Monument Valley

So after the epic Telluride to Albuquerque to Gallup to Pinion trip, I finished off the day with a 30 mile dirt road trip that took me past the Black Mesa Coal Mine (very controversial place on reservation, look it up on Wikipedia) and then to Monument Valley where I have been "camped" for the last 2 nights.

Monument Valley is a beautiful spot. Its much more photogenic than it really is hospitable to people. There is a top notch Navajo trading post, which is the first one I have seen of this caliber. Attached is a hotel and an overpriced restaurant with a great view. Meanwhile over here at the campground its just a big dusty parking lot for RV's with a few ledges below for a tent or two. After driving around all over the place on the reservation, I have finally intersected with the Euro-tourists. 90+ % are living out one of two fantasies: A) drive around America in an US sized RV (not that Westfalia crap they have at home) or B) rent a Harley, form a bike gang and do the West. These bike gangs even have their home country flags flying on the antennae of the two tail riders. Its funny as hell seeing german tourists trying to look like the Hells Angel's and their wives done up like biker chicks.

Navajo public radio: Local news in Navajo, BBC Worldwide for international and NPR for national news at the top of the hour and half hour. The rest of the time is filled with Navajo chants and straight up white country music hits. The chants are cool though.

So its Memorial Day weekend and I seem to be the only one aware of it. The Europeans have no idea what I'm talking about and the retiree set can't seem to agree on when it falls. Either way, I recognize this might be the first weekend of headaches as I continue to check out the sights in Northern AZ and Southern UT. I'm going to try to go check out an unmapped canyon called Blue Canyon today.

Max is well and I could use a shower, but aside from that everything is going well.