Another “WOW!” day on the road with the NISMO 370Z.
This was a day when God got to show off, a day of utterly magnificent scenery and weather, and a day that finished we me so tired I literally lost the ability to either speak or hear properly.
A quick hour’s drive across from Route 15 turned into a very pleasant diversion through the Dixie National Forest, home to sleeping ski resorts and the astounding vista of the Cedar Breaks National Monument, the first of what would prove to be several amazing sights.
Whilst the sight of the canyon here was just amazing, better still was the sound… Literally NOTHING! Camden and I were joined there by a travelling couple and nobody else, the combination of the total lack of external noise and an amazing natural wonder was amazing.
The forest too though was showing off, the colours of the trees changing from their summer green towards the autumn fashion show – Camden was wowed by it, several unplanned stops ensued – no complaints here!
On, via the visually stunning Red Canyon to the epic Bryce Canyon, on e of THE big ticket items on the USA’s very considerable natural wonders trail.
Bryce Canyon, a 36,000 acre National Monument is actually a collection of natural ‘Ampitheatres’ rather than a true canyon, it no less spectacular for all that!
With trails that take visitors down from the top lip of the cliffs down amongst the sandstone ‘hoodoos’ hundreds of feet below, with ancient limber pines performing the astounding feat of growing directly into the rock formations, some of these trees hundreds of years old.
The section we visited was a series of ampitheatres below a c. mile long trail along the lip, crowded with international tourists, and it has to be said that their chatter, and in particular the German lady shouting constantly to her friends, rather spoiled it for me. The large black crow winging it’s way amongst the rock formations seemed unimpressed too – I swear it was telling here to shut the hell up as it strutted its stuff on the wing!
The place though is just amazing, the views down into the valley and far, far, beyond well worth the $25 entry per car.
Onwards – and it was a long haul next, still through amazing country, Utah and then Arizona doling out a seemingly entirely different vista every 30 minutes, whether in rock formations, green, sandy or towering grey hills and mountains, but always quiet roads, sleepy towns with almost every homestead featuring one, or often several old cars in the yard.
There was only time for one stop, Camden’s attention drawn by a roadside sign that shows that urban and rural America still speak an ever so slightly different language.
On towards Arizona ,and as we closed in on the second state of the day we plunged into a desert landscape, towards the Colorado River, Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam, the first sight of this vista was yet another stunner – massive rock formations on the far horizon, together with the rather obtrusive Navajo Power Plant right smack in the middle of what is otherwise an astonishing wilderness.
the Lake provides a stunning (I am using that word a lot today aren’t I?) pool of blue and green in what is otherwise a sea of browns and greys, closing in on the river you get glimpses of the deep river canyons leading into the dam, and the incongruous sight of a large number of businesses along the desert road catering for the simply massive trade in boating and watersports!
There was time only for a fuel stop in the buzzing town of Page but there are clearly wonders to behold close by, and a massive tourist trade here.
Out and away from Page though for us, we had miles to make up and the 370Z was still proving to be a willing and entertaining travelling companion. Most of all though it was proving to be comfortable, not a single ache, pain or twinge as we neared, and later passed 2000 miles for the trip!
The next moment for this writer as the first real encounter that I have had with truly epically long arrow straight roads – time after time after time we encountered these desert roads that stretched to the horizon. It was a laugh out loud moment.
In my small island ways these are roads that are totally alien to me, time after time you have to reel in the temptation to floor the accelerator and I’m glad I did, and that the guy we passed assuming the position for the none too happy Highway Patrolman didn’t!
We had two planned stops left before finishing for the night, the first, Monument Valley, a scene familiar to literally everyone that has ever seen a Western movie.
I like the film critic Keith Phipps’ assessment “its five square miles have defined what decades of moviegoers think of when they imagine the American West.”
In truth though, whilst I’m glad I’ve been there, the famous vista was just blown away by the other sights of the day. It was a day that in all honesty would make a very good 2 weeks of holidaying at a much more sedate pace. This is a simply astonishing part of the planet.
Final planned stop was the ‘Four Corners’ monument, the only part of the USA where four states meet – Arizona, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. We were trying to make it before sundown, and again the scenery was stunning in the changing light.
We JUST did make it, but…..the monument was closed! With the light fading fast and fatigue rapidly taking a grip imagine our delight on crossing the state line into New Mexico to find the speed limit down to 55 (with 50 miles to run) and the road surface an utter disgrace. The Nissan soaked it up as best it could but our final hour to the hotel was endured rather than enjoyed, Camden thoroughly enjoyed later though my absolutely frazzled state. Barely able to speak coherently as the waitress took our order I misheard her question “Soup or Salad?” and gave a response that will surely follow me to the Austin pressroom “I’ll have the Super Salad.”
