Day 4 - Tucumcari, NM to Gallup, NM
The sun was still below the horizon when we left the sleepy town of Tucumcari, NM.
Temperature was kind of cool at 58 degrees and it felt a lot cooler on the bikes. We left I-40 and rode on Historic route 66 for as long as it was separated from the highway. It was all ours. I kept wondering what it must have been like in its heyday with other travelers heading their separate ways. I’m sure there was a lot more traffic than we saw. Oh yea… we were usually the only ones on this road.
We ran thru Albuquerque...or rather first rode up a mountain then thru a gap
in the peaks and back down into Albuquerque. The scenery changed every
30 minutes...plains.... valleys...mesas...sand dunes...and back to Red Rock mesas. We rode again on route 66 for over an hour, we were in no rush today.... we made a 5 hour day into an 8 hour adventure. We took our time and saw the sites, riding thru reservations and trying to get a feel for what was around us....
Gallup is a lot larger than Tucumcari. Its kind of a nice place really. Gallup has the feel of a town that wants to grow. There are all kinds of new buildings and roads, but the downtown area seemed to be dying. Storefronts were empty, but when you got over to the highway there were new buildings and construction.
We were as hot today as I remember, there was only one thing on both of our minds…we need beer…Cold Beer…forget the food… Get us beer.
We checked into the hotel, and lo and behold, there was an Applebee’s right next door. As we made our way thru the doors I told the host that we were just going to the bar. He said something that I didn’t quite catch at first. Quinn was already at the bar. Then it hit me what he said…NO ALCHOHOL SALES ON SUNDAY…. Aaaaaahhhhhhhh.. Were going to have the DT’s for sure tonight. The host informed me that we could ride about 15 miles to the reservation and get some beer, but it was too hot… Diet coke and some chips would have to do for now
Knowing that tomorrow we will be riding thru arid deserts. We went to Wal-Mart and loaded up with Gatorade and water for the journey.... According to the weather reports it will be.102 in the shade tomorrow...but we start off in the high 40's.
Cold then hot, realllll hot…But hey, it’s a dry heat…
Day 5 - Gallup NM to Moab, UT
We left Gallup, NM at twilight again.... 5:15 AM...low 50's.... dang it was cold. But it got colder. I had 2 long sleeve shirts on and my leather jacket, Ditto for Quinn...
We cruised and then suddenly the temp would drop 10 to 20 degrees.... then as we mounted a rise it would suddenly get warm and it felt great. Don’t think were crazy but when we talked about it later we both smelled the heat...kind of like the smell off a warming iron or empty dryer. It happened every time the warmth hit.
OK, Bac to the ride. We rode thru the Navajo reservation and turned onto 264 towards Arizona and rode into Window Rock, AZ and took a sort detour at 6 ish and got to see the sacred Navajo site Window Rock.... but alone, without the crowds. Once again we are talking to each other about the scenes before us, and the ride. Dang we are here and there is so much more to see
Off we head towards Chinle, AZ and Canyon de Chelly (de Shay). The ride leaving Window Rock took us up a mountain thru wooded lanes. You could smell the trees, kind of like pine but not exactly, it also had a cedar like scent. I kept imagining the Native Americans thru the ages must have had great hunting. We arrived in Chinle and headed into Canyon De Chelly. Its no wonder it’s a National Park...there is nothing like it anywhere. The Navajo live here so most of the cars we saw were probably the people that lived there. We sure didn't see anyone else. Yep, once again we had a National Park to ourselves.
The Great Tatanka just keeps watching over us. This was an hour and a half at least to take pictures and view the Canyon. You can't see the depth and size in pictures. But it was incredible.
Off we head to Kayenta, AZ. Jon and I had discussed riding on highways with only the road as far as the eye could see. Well, now we were cruising on them. Two Friends, two Harleys and the wide-open flat expanses. We slowed for a turn and the entire earth dropped to our side. It was where we got the first inkling we had been driving on top of a mesa...the valley was thousands of feet below...once again you had to see it to feel it...
As we cruised to what we knew was the end of BIA 59 the first of Monument Valley was before us.
Riding thru Monument Valley makes you feel small... insignificant. The great peaks and open spaces give you an idea how puny we are. But it is friggin awesome. Quinn looked at me at one photo shoot. a big smile on his face and said.” this is so awesome, I've always wanted to do this and here I am. We need to take pictures." And we did.... lots of them.
We finally drove into Utah and Monument Valley and it only got bigger and hotter.
We rode thru Mexican Hat, Blanding and finally our destination, Moab, UT.
We had made it…Went to the Moab Brewery, drank a few pitchers of some great beer and know tomorrow we head on into the Arches National Park.
Today felt like 3 days. The scenery must have changed 100 times. And we know we have more to see.
Wish all our friends were here to enjoy with us.