The drive from Bryce to Bluff City, Utah, is about 300 miles through canyon country. We left Torrey and drove back UT 95 to Bluff City, our next base of operation. It was time to do some serious hiking.
In August we had left Bluff due to rainy weather, which prevented backcountry driving. The night of the 24th it rained for hours. So much for the annual 7 inches of rain in Bluff. The campground owner said it was an unusual season.
Tuesday, rather than wasting a day, we drove to Monument Valley, movie director John Ford's favorite movie location, in addition to Professor Valley near Moab. On the way there we passed "Mexican Hat" rock
along the San Juan River. OK, it's a bit cheesy but why not detour to get a fun shot.
John Wayne crossed the river near here in one of his westerns.
Running alongside the San Juan at this location is "Lime Ridge." The red ridges of the butte look like a serpent
and, in fact, form part of Navajo mythology about a serpent mountain. We were entering the enormous Navajo reservation in northern Arizona.
Anyone can see photos of Monument Valley taken by professionals when the sky is pure blue. We were privileged to photograph it on a very overcast day.
As we approached the park, crazy Germans were standing in the middle of the road taking photographs--like this one.
Before entering the park, we had to stop at Goulding's Trading Post, used as a movie set in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" and "Fort Apache." This was John Wayne's headquarters in Fort Apache.
Wayne's World again. Janet got to ride in the stagecoach,
or at least stand next to it. These pictures took patience to get, since we had to wait for the crowds from the tour buses to clear the area in order to get them.
Monument Valley is run by Navajos. There is a nice Navajo historical museum there, in addition to an enormous souvenir shop and restaurant. The road through the valley is rough, unpaved, and crawling with tour vehicles from Goulding's and other agencies.
Nonetheless, it is a fun place for photography. These are the East and West Mittens,
which I prefer to call right and left mittens, which Janet needed given that it was a bit chilly.
The most famous viewpoint in the Valley is "John Ford Point" (really).
That's the Marlboro Man standing at the point.
Actually, it was a young Navajo who came riding back in order to get his photo taken by tourists for a fee.
I guess I should have given him something, but he did alright for himself.
The place was jammed with Navajo stands and crowds of visitors. Janet especially liked the young Frenchmen who got into the American Western spirit by purchasing coonskin hats.
I thought they looked like French Canadian fur traders who had lost their way.
Monument Valley is loaded with photogenic spots, like the "totem pole."
As the sun set, we were able to find some unusual viewpoints.
The Navajo are justly proud of this land. It is part of a sacred landscape that they believe is alive and in motion, like the wind.
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