This day started with a heavy overcast
so we did not rush to get going, but we did decide to go look around. We headed for Monument Valley which was about 25 miles north of Kayenta.
We paid our entry after ensuring we could leave and come back in on this same day. We drove on to the visitor center where we took some pictures, looked around inside the center, and took some pictures.
The wind was blowing and it was quite chilly. The wind was also whipping up the red dust and sand.
We started down the dirt and rock road into the valley.
After driving a mile or two we decided this was not the road to traverse with our car. It was pretty rocky and rough. We did get some pictures along the way, but we wimped out and turned around.
I really hated to do this as the area is quite scenic and impressive even on such a gray day.
We left the park and continued north, stopping from time to time to look at the view and to take some pictures. We went just through Mexican Hat and decided that was far enough for this day. The clouds were starting to break just a little by this time. We drove back through the little town and stopped for some lunch at a place on the cliffs overlooking the San Juan River.After lunch we continued on back to Monument Valley. The weather continued to improve as we drove. By the time we got back to the valley the skies were blue with some white puffy clouds and now the area looked the way it was seen in the John Ford westerns. We only went as far as the visitor center this time, but we sure enjoyed the view from there.
For dinner on this evening we tried to return to the same restaurant at which we had eaten the night before. It was not open so we drove back to the hotel, parked the car, and walkedz to a restaurant next door. We mentioned my dietary restrictions to the waitress and ordered what appeared to be a safe meal while also mentioning to her to leave off the bread. We heard her tell the kitchen that, but when the food came not only was the bread on the plate, but the meat was drowned in gravy. Gravy had not been mentioned on the menu at all. I had some snacks in the room so I decide to pass on regular food for this night.
