Day 5: Kayenta AZ - Monticello UT

More scenery to visit today, and Emily is being mostly cooperative.  Not that the navigation was difficult.  Back up US-160 for a while then off into the wilderness on BIA¹-59.  Emily pronounces "BIA" to rhyme with "via".  I am not sure that this is correct.  South on US-191 to Chinle, turn left and shortly come to the Canyon de Chelly National Monument.  I haven't been in this bit of Arizona at all before, and was unaware of the place's existence until tipped off by Professor Larrington last week.

Anyhoo, although it's spelled "Chelly" this is a Spaignish version of the Navajo word "Tséyiʼ", meaning "canyon".  So, Canyon of Canyon, then.  And it's pronounced "Che", like the stadium.  It has a South Rim and a North Rim and I went up the former first, because why not?  You can also go up the middle, but only if accompanied by a Navajo guide.  The first overlook or two were frankly a bit Meh! in comparison with some of the bonkers scenery to be seen in this part of the country but the views get steadily more Wowsa! the further up you go, culminating in Spider Rock.  It looks nowt like a spider, but was supposed to be the home of the Spider Grandmother, who probably pops up in a Neil Gaiman novel.  Does she?  Anyway, a selection of pixtures and as per ushual you are encouraged to look at the full-sized versions on Flickr, preferably on a Proper Computer and not a bloody telephone.

Tunnel Canyon Overlook.  Meh.

Junction Overlook.  Better.

Sliding House Overlook.  Approved.

Spider Rock.  OK, I'm impressed...

After Spider Rock you can carry on up the road, but the tarmac doesn't, so I hightailed it back down to the entrance and went up the other side.  Only three viewing points on this rim, but they're all good uns:

Antelope House Overlook

Ruins at Antelope House Overlook

Mummy Cave Overlook

Massacre Cave Overlook

By going via BIAs and various other road-type things I ended up in Utah, there to visit another hitherto unsuspected Thing of Miracle and Wonder, namely Goosenecks State Park.  This is near Mexican Hat, but not near enough that you can see the rock formation that gave the place its name, so I still don't have a picture.  Of it.  I do have pictures from Goosenecks, though.

San Juan River at Goosenecks State Park

Monument Valley from quite a long way away

This is what happens when the San Jaun river decides that flowing straight into the Mighty Colorado a few miles downstream would be altogether a bit dull.  Retracing my wheeltracks back to the main road would also be a bit dull, but if you turn left, the line on the map representing UT-261 is all wiggly.  This, I discovered, is because it turns to gravel and goes straight up a vertical cliff in a series of hairpins.  I also realised that I came down it a few years ago.  I hope the guy towing a Jeep on an A-frame behind his bus-sized motorhome was not planning on doing the same thing.

Halfway up a cliff, Utah, Tuesday

At the end of 261 is UT-95, and also the Bear's Ears.  Apparently there is uranium under the ground hereabouts and guess which apricot hellbeast is doing his utmost to ensure it doesn't stay there?

The BEAR's Ears, either side of that bush.
Keep your tiny hands off them, you tangerine twatwaffle!

And so back to the main road anyway, to Blanding and then Monticello.  Why didn't I stay in Blanding, on the other side of the roadworks, where I have to go back through in the morning anyway?  Search me...

1: Bureau of Indian Affairs