ON THE ROAD!!!

August 1, 2009, Saturday

Left the lovely Navajo town of Kayenta at 7 or 8 am. We still didn't exactly know what time it was. . .but I guess it didn't matter. Headed down Route 163 toward Monument Valley. Monument Valley was almost as beautiful as the Grand Canyon. Different and unusual, I could see the ghosts of John Wayne, Randolf Scott and Joel McCrea riding off into the sunset. Monument Valley is a sight that everyone should see in their lifetime.

We drove from Arizona, back into Utah then into Colorado. Crossed the mountains at Wolf Creek Pass at a height of over 9,000. I like to look but I don't think I would be comfortable driving on those kinds of roads.

We stopped at Royal Gorge Bridge toward the end of the day. I thought we were just going to go over a bridge and nearly had a heart attack when I saw how much it cost to get in. . . but the price included an amusement park, incline train ride and many other attractions. We drove over the bridge which is over 1200 feet above the Arkansas River. When I saw the bridge was wood planks I about died. People walking on the bridge, cars trying to drive over it in both directions and not enough room for all of it. Looking down was not an option.

We took the incline train ride to the bottom of the gorge and were talking to the Mennonite family from Arkansas, in front of us. Eight kids and the oldest boy, (he was really a young man) liked to talk (alot) so we chatted the whole time in line and down the train. Found out they are on a family vacation and are heading to Illinois for a family reunion in Roodhouse. Could not believe it!!!!

Walking across the bridge was even worse than driving across. I couldn't stand the bouncing of the bridge from the cars going across, the wind and the people. I got less than a quarter of the way and chickened out. The bridge swayed, bounced and the wooden planks popped up as cars drove over them. I think I was justified in being a chicken!!! Denny, the brave man that he is walked to the middle and took all the pictures from the bridge.

We are off to Dodge City, Kansas tomorrow, staying in Wichita for the night and hopefully should be back in Eldred on Monday, late afternoon or early evening.