Indian Country, Mesas and Buttes

Monument Valley, Natural Bridges and Capitol Reef National Park

Northern Arizona and southern Utah are the reason that cruise control was invented; long straight roads through a fantastic moonscape of changing rock formations - just so totally different from anything in New Zealand.  Corners are an event and it is easy to just keep driving the long distances. However, we do try to do a hike every couple of days and one of the most enjoyable days was when we spent the day hiking the canyons at Natural Bridges monument. Free camping is easy out here so we just haul into a campground every few days for showers, laundry and internet. We have met a number of interesting fellow travellers along the way - including two young men bicycling from San Diego to New York. And we thought we were intrepid!

Life has settled into something of a routine in our travels. Our small RV has become a warm and cosy haven in the cold desert nights and freezing winds that we have occasionally come across and a shelter in the blazing midday sun. We have learned to cope with the ridiculously small kitchen – and delight in the ridiculously large engine (as long as we don’t think too closely about petrol prices!) We have been eating very healthily – both given up coffee and Dave has given up tea as well after his ‘funny turn’ before we left. Actually, giving up coffee is no great sacrifice over here as there is no such thing as a kiwi flat white and proper barista coffee is a rarity! We have tried some local specialities though, notably Mexican in San Diego, and Navajo fry bread in Kayenta. If you want to know what Navajo fry bread is, imagine the Hungarian fried bread at Womad, but instead of feta and pesto, add chilli beans. We have become very aware of the sugar content of food over here – even bread tastes sweeter than it should, however there is a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables available at reasonable prices.  Fruita, a town near where we are at present, is in the Capitol Reef National Park in Utah.  It was originally settled by Mormon pioneers and still has the original orchards; apples pears apricots and black berries - an oasis in the desert.  On our bicycle tour around we stopped for fresh fruit blackberry pie and bought a cowboy cookbook which contains gems such as:

If you want fresh, clean oats, you have to pay a fair price; if getting a low price is all that matters, you must be content with oats that have already passed through the horse!

and

If you find the coyotes join in whenever you sing – try the harmonica!

Our next stops are Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. After that it is Las Vegas – and as the cowboys say:

          A fool and his money are some party!

Rock formations in Monument Valley - one of dozens

Lunch at Hite - where we crossed the Colorado River

Ancient Indian cave dwelling at Navajo National Monument

Dave's new clipper haircut - now he looks like Pete!

One of our free camps near Natural Bridges

One of the three natural bridges - formed by a meandering river cutting through its bend