Mexican Hat
We left Moab at about 8.00am for Mexican Hat another beautie day , approx 50kms south of Moab, we called into see the Needles Nat Park (another Canyon View ) . It was 30mls off the road and was looking back to Deadhorse Point , still what a great view and a very dramatic land scape .
Next was the Moki Dugway .
From the top looking down it was quite an amazing picture of all the Valley below but the road was not quite as had been portrayed, but still amazing as the Photo will show . It was approx 3miles to the bottom on a very steep switchback road (it was all metal but easy riding ) . Mexican Hat (as the photo shows , this is how it got its name )was just a little service town originally formed to service a mine at the top of the Gugway ( this is why the road was formed , so the trucks could bring the ore down to Mexican Hat) . We saw a snake scurry by our bike while we were having a cupa Tea late in the arvo out side our Motel .
Just before sun set we went out to investigate the Goose Neck and the Valley of the Gods , the Goose Neck was a a series of switchbacks in the San Juan river (the most in the Northern hemisphere ) again well worth a look . I think there were 4 twists in the river in a very short distance . The Valley of the Gods was more very dramatic rock formations , not unlike those back in the Arches Nat park in Moab , so some of the wow factor was starting to wane a little , but still very beautiful .
Monument Valley
Monument Valley was only a Short ride from Mexican Hat , I was a little disappointed as my expectations were very high . Again they were great but probably not as dramatic as some of the other rock formations we had seen . We had to pay $25-00 to go see the ones that are in all the movies as they are over a hill and can't be seen from the road , there was a 17km drive around these rock formations . We attempted to ride around them but after about 1 km I though that it was far to rough for the Strom , with just to many huge rocks sticking up from the road . We bottomed out about 4 times and could see that it was not worth damaging the bike for something that we had all ready seem for the last 4 days .
The Grand Canyon
We arrived a bit late in the day and were luck to get accommodation , but we did and quite reasonable . We were up at 4.00am the next day for a 4 hr Hike down and back (not all the way down, that takes 2 days) to see the sun rise through the Canyon , it was very pretty with heaps of colour and well worth the effort . For the rest of the day we walked all of the rim that was excessable on the path provided . They have done a great job of the whole set up in the park including accommodation services etc . The Canyon is 10 to 14 miles wide and 1 mile deep down to the Colorado River.
As for the Canyon itself, well I think that the photos will say it all, Mind blowing is all I can say , and what a great chance to have run into Eminem cutting a new track for this new album called" Cruzin on a V V Strom" . he told me not to tell anyone so, don't tell any one you have seen it , i think it's going to be a Number 1 . Sorry guys im not able to down load the song ,the computer won't do it for some reason (bugger you are so unlucky).
Vegas (approx 500kms)
The ride to Vegas was all through very dry and hard land and bloody hot approx 103 deg F , we stopped at petrol stations and wet our Tee shirts to keep us cool . We both wear Ice breaker Tee shirts which are Marino wool and excellent for biking , they can keep you warm in the cold and keep you cool in the heat , they are get to travel with . WE also rode a bit of the old highway 66 through Williams Arizona an old town now being made famous for the road that runs through it
Drama
Well on the way to Vegas I pulled of the main Hiway to get some gas at some little back wash (approx 4 mls from the main road ) and was following another car at approx 55mils hr. When next thing a Sheriff comes screaming up behind me (Ruth was under a tree having a cold coke aways back ) and yells on this mega phone "PULL OVER , PULL OVER" . Well I shit myself and pulled over thinking what the bloody hell does he want . He pulls up beside me and says "HEY YOU JUST WAIT THERE" out his window . And bugger me if he isn't screaming off down the road with his lights going and chasing the car I was following . He pulls the the other car over about a mile down the road , and I can see him get out of the car . So I'm standing in 103degs ( with all my gear on ) thinkin what the hell am I goin to do now, Ruth is 3 miles down the road under a tree and I'm goin to gaol , or I'm going to die of heat exhaustion before this prick comes back . After a couple of minutes I say to myself bugger this and ride on up to him, givin the other guy a ticket and say "whats the problem" . With that he rushes over and says "you were speeding" . I said "no way I was only doin 45mls hr" and he says" yeah and the speed limit through here is 25kms hr" ( I don't see any bloody sign ) .Anyway he had to tell me to go because he saw already givin the other guy a ticket . If I had of waited the little prick would have givin me a ticket too I bet (hell I was only 20mpr over ) . He was only a young guy and over excited with his job i think and the big sheriff badge on his little chest. And I was lucky to get away with that one I think.
WE are in Vegas for 4 nights and then down to Tuscon (and a new back tyre , its not buggered yet but better to get one now I think )and then Mexico . And the real fun will start
Photos
1. Ruth and the Strom on Highway 66 Williams Arizona
2/3 The Grand Canyon
4 Monument Valley
5 Mexician Hat - this is just out of town and you can see how it got its name
6 The Goose Neck this is just 1 of the switches .
7 The Moki Gugway
8 A veiw from the Needles , not far from Moab
