Day 7: Not Hump Day, Gump Day! 

 

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Mike and Bone rose early because they had a monumental day in head of them! There was the issue of the eight and a half hour day on the road in front of them...... It was a small cost for a great pay off, because they were heading to Monument Valley!

The Boys had a light breakfast at the IHG, and quickly hit the road. As mentioned El Paso is so darn far west in Texas that it is on the State line, and Las Cruces New Mexico is right across the border, so after a few minutes on I-25, Mike and Bone were in New Mexico heading north in some amazing Southwester desert scenes!

 

Cruising past Las Cruces!

Mike and Bone drove through the picturesque (roughly) 200,000-square-mile Chihuahuan Desert, which is larger than the whole state of California and also stretches across six Mexican states and parts of Texas and New Mexico. It is the largest desert in North America and is located between two of Mexico’s largest mountain ranges called the eastern and western Sierra Madre. 

 

Cruising past Caballo in the Chihuahuan Desert !

 

The Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico, extends south from Albuquerque down into Mexico, and has the very cool (and previously visited White Sands gypsum dunes, unique wildlife, and mountain ranges like the Organ Mountains. Key areas include the Tularosa Basin (White Sands), Las Cruces, and various wilderness areas like Robledo Mountains, showcasing diverse habitats with cacti, junipers, and creosote.  Checking out this beautiful scenery made the Boys a little peckish, and they new the place to go!  

 

Green Chile Burgers Denied!! The Closed Owl Bar in San Antonio NM!

Just north of Truth or Consequence New Mexico (a truly cool name!) is San Antonio. Nope not Texas, but New Mexico's version with a great burger bar. in the 1997 Charles Kuralt Tour, Mike and Bone checked out one of Charles favorite places. The Owl Bar with the best Green Chili Burgers every had!

An unfortunately after a 28 year hiatus, the Boys were not gonna get those burgers from heaven, but it was closed for the day!

 

Scurrying through Socorro

Crestfallen and hungry, the Boys got back on I 25 north to just before Albuquerque in Los Luna, and headed northwest on I-40 towards Gallup.

 

With Mountains in the Horizon, heading west past Mesita on I-40

Once on I-40 the terrain started to shift from the Chihuahuan Desert, with the northern New Mexico mountain range coming into view. The range in northern New Mexico is the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the southernmost part of the Rocky Mountains, stretching from Colorado down to Santa Fe. Soon Mike and Bone were in the colorful red rock for which that the region is so famous.

 

The Boys were not make Buttes of Themselves outside Grants!

This part of the Rocky’s is also a part of the Colorado Plateau. It is a pretty high plateau as well with elevations on the valley floor ranges from 5,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level. The floor is largely siltstone of the Cutler Group, or sand derived from it, deposited by the meandering rivers that carved the valley. The valley's vivid red coloration comes from iron oxide exposed in the weathered siltstone. The darker, blue-gray rocks in the valley get their color from manganese oxide.

 

Heading West Past Mesita on I-40

Cruising Past the Continental Divide!

Trucking nicely along, soon Mike and Bone started to see the famous buttes of the valley. Once crossing into Arizona, the famous buttes started rising from the valley floor, which are visibly stratified, into three principal layers. The lowest layer is the Organ Rock Shale, the middle is de Chelly Sandstone, and the top layer is the Moenkopi Formation capped by something called Shinarump Conglomerate. All VERY geologically sounding, but cool to see!!

 

Heading West Past Mesita on I-40

As the Boys left I-40 onto Route 191, they went from a very straight freeway to a twisty, turn-filled two lane highway that did not have any real traffic on it, allowing the Boys to make great time to Monument Valley.  Soon, the Boys left the United States on the Road, no they were not in Mexico, but Navajo!!

 

Monument Valley, Not a National Park, A Navajo Park!

Yep, Monument Valley is not in the US, but located within the Navajo Nation, specifically as the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, straddling the Arizona-Utah border and managed by the Navajo people as a sacred ancestral land. It's not a national park but a Navajo Tribal Park.

The Navajo Nation (Diné) is the largest Native American reservation in the U.S., spanning parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, serves as the homeland for the Navajo people, who call themselves Diné, which means “people of the surface of the earth.” The Navajo Nation is the largest Native American group in the United States, numbering over 250,000 people.

It features a sovereign government with three branches, a vast land base, and is known for its rich culture, iconic landscapes like Monument Valley, traditional arts (rugs, jewelry), and a strong emphasis on preserving their Athabaskan language (Diné Bizaad) and heritage.

 

Monument Valley, Not a National Park, A Navajo Park!

The history of the Navajo in the southwest is a remarkable one. Small hunting and gathering bands of the Dine migrated south from western Canada over a long period of time, arriving in the Southwest between 1300 and 1500 A.D.  One common American misconception is that the Navajo created the Pueblos. When the Navajo first settled in north-central New Mexico, they came into contact with the various Pueblo peoples already living there. From the Pueblos they learned agricultural, and adopted new elements of religion, social organization, and art. By the late 1600s the Navajo had also acquired livestock through trade and raiding expeditions on the Spanish.

The farming and pastoral (herding) lifestyle developed by the Navajo after their arrival in the Southwest was unique among the Native American peoples. It was also very successful, and as their population grew, the Dine began to occupy other parts of the Colorado Plateau; areas that had been abandoned by the earlier Anasazi farmers.

The U.S. government created the Navajo reservation in 1868. The reservation is the largest Native American reservation in the United States. The Navajo Nation is comprised of 110 local government Chapters. The central government of the Navajo Nation is comprised of three branches (executive, legislative, and judicial) and is located in the city of Window Rock, Arizona. The Navajo Nation uses the funds they charge from Monument Valley to care for the park and their Nation. As the short day was waning Mike and Bone finally saw the signs for the Navajo Park!

 

Monument Valley, Not a National Park, A Navajo Park!

Arriving in the Park the Boys first went to dump their luggage in their hotel before an epic moment they needed to capture, and man Mike booked a very cool place! The "View" Hotel!

 

A (Literally!) Room with a View!

The View Hotel has a cool story As a young girl, Armanda Ortega, President of ARTSCO Inc, was fortunate to have grown up in two unique worlds. She learned traditional Navajo ways from her mother’s Native American family who staunchly followed traditional religious and cultural practices. She also learned another world from her father’s family where her grandfather was the legendary Indian trader, Armand Ortega, Sr.

Armanda’s maternal grandfather was a rancher and Navajo Nation grazing officer for 25 years in the Oak Springs chapter. He taught her many things and made it known that his wish was that Armanda not only come to understand and respect Navajo traditions and culture, but that she would also be able to build upon her family’s history and open a business on the Navajo Nation. His vision was that her business venture would promote understanding of Navajo ways and also serve to benefit local Native Americans through job creation.

The other world that Armanda grew up in was influenced greatly by the Ortega’s long and successful business history of trading and supporting appreciation of Native American handicrafts. Armanda grew up near her grandfather Armand Ortega, Sr. and he taught her something new about the family business every day. His wish was that Armanda successfully combine her Native American heritage and strong business background to one day form her own company and take that company to a level beyond that yet achieved by any Ortega family member. With the help and guidance of both grandfathers and her parents providing a solid foundation, Armanda is now the sixth generation of the Ortega family to work with artists and other southwestern Native American tribal members. This legacy encompasses over 120 years of cumulative knowledge and unique skills.

The View Hotel is a Navajo owned business located within the Navajo Nation and the Navajo Tribal park at Monument Valley. Opened in December 2008, they carefully designed the Hotel to blend with the environment so as not to detract from the beauty of Monument Valley. Their three floors provide 95 rooms, each one with a private eastern facing balcony with views unlike anywhere else in world. Unique to The View is the authentic Native American décor with a locally woven Navajo Rug, traditional Navajo dye chart, and other Native American inspired decorations.  

Views of Monument Valley From the View!

The other world that Armanda grew up in was influenced greatly by the Ortega’s long and successful business history of trading and supporting appreciation of Native American handicrafts. Armanda grew up near her grandfather Armand Ortega, Sr. and he taught her something new about the family business every day. His wish was that Armanda successfully combine her Native American heritage and strong business background to one day form her own company and take that company to a level beyond that yet achieved by any Ortega family member. With the help and guidance of both grandfathers and her parents providing a solid foundation, Armanda is now the sixth generation of the Ortega family to work with artists and other southwestern Native American tribal members. This legacy encompasses over 120 years of cumulative knowledge and unique skills.

The View Hotel is a Navajo owned business located within the Navajo Nation and the Navajo Tribal park at Monument Valley. Opened in December 2008, they carefully designed the Hotel to blend with the environment so as not to detract from the beauty of Monument Valley. Their three floors provide 95 rooms, each one with a private eastern facing balcony with views unlike anywhere else in world. Checking out their room. the Boys noticed that the View is "outfitted" with authentic Native American décor with a locally woven Navajo Rug, traditional Navajo dye chart, and other Native American inspired decorations throughout the room. All of which is dimmed by the amazing view!!!

The Sun was rapidly setting so Mike and Bone hurried to the Land Cruiser for a meeting with Forrest, Forrest Gump!!

 

"I am Tired, I gonna stop now"

Forest Gump

Monument Valley is not only one of the most photographed places on Earth, but also has been the backdrop for many Hollywood films. One of the coolest scenes in Forrest Gump is when after three years of running with a collection of followers, decides to stop, leaving his "followers" confused.

Mike & Bone, Standing with Forest

(in spirit!)

That place now has it own name! Mike and Bone stopped at Forrest Gump Point on Hwy 163 between Monument Valley and Mexican Hat where Forrest ended his cross-country run in the movie!

Afterwards the Boys went back to the View for an underwhelming dinner and an early night!