After spending a quiet evening knocking back a few brews, catching up
with the lunar cycle and going to sleep in the hammock to the sound of
flowing water; i was pumped to ride through Monument valley where Hopper
and Fonda had laid the foundation years back. Those mounds of dirt
beaten by time weren't just sights to see but signified the freedom i
dreamed off! Waking bright an early and breaking camp as quickly as
possible we hit the road and soon enough the valley was within sight. My
first look was one of those moments i was still getting accustomed to
where emotions build and rise from the pit of the stomach and quickly
overwhelm the mind. Sadly the actual valley looked nothing like what it
must have looked like in it's hay day. Instead it was overrun with
tourist attractions and firework native side stands. We didn't bother to
ride into the valley road and just made our way through the place
snapping few shots and heading towards Kayenta and Tuba city to hook up
with the road leading to Grand canyon. Going through the Navajo
reservation was sad to say the least and i'll get back to that later on.
We made it to Grand canyon that same day shortly before sunset and getting my first glimpse at the canyon in late light with a light fog hovering over the walls was simply indescribable. We both snapped a round of shots and headed into the park being chased by the dark into the most expensive town i had been through. Tusayan! Settling in the cheapest motel in town we decided to stay for two days to fully explore the scenic beauty of the area. This place would prove to drain my wallet faster than i cared for but it was after all Grand Canyon! The next morning we woke before sunrise to catch the magic happen in the canyon. We choose to go our separate ways and thankfully for most of our time at the canyon it followed the same. After two amazing days at the canyon chasing sunrises and sunsets it was time to finally head south. Just like in Moab the other guy chose a dirt path out of Tusayan and into Flagstaff which was suppost to be fun.
The beginning of the ride was scenic and fun double track through pine forests. Not half way into it dodging sharp large sized boulders and fighting foot deep ruts was the norm. The other guy was nowhere to be seen and I might as well have been riding by myself. After a few dirt naps, a set of destroyed highway pegs and a sore knee I was looking forward to pavement and wondering wtf I was doing. When our route crossed 180, an easy paved two lane which headed straight into Flagstaff I took the easy way out. I caught some lip from the other guy and gave some back after all I had no commitments and this was my trip. I decided to follow my gut and avoid any more damage to my overloaded bike and hit the tar. He set on his way and continued down the boulder fest by himself.
It’s funny how sometimes things just work them selfs out. As soon as I hit the pavement I felt relieved to be riding at my own pace, taking in the scenery and actually enjoying my journey. Not long after hitting 180 I saw a sign for a hike to a small peak which looked interesting swung a u turn and followed the gut. The hike was peaceful and the area stunning. After hiking up some old lava formations and sitting down for a snack everything came together and my decision was made. Alone again it shall be!
After pulling into Flagstaff and grabbing a bite to eat I met up again with said rider and broke the news. I had arranged for us both to couch surf that night and the next morning we finally parted ways. To say the relief was huge would be an understatement. I headed east out of flagstaff towards window rock where I’d meet up with some guys I had met previously in Moab…
We made it to Grand canyon that same day shortly before sunset and getting my first glimpse at the canyon in late light with a light fog hovering over the walls was simply indescribable. We both snapped a round of shots and headed into the park being chased by the dark into the most expensive town i had been through. Tusayan! Settling in the cheapest motel in town we decided to stay for two days to fully explore the scenic beauty of the area. This place would prove to drain my wallet faster than i cared for but it was after all Grand Canyon! The next morning we woke before sunrise to catch the magic happen in the canyon. We choose to go our separate ways and thankfully for most of our time at the canyon it followed the same. After two amazing days at the canyon chasing sunrises and sunsets it was time to finally head south. Just like in Moab the other guy chose a dirt path out of Tusayan and into Flagstaff which was suppost to be fun.
The beginning of the ride was scenic and fun double track through pine forests. Not half way into it dodging sharp large sized boulders and fighting foot deep ruts was the norm. The other guy was nowhere to be seen and I might as well have been riding by myself. After a few dirt naps, a set of destroyed highway pegs and a sore knee I was looking forward to pavement and wondering wtf I was doing. When our route crossed 180, an easy paved two lane which headed straight into Flagstaff I took the easy way out. I caught some lip from the other guy and gave some back after all I had no commitments and this was my trip. I decided to follow my gut and avoid any more damage to my overloaded bike and hit the tar. He set on his way and continued down the boulder fest by himself.
It’s funny how sometimes things just work them selfs out. As soon as I hit the pavement I felt relieved to be riding at my own pace, taking in the scenery and actually enjoying my journey. Not long after hitting 180 I saw a sign for a hike to a small peak which looked interesting swung a u turn and followed the gut. The hike was peaceful and the area stunning. After hiking up some old lava formations and sitting down for a snack everything came together and my decision was made. Alone again it shall be!
After pulling into Flagstaff and grabbing a bite to eat I met up again with said rider and broke the news. I had arranged for us both to couch surf that night and the next morning we finally parted ways. To say the relief was huge would be an understatement. I headed east out of flagstaff towards window rock where I’d meet up with some guys I had met previously in Moab…
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