Road to Monument Valley
When I was setting up the map the night before, I accidentally marked the stop for Gooseneck Canyon about 20 miles south... So that led me about an hour out of my way towards Oljeto. Fortunately it was a nice drive, and I was actually able to stop and climb a small hill to the base of a cliff, something you definitely can't do at Monument Valley itself.
Monument Valley
Monument Valley is the most memorable vista in the southwest, it's been in many movies and has come to symbolize the "wild west". The paved road from the highway only takes you to the visitor center, which has an excellent overlook of the valley. They offer tours in their big 4wd trucks, but I thought I'd see how far I could make it in the Mini. If I got stuck, at least there were tour groups that could help me out :) The road ended up being in pretty good condition, it helped that the place was pretty empty so that I could drive all over the road to find the smoothest line.
I couldn't resist the classic highway shot :)
Mexican Hat
Mexican Hat, Utah is a city next to a famous balancing rock. There's also a nuclear waste dump. The leftover tailings from the Mexican Hat Mill Site which processed Uranium. There are now 4.4 million tons of radioactive material covering 72 acres. I took a dosimeter along with me, it went up far faster than I've ever seen it go... I stayed there for just long enough to take the photos and then got the fuck out of there.
Gooseneck Canyon
Gooseneck Canyon is just north of Mexican Hat. The guide book said it was a gravel road, but it was paved all the way to the overlook.
Mokee Dugway
The Mokee Dugway is a giant cliff face that has a road switchbacking up it. Near the top I stopped at a turnout to take a photo and I noticed another Canon owner. He recommended that I go to the top of the road, take the dirt, snow covered road about 5 miles out. A great view of Monument Valley awaited me! So I took his advice. The Mini handled great, as long as I didn't try to accelerate, brake, or turn. Fortunately the snow ended before the road did, and I made it with no problem. On the way out I passed a Land Rover whose passengers all had their mouths hanging open. I guess they thought they had to buy a $90,000 off road vehicle to go where a mini can go!
Well
I was trying to avoid taking highways all trip, so when it came time to go to Four Corners I decided to take a smaller local road. I stopped off and ran over to a rock outcropping hoping to get a nice shot of the valley, but on that rock I think I found a well. I dropped a rock down it and it echoed for quite a while before a loud bang at the end echoed up the pipe. Most likely it was an old water well sunk right through the rock.
Video: Echos from the pipe
Four Corners
My first time in Colorado! I didn't make it very far, but Four Corners is a unique spot in the US. The only place you can be in four states at once.
Ship Rock
South of there, on the way back to I-40, is a 1800 foot rise called Ship Rock. There was a quick turnout off the highway, but unfortunately they had put some power lines in the way. The pollution is clearly evident from the Four Corners Power Plant. From The Durango Herald it is one of the largest coal plants in the US, powering about 300,000 homes. Much of the coal comes from that coal mine I had visited the day before.
I-40 Home
Right at sunset I got to the I-40 right at the New Mexico and Arizona state line. I made it all the way to Flagstaff before stopping, then came down with a cold that night.
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