UTAH - Monument Valley

Just before daybreak I abruptly woke from a dream. Laying there staring at the ceiling, I'd tried to mentally grasp what had played out in my subconscious - before it dissipated and became displaced by the morning's overwhelming waking reality.

In the dream, a Navajo women was talking to me in her native tongue. Seems simple enough. The dreamy part was that even though I consciously knew (even in the dream) that I couldn't speak the language, I was completely comprehending everything she was saying to me. Somehow, through spirit, her message had transcended our language barrier. In the dream, the message did not have a distinct intellectual meaning that could be put into words. It was more of a feeling and understanding that can't be explained.

The morning air was cool in the canyonlands as I groggily stepped out of the room to take inventory of the situation. The temperature had dropped to around 40. Maybe high 30's. No worries, it would heat up soon. It was still too early for any activity, except for Juanita returning from her very early morning walk with her dog.

As usual, I'd grabbed a sack of grounds from the saddlebag and brewed up some black coffee. Made my way next door to a gas station and scrounged some breakfast. If you want to call it that. After choking down half of a nasty breakfast burrito, I'd retreated to the granola bar isle. Grabbed a few loose snack items for the road. After fueling up the Battle Wagon - I was ready to ride through Monument Valley !

- Sandstone monoliths tower above the valley floor of this quintessential western landscape.



How long have I strongly desired to ride through Monument Valley ? About 16 years. While at a motorcycle show (the big new model show) around 2001, Polaris was handing out a full-size glossy brochure highlighting their warranty guidelines for the Victory brand. The front of the brochure boasted a captivating shot of Monument Valley. It really grabbed me. Days later, after looking through and discarding most of the literature from the show, that special Polaris brochure was tucked away. I knew I had to visit that epic location. But when was I ever going to have the time to journey that far ? That is where the potential of long-distance riding and a properly configured motorcycle comes in. It gives me the reach that is needed.



So, I would head south on Route 163 from Mexican Hat, Utah - through Monument Valley - to Kayenta, Arizona. Then, I'd work my way across Navajo and Hopi land towards the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Eventually, my final destination of the day would be Kingman, Arizona and a return to "The Mother Road." There was an affordable motel that I knew of in Kingman - along with an interesting stretch of Route 66.