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Roadtrip - Day 17: Monument Valley

I'm a poor lonesome cowboy ...



We finally rolled further than Monument Valley (the park being closed at this hours away) until Gooseneck State Park, Utah. At night, once again, there was not too realized where we were, we saw another tent and a caravan on a species of large ground so we went there! The next day, big surprise on waking (and retrospective fright by imagining what would have happened if we had rolled 10m too!). The "camping" was well on rocky terrain (it was surprisingly good sleep anyway!) And Y'avait not even need to pay this time (we do not say it enough, living the American state parks for camping: we arrive at any time, we ask ourselves, and we leave!).

Another attempt to bikers!

Do not forget to open the eyes out of the tent, otherwise it can hurt (you can see the beginning of Monument Valley in the background) ...

Gooseneck = goose neck is imaged ...
There is no denying the campsite is perhaps less comfortable than the hotel, but nothing replaces the feeling you have when leaving the tent in the morning and finding himself in front a landscape like this, like what happen that night has its advantages too, the surprise ;-)

We will start again, it is not far off:

And again it seems to have been teleported in a movie, it lacks that Brad Pitt and it will take for Thelma & Louise!

class :-)

Marcel also has the class of course!


So therefore it Monument Valley is also on a Navajo Indian reservation (and unlike Chelly not a national park, so there's very little info on the internet, no plans, even on Google maps it is hard to find). When you arrive at the visitor center, we see this:

As usual, the visit is by car, but there is also a small loop of 5 km on foot (Wildcat Trail), which toured the West mitten (= mitten mitten, we see the idea). We cross a few sheep (not much to eat the poor ...):

The West Mitten:
We thought he was missing was a cow skull on the ground to Western really, have we seen a piece of jaw (bottom right) ;-)

Just off the East Mitten was:

honestly we expect to see from one moment to another arise Lucky Luke and Jolly Jumper ;-)
But unfortunately it was too lonesome and does not like tourists because we did not cross (one person did indeed cross on this trail, walk, see what idea !)...

was also still around by car because it lets you see more things, but it's true that it breaks the mood a bit "poor lonesome cowboy, you stop at each point of view, made some photos (still too much), it looks a little jewelry sold by the Indians ... But there is not much choice unfortunately (Except for a ride by horse but it's quite expensive and not very long ...). So we dutifully made the rounds of views, which have names like very lively Elephant Butte, Camel Butte, etc. ... me but I tended to see elephants everywhere! It sounds like a clear example of an elephant:

It also (if you do not see an elephant is that you have not yet made enough of the sun, go walk 5 km in full dodger and I swear you'll see!):

The track is in the ground is sometimes enough is rodeo, we drive very slowly

There is a big flesh, I see good rather an elephant but ...

There is a stone that holds itself by magic (although in turning the head to the left and closing half an eye, we guess a form of elephant ...):

Here I think it's a herd of elephants Artist's point:

And it an elephant sleeping the North Window:

So now, despite the very touristy side of the loop by car (although the number tourists, although significantly higher than Chelly for instance, is quite reasonable), it remains one of the big favorites on my side, especially since the best is yet to come ... There are two campgrounds in the park, but one of them was not yet open, there was therefore "primitive campground" (= no toilets, no showers, just a field to land), which for the modest sum of $ 5 allows you to plant (well again, not much is planted in the dirt, eh, so to speak!) tent there:

Yes, it's a little bit great class, it's clear :-) Okay I will not be dishonest with you (it's not my style), if I turn my head left, there's another tent

And we especially behind large RV y 'all ugly rich retirees:

But as the bottom rack is not accessible to them it is relatively quiet and a ringside seat to watch the sunset (and we strike our tent with their pictures na!):

can even go lie down in the tent and we always see, I tell you, class in-ter-na-tio-nal ...

Then the sun set behind us, so if you calculate correctly, he should stand behind the hills ... Well put the alarm clock and you may be entitled to the show tomorrow morning, without leaving the tent, little lucky ...