goosenecks. That's an area where the river wound back and forth so tight that it nearly loops back on itself. It was another really peaceful spot so I took another 30 minute break just to sit and admire the views.

I continued down towards Monument Valley. The clouds started to thicken and the wind picked up. When I crossed into Arizona I stopped to get a picture of the sign. A group of about 5 bikers pulled up across the road to get pictures of the Utah sign. They looked very wet and dirty. I called over to ask what happened and they said that Monument Valley had a major rain storm going. So I opted not to drive over to the visitor center.

In Kayenta I gassed up and asked a local where I could find a good Navajo Taco. He pointed me back up the road 1 mile to a cafe right beside a hotel. Their Navajo Taco was great. The fry bread covered the whole plate and was filled with chili, tomatos, lettuce, and onions.

I turned West toward page, and about 30 miles out of Kayenta I saw signs about the Navajo National Monument. I didn't even know there was a Navajo Monument, so I turned right and rode the 9 miles to see it. There was a scenic overlook just as I entered the monument, and I watched car after car drive past it, but I went down to look. It was a beautiful view with a nice short path leading to it. I was tempted to ride the bike down and get a picture, but I avoided the temptation.

I hiked down from the visitor center so look across the canyon at a cliff dwelling. It was a spectacular view.

I continued riding to Page, then stopped at a Jack In The Box to drink a milkshake and eat some onion rings. We don't have Jack in Colorado. Then I rode on to Kanab where I was meating friends.

Just as I was nearing the hotel I see my friends on the sidewalk calling to me. They had just arrived as well and were about to go find dinner. So I quickly checked in and offloaded then we walked through town to a BBQ place. On the way back we stopped in a western store and I found a nice foldable cowboy hat. I've been needing a hat to wear while walking around, both to keep the sun off, and to cover my helmet hair.

So now I have a black cownboy hat wear around.

Grandmother's roof AFTER I finished working on the cooler

My grandma and I in front of her garden.

In front of Grandma's and ready to go

Dropping down off of White Mesa

Gap down into Bluff

The twins in Bluff. Years ago they were triplets but someone took dynamite and blew one up.

One of the original cabins from Bluff. They built a bunch of them in a square, all facing in to form a fort.

The remains of my Great Great Grandpa's home

The plaque next to the burned home

Another view of the interior of the home.

Another view, and one of the 2 ladies I kept meeting. I didn't realize I'd never taken a picture of them.

Going down another gap in the same escarpment I passed through to get to Natural Bridges, just 40 miles farther south. (Is escarpment the right term? Upheaval? Lift?)