"Along the Navajo trail..." 366 miles

Double whammy! this is turning into a proper America trip. Set off about 9am and drove up to the south rim of the Grand Canyon.

Impressive, but somehow having seen so many photos and with all the amazing scenery I have seen so far on this trip, it didn't overwhelm me as I expected it to.

Headed for Monument Valley; the one "must see" on this trip. To get there I drove through the arid Navajo Indian reservation with its lay bys filled with stalls selling genuine pottery and jewellery. I had promised a friend I would get her a necklace.

At a Grand Canyon official gift shop amongst the dream catchers and the like I spotted a sign: "All our products American made" The the rack I was looking at had a small sign which read: "Indian American products not made by Indian Americans"!

That is why I turned into a lay by which had the sign "Nice Indians". They were selling arrows, mind you. The young woman who sold me the item said she had made it herself although she was a bit hazy as to what it was made from. Seeing the grinding poverty I felt better about buying it from her rather than the park gift shop. National parks are not free: Yosemite and Sequoia cost me $20 a piece. Grand Canyon, secure in its reputation, asks you to stump up $25.

Still only about 11.30 so I decided I would go for Monument Valley today as well. This to me was worth the price of the ticket alone. Something I had seen in Westerns ever since I was a child. I was a rider on the range. Only downside was they had just tarred the road so when I stepped out to take a photo the feet got stuck.

Then at a nearby petrol station one of the many native American hustlers tried to sell me a moccasin....ONE? Maybe be I had strayed into Hopi territory. Navajo, Blackfeet, Hopi....maybe I should Sioux. (Sorry I was on a tribal roll there).

I wanted to get from Arizona to Colorado even though the route strayed into Utah and Mormon territory. Not a lot of "down drinking at the bar" thereabouts. Headed up through Mexican Hat which boasted a number of motels with bars attached. I have learned to distrust neon signs. Everyone loves their neon, so what you think is a bar turns out to be an estate agent, a church or maybe a nail clinic.

Ute mountain took me to Cortez and a few drinks and another burrito this time in "Blondie's Pub and Grub" - a biker bar with lots of Hulk Hogan lookalikes on Harleys. Although it does have a website if you want to go find it. The nice woman who served me was anything but blonde...she may not have been the owner.

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"I get my kicks on..." 283 miles

Decided to head for the Grand Canyon - however, whilst looking at the map I realised I could take in the Hoover Dam on the way. A few days ago when I was still further west a guy said "the big stuff's over there," pointing eastwards. So far he has been right.


"Rrrrrrrr bertwing" The fridge in my room at the motel made this noise everytime its motor started up...still not to worry, it was keeping my beer cool. I keep a stash in the car in case I run into a dry county on my travels. It was my 7 O'clock alarm.

Skirted Las Vegas heading south on highway 93 some terrific advertising signs: "Dermatologist...acne, birth marks..skin cancer". "Evening appetite control tablets" Presumably the antidote to the Taco Bell ads which proclaim: "the fourth meal....bring on the night". Once into Arizona there was an interesting road safety ad in several section along the highway that read: "A man, a miss....a car a curve.....he kissed the miss and missed the curve".

Hoover Dam was specatacular and a testament to 1930s architecture. It reminded me slightly of the BBC's broadcasting house in London. Large, metal, highly polished doors and handrails. Marble in the restrooms.

Fell into conversation with Noel who was also on his mid-life crisis trip. He was originally from Bristol and now living in Ireland and was travelling by motorcycle from Washington to San Francisco. He suggested going to New York via Denver as the Rocky Mountains were spectacular he said. May take him up on that.

Not going to make it to the Grand Canyon today but it did give me a chance to drive along a part of the old Route 66 on the way to Williams.

Listening to the country station KFLG::"K Flag". Deserted highway. Some tumbleweed blew across the road in front of me......perfect!

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