June 28, 2011
- Monument Valley |
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We got an early start, loaded up the plane, and took off for Monument
Valley. Our route from Gallup took us right over Canyon De Chelly
again. When we arrived at Monument Valley, it was a hazy, unusual
for the west.
After years of dreaming, I finally see it! My first sight of
Monument Valley.
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Flying over some of the famous buttes
enroute to the airport. |
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| We crossed over
Monument Valley, which really is like a valley, and arrived
overhead Monument Valley Airport (UT25). The airport is privately
owned by Goulding Lodge, but I had gotten prior permission
to land. Monument Valley straddles the
Arizona-Utah border so I honestly didn't know what state I was
in! |
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On Base leg, landing to the
south. For obvious reasons, landings are always to the south and
takeoffs to the north at this airport. |
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Overhead Gouldings Lodge. |
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| We could see the
RV from our room balcony. |
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| We also had this view.
Not too bad! |
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The big red wall behind the
lodge.
Gouldings Lodge has an interesting
history. Harry and Leone (Mike) Goulding started the trading
post in the 1920s. The depression and drought hit hard during
the mid-30s, but in 1938 Harry Goulding heard they were looking for
someplace to film a western movie, drove to Los Angeles, somehow got in to
see John Ford who ended up shooting seven fims in Monument Valley
over the next 25 years. Gradually the trading post was transformed
into a lodge. A motel was built in the 1950s. The
Gouldings sold the lodge in 1963, but it has continued on to what it is
today. Here is a good story on the Valley and
Gouldings: Link
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The Lodge has a Dining Room that
serves huge portions, swimming pool, museum, gift shop,and
airfield. The view is not bad
either!
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Gouldings had a number of different tours available. My original plan was to take
the four hour tour of Monument Valley in the afternoon, but we got
there early enough to do the eight hour full day tour of Monument
and the adjoining Mystery Valley to the south. All the other tourists
were doing the four hour tour, so it was just Lynnette
and I on the hour tour with our Navajo guide Robert.
We started out in an open air bus, but they
decided to move us into a passenger van. At first I was a little disappointed, but
I was soon very happy to be int he air conditioned van! After a
short stint on an asphalt road, it was back on a sandy, bumpy road
just like the previous day in Canyon De Chelly. We spent the first
half of the tour in Mystery Valley which we really enjoyed. |
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We were able to stop, take pictures, and
climb around whenever we saw something interesting. This is Skull
Rock. |
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| Looking down from
Skull Rock at Lynnette and the Van. |
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| As you can see,
Mystery Valley is very scenic. |
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| Just like at Canyon
De Chelly, there were cliff dwellings pretty much wherever there was an
overhaning cliff. |
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Lynnette and Robert climbed up to give
one of the dwellings a closer look. |
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| Some of the local
wildlife. |
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There were numerous arches. |
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| We drove into one
of the canyons and Robert grilled some burgers for lunch. It was a
nice, peaceful area. |
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| Leaving Mystery Valley and heading for Monument
Valley. |
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Donkeys have the right of way. |
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| Now we are in
Monument Valley. |
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| These two buttes are
called the Mittens. |
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| Most of the tours are conducted in these open air trucks. |
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Lynnette posing in front of one of the
Mittens. |
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| It's easy to take
a good picture in Monument Valley. |
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| A herd of sheep
strolled by. |
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They call this formation the Three
Sisters which Lynnette liked since she is one of three
sisters. |
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| I'm sure this view
has been in a movie or two. |
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| They call this one
"The Eye" |
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This gigantic rock was too big for my
camera. |
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| Another arch. |
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After winding around buttes and
weaving in and out of canyons, I totally lost my sense of
direction. |
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| The famous "Totem
Pole". Both Clint Eastwood and George Kennedy were filmed on
top of the Totem Pole in the movie Eiger Sanction but it has been
off-limits to climbers since then. |
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| Big Sand
Dune. |
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| It can get a
little dicey driving in the sand! |
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Driving back from Monument Valley, we passed the high school football
field which was unusual for two reasons. First, it was the only
green grass I'd seen the entire day. And second, there were cows
grazing on it! |
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We had a nice dinner at the Lodge Dining Room and enjoyed watching the
sunset to conclude a very nice day. |
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