On Steel Horses We Rode…

Exploring the Monument Valley National Reserve and heading up to Gallup New Mexico

On the next day, we woke up early, energized and ready for another day of adventure. Before leaving, we took a guided tour of the Monument Valley National Reserve. Our local guide was a Native American who took us in his pickup for a 2.5-hour tour into the center of the reserve where we had the chance to mingle with locals who still inhabit this extraordinary valley.

The Rock Formations

On our way into the Tribal Park we were introduced to the different names of the dramatic sandstone rock formations such as the Thumb, the Three Sisters, the Sleeping Dragon, the Elephant, and many more. It is said that the old Indians gave these rock formations names to locate their enemies using lonesome informants who roamed the desert.

It was interesting to learn that some scenes from “The Lone Ranger” adventure movie starring Johnny Depp were shot in this location.

At the John Ford Point in Monument Valley

Riding through the Petrified Forest National Reserve

The amazing sights of Monument Valley remained with us throughout the day as we journeyed southeast. Our destination for that day was Gallup, New Mexico, but we couldn’t resist detouring off to experience riding through the Petrified Forest National Reserve. Located in the Painted Desert in Navajo and the Apache counties of northeastern Arizona, the reserve is named for its large deposits of petrified wood, now turned to amber. What a joy it was for us to ride on these curving roads enjoying the spectacular natural formations and colors after almost two days of straight-line rides across the desert.

The Golden hour ride

As we hit the golden hour, the skies turned into glorious shades of purple, orange and red. We couldn’t help but notice the monstrous cloud that followed us for almost an hour, changing color with every passing minute from shades of gray to fiery orange. We pulled up for the night in Gallup at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott.

The quest for “Beer”!

In the evening, after a hot relaxing shower, it felt like the perfect time to celebrate such a mesmerizing ride with a cold beer. The hotel receptionist directed us to a gas station a five-minute walk away, and that’s where we discovered the hardest truth. The cashier apologized and informed us that it is restricted by law to sell alcohol in New Mexico on Sundays. We walked back to our hotel with a bottle of sparkling water and a can of Mountain Dew to celebrate our accomplishment so far! Who would have thought.

Exploring the Monument Valley on foot…Well not really!

Stay tuned for more road adventures and hopefully “Beer” would be available at our next destination.

For more details about our journey across the southern United States check out the following links:

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Lawayn Next