randomizer Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Must be a good time for road trippin'. I left Seattle on Thursday (4/16) for Salt Lake City, Utah. From there we headed to Erie, Colorado, Which is where I am now. We are heading down past Black Canyons to Mesa Verde, and will be staying a couple of days in New Mexico. I have photos of the Forester on its journey.... but i didn't get any pics in Idaho or Utah. You can view pics on my flickr account (http://www.flickr.com/photos/troywohlford/) and I will continue to update it as we go. I will add the good photos later...... I have a lot to go through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 yay for road trips keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratty2Austin Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Hey Troy!! when did you get a new camera?? and how do you plan to survive on cup-o-noodles all week? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 U headin through the midwest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randomizer Posted April 22, 2009 Author Share Posted April 22, 2009 Trust me, there is a lot more food than cup'o'noodles! I am in Rehobeth, New Mexico right now and we will be heading from here to arizona to see painted desert and canyon dechelley in a couple days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randomizer Posted April 24, 2009 Author Share Posted April 24, 2009 Gotta off road the forester a bit! Tomorrow we head to the Moab desert area, then from there to Bryce and Zion. I will keep adding pics to flickr as I can find internet access. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Trust me, there is a lot more food than cup'o'noodles! I am in Rehobeth, New Mexico right now and we will be heading from here to arizona to see painted desert and canyon dechelley in a couple days.Canyon Deschelly (spelling?) is a great place. Not as spectacular as the Grand Canyon, but not the tourist mecca of the Grand Canyon either. There is an Indian-run motel there which is a great place to stay if you have the bucks. If you feel adventurous, take the road north along the east side of the canyon. It gets pretty primitive but I managed to get a Hertz rent-a-buggy through there on my way to somewhere (I didn't want to take the long way around). This was 10 years ago, so I can't vouch for the road now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 (edited) Canyon De Chelly (I checked on spelling and this is correct; pronounced Dee-Shay oddly enough). Headquarters and the motel I remembered is in Chinle at the mouth of the canyon. Road I was thinking about does not go north, but runs SE along the canyon and then goes up and over some hills on the way to Ft. Defiance and Window Rock. Only way into the canyon itself and explore some of the ruins is to hire an Indian guide and go in on horseback. I don't believe they allow motor vehicles there since it's considered hallowed ground. The other road is NE along the other side of the canyon and goes to Tsaile. I was fortunate enough to do service work at the Indian Health Service hospitals scattered around Arizona and New Mexico. Great opportunity to see lots of neat stuff along the way on someone else's nickel. Another really cool road is the one between Lukachukai and Red Rock on the way to Shiprock and Farmington, NM (just north of the Canyon De Chelly). You have to cross a stream leaving Lukachukai. When I was there it was only 6 inches of water deep and my FWD Chevy made it across easily. I went uphill and through a few muddy sections where I was lucky not to get stuck. Ultimately, the road climbed to over 8000 feet above sea level and then came to a cliff over-looking the desert. I could see the top of Shiprock (a very large rock rising 1800 feet out of the desert floor that looks like an oldtime sailing ship from the distance) from there. A one lane dirt road (without guard rails zig-zagging 7000 feet down a vertical cliff to the desert floor) where the road was smoothly paved all the way to Highway 666. If you plan on sight seeing this, ask for details from the locals since there's a real possibility that the road may no longer exist or is dangerously impassible. I was really lucky to get through this without getting stuck (or killed) along the way. Hertz never knew but I spent about $20 running it through the local car wash until I couldn't see any more mud. By the way, if you travel on Hwy 666 between Shiprock, NM and Gallup, NM watch out for drunk drivers even during the day. Gallup is the only place where liquor sales are allowed and it's not unusual to encounter a drunk heading home (north) from Gallup. It's not called the "highway of death" for nothing. Amazing how many memorial crosses are along a perfectly straight road. Edited April 24, 2009 by edrach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randomizer Posted April 27, 2009 Author Share Posted April 27, 2009 Sadly we didn't get to stop ant canyon De Chelly or monument valley due to a dust storm covering the entire north half of Arizona. At times we couldn't see the car 10 feet in front of us, so we pressed on for Arches and didnt leave the storm till nearly Moab. We stayed at Bryce last night (it snowed a little), and we are at Zion tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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