Day 15

Saturday, 21st June

The long way to 4 Corners and Monument Valley

Outside, this morning, there was both a rabbit and a lizard!

We left after breakfast. Paul decided on today's route and it was a different route to the one I would've chosen, ie, the WRONG route!! Not only did he choose the wrong route, but we first went the wrong way! However the scenery was great, so I couldn't really have any complaints!

Highway 85 might've been scenic, but it didn't get us very far very fast and there were no rest areas anywhere! By the time we got to Chama, we were all bursting to go to the toilet! But there was a Visitor Center there, which offered free internet, free coffee and free TOILETS - blessed relief!

We turned off onto highway 64 and, firstly, stopped at pretty Lake Dulce on the Jicarilla Indian Reservation, before heading off towards Farmington for some lunch. We also bought a tiny coolbox and some ice! We then drove through Shiprock, with its amazing rock structure and Terry went the wrong way and had us, briefly, heading off towards Gallup!!

At the Arizona border, we turned off to 4 Corners Monument and had the usual touristy photos taken! Amazing to be in four states at once (Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado)! It was actually in the middle of absolutely nowhere and incredibly hot!

At Mexican Water, we turned up onto highway 191, so that we could approach Monument Valley from highway 163, past Mexican Hat. It was absolutely STUNNING! You could see the buttes and mesas of the Valley from a long way off and it was all quite breathtaking.

Mexican Hat!

Soon, we were arriving at Gouldings Lodge. At first, they gave us a room with two queen beds, but they were happy to change this to one with a king bed plus sleeper sofa, as we had booked about a year ago! Our room (108) was on the first (ground) floor and was surprisingly quite nice, given that it was the cheapest room of our trip! The view from our balcony was overwhelmingly stunning and we enjoyed sitting outside until sunset. We had a bit of a problem with two crickets who had taken up residence in our room, but, once those were safely sent outside, we settled down for the night.

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[ Introduction ] [ Day 1 ] [ Day 2 ] [ Day 3 ] [ Day 4 ] [ Day 5 ] [ Day 6 ] [ Day 7 ] [ Day 8 ] [ Day 9 ]
[ Day 10 ] [ Day 11 ] [ Day 12 ] [ Day 13 ] [ Day 14 ] [ Day 15 ] [ Day 16 ] [ Day 17 ]
[ Day 18 ] [ Day 19 ] [ Day 20 ] [ Day 21 ] [ Day 22 ] [ Day 23 ] [ Day 24 ] [ Day 25 ] [ Day 26 ]

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