Saturday morning we had an early breakfast whilst watching the humming birds
then loaded up and set off towards Kanab in southern Utah.
This is a beautifully scenic area and you could spend days here taking photos.
I just love this ride..
Now we were headed north to Kanab in Utah. The route took us back into Arizona and through the town of Kayenta.
We have a friend here, Ron Watch
He has a coffee shop called Shepherd's Eyes serving really a variety excellent brews. He made us feel very welcome, as always and gave me a big hug. After a catch up on news, he suggested I go and talk to some of the artists in the circular (circles are very important to the Navajo) building that serves to hold meetings and art displays.
These Navajo artists are world renowned. One man showed me the glossy coffee table book where some of his jewelry was featured.
We have a friend here, Ron Watch
He has a coffee shop called Shepherd's Eyes serving really a variety excellent brews. He made us feel very welcome, as always and gave me a big hug. After a catch up on news, he suggested I go and talk to some of the artists in the circular (circles are very important to the Navajo) building that serves to hold meetings and art displays.
These Navajo artists are world renowned. One man showed me the glossy coffee table book where some of his jewelry was featured.
One young lady, Xiana told me how much she wanted to travel to Europe. I loved her quirky self-portrait
I had a really interesting - if unexpected chat with a lovely man called Ken. He asked if I ever met the Queen of England. I have seen her in the flesh. When living in Falmouth, I worked at Pendennis Castle as a custodian with English Heritage and was there when the Queen paid a visit. I had to admit though, that I merely directed traffic into the car park (including the Secret Service guys). I had to tell Ken that Her Majesty didn't invite me to tea. I did say that she was much prettier in real life - much more cheerful and very petite.
Ken's wife, also a Navajo artist, was called Elizabeth and I wondered was this why he is interested in Queen Elizabeth. They hope to visit the UK this year and asked where would be nice places to see. I suggested St Ives in Cornwall, Norfolk, The Lake District, Snowdonia and bonnie Scotland. I did say that these places are lovely - but small compared to places in the USA.
Then we somehow got onto boats and sailing. He asked why it isn't possible to sail a boat into the wind. He had built himself a small sailboat and couldn't figure out why he couldn't go into the wind - and lost his mast trying.
It was a thoroughly interesting morning. But time to move on.
Next place was Page, still in Arizona. I wanted to revisit Horseshoe Bend to take some photos with my new 10 - 20mm wide angle lens.
Riding through Page - a busy tourist area - was no fun as the road was being re-surfaced and an overloaded bike is not a happy being expected to behave like a dirt bike. We finally got through, stopped for bottled water and then headed the 5 miles south to the car park of the bend.
I removed my riding jacket and armour, but had to keep my thick riding trousers and leg armour on. Around me, most people were wearing the minimum of clothing! Jan said, 'you better take as many photos as you can cos I'm not riding here again' (like the road resurfacing will go on eternally - guess it could, actually)
So off I set. The board tells you it is three quarters of a mile to the rim of the bend in the Colorado.
The slope on the photo above doesn't look much - but believe me, at this altitude, it takes a lot of puff! There was a couple, older than me, walking alongside. The woman stopped, bent over and said, 'Jeez, I hope this is the worst of it!' It isn't. Once you get to the top, it is a long slope downhill and you are faced with the fact that you have to come back - uphill. This is in sand that, for each 2 steps you take forward, you take one step back!
Ken's wife, also a Navajo artist, was called Elizabeth and I wondered was this why he is interested in Queen Elizabeth. They hope to visit the UK this year and asked where would be nice places to see. I suggested St Ives in Cornwall, Norfolk, The Lake District, Snowdonia and bonnie Scotland. I did say that these places are lovely - but small compared to places in the USA.
Then we somehow got onto boats and sailing. He asked why it isn't possible to sail a boat into the wind. He had built himself a small sailboat and couldn't figure out why he couldn't go into the wind - and lost his mast trying.
It was a thoroughly interesting morning. But time to move on.
Next place was Page, still in Arizona. I wanted to revisit Horseshoe Bend to take some photos with my new 10 - 20mm wide angle lens.
Riding through Page - a busy tourist area - was no fun as the road was being re-surfaced and an overloaded bike is not a happy being expected to behave like a dirt bike. We finally got through, stopped for bottled water and then headed the 5 miles south to the car park of the bend.
I removed my riding jacket and armour, but had to keep my thick riding trousers and leg armour on. Around me, most people were wearing the minimum of clothing! Jan said, 'you better take as many photos as you can cos I'm not riding here again' (like the road resurfacing will go on eternally - guess it could, actually)
So off I set. The board tells you it is three quarters of a mile to the rim of the bend in the Colorado.
The overlook is 4,200 feet above sea level; the Colorado River is 3,200
feet above sea level. The drop, looking down is therefore, 1,000 feet. I perched over the edge in various locations. Passing a woman from New Zealand, she commented that I was making here fearful - she wasn't keen on heights and felt dizzy and concerned watching me lean over.
I took a lot of photos and then began the dreaded hike back up the sand. I had a half litre of water and took a sip once I reached 'that point ahead' - that point being about 3 yards. My steps got smaller and smaller becoming tippy toes. About two thirds of the way I began to feel dizzy. At one point I thought, 'I can't do this' But I did (obviously) and finally made it to the top of the slope leading down to the car park. Two young French girls alongside me saw Jan stood by the bike and commented that he was the sensible one, staying behind.
At the bike, I finished the water and then began to feel sick. On with the armour and jacket, My helmet felt as though it weighed a ton and climbing on the bike took the last of my energy. Jan asked, 'Will you be OK?' I said to just get going so I could have some wind on my face. I kept the visor up both for the warm breeze blowing through and also, I thought that if my diaphragm revolted and ejected my stomach contents, I wouldn't have a helmet full of puke!
The 90 mile ride to Kanab passed with no photography interest from me whatsoever. At the motel, one of our favourites (this is the third time here at the Sun n Sand Motel , Wayne, the manager gave me a plate of nice cool watermelon. That helped a lot. Unloaded, I collapsed on the bed for an hour. I think it was a mixture of altitude sickness, heat stroke!
This being Utah and almost totally Mormon, there was to be a firework display in the community park that evening. No fireworks allowed on Sunday. Of course, it would be July 4th - Independence Day.
I did summon up the energy to walk to the park and took lots of photos, but didn't capture anything special. I was glad to get to bed that day. It had been a busy, hot, interesting 290 mile ride. Jan was extremely tired too; in fact his hands were almost frozen into the grip of the bike position. It had been quite windy and he had had a hard time keeping the bike upright. The wind almost blew us into the centre lane at one point.
We will be here for at least four days; no hardship, we love it here.
I've got a great surprise for tomorrow - a photography tour of Antelope Canyon - a 100 mile each way ride back to Arizona. In a party of 10 with Chief Tsosie. A big jeep and lots of bumpy bumps on the way there. So fingers crossed XX this will take a lot of concentration, a tripod and remote. Oh, and no rain.... these slot canyons can flood very quickly if there is rain, so I'm hoping for the great weather to continue.
So now I'm off to study this in the hope of learning how to photograph the beams of light in a dark area.
I took a lot of photos and then began the dreaded hike back up the sand. I had a half litre of water and took a sip once I reached 'that point ahead' - that point being about 3 yards. My steps got smaller and smaller becoming tippy toes. About two thirds of the way I began to feel dizzy. At one point I thought, 'I can't do this' But I did (obviously) and finally made it to the top of the slope leading down to the car park. Two young French girls alongside me saw Jan stood by the bike and commented that he was the sensible one, staying behind.
At the bike, I finished the water and then began to feel sick. On with the armour and jacket, My helmet felt as though it weighed a ton and climbing on the bike took the last of my energy. Jan asked, 'Will you be OK?' I said to just get going so I could have some wind on my face. I kept the visor up both for the warm breeze blowing through and also, I thought that if my diaphragm revolted and ejected my stomach contents, I wouldn't have a helmet full of puke!
The 90 mile ride to Kanab passed with no photography interest from me whatsoever. At the motel, one of our favourites (this is the third time here at the Sun n Sand Motel , Wayne, the manager gave me a plate of nice cool watermelon. That helped a lot. Unloaded, I collapsed on the bed for an hour. I think it was a mixture of altitude sickness, heat stroke!
This being Utah and almost totally Mormon, there was to be a firework display in the community park that evening. No fireworks allowed on Sunday. Of course, it would be July 4th - Independence Day.
I did summon up the energy to walk to the park and took lots of photos, but didn't capture anything special. I was glad to get to bed that day. It had been a busy, hot, interesting 290 mile ride. Jan was extremely tired too; in fact his hands were almost frozen into the grip of the bike position. It had been quite windy and he had had a hard time keeping the bike upright. The wind almost blew us into the centre lane at one point.
We will be here for at least four days; no hardship, we love it here.
I've got a great surprise for tomorrow - a photography tour of Antelope Canyon - a 100 mile each way ride back to Arizona. In a party of 10 with Chief Tsosie. A big jeep and lots of bumpy bumps on the way there. So fingers crossed XX this will take a lot of concentration, a tripod and remote. Oh, and no rain.... these slot canyons can flood very quickly if there is rain, so I'm hoping for the great weather to continue.
So now I'm off to study this in the hope of learning how to photograph the beams of light in a dark area.
