Day 10 May 7th Tuba City – Kayenta Az.

 

The day in Tuba City started off COLD & raining. This would be one of those dreaded legs through the Indian reservations. I went to the Navajo museum yesterday in Tuba City. It was a very interesting display of the Navajo history. The bottom line is we didn’t do the Indians many favors over the years. It kinda shows why they look @ us like they do. I read of the problems that they are faced with today on the reservation. These problems are why people along this trip warn you of the dangers of travel in this route that I am on. But when I read that these problems were drugs, gangs, unemployment, robbery etc. I said to myself, he’ll this is not much different than riding through Bradford Co. back home? So with that new mindset I launched into the cold drizzle.

I spent the first 33 miles going up a gradual incline toward Kayenta. This route takes you through the high desert with a lot of nothing on each side of the road. I stopped @ a “convenience store” about 1/2 way for a drink & went inside more so to warm up than anything. My toes were numb & taking a cue from my homeboy biking expert Jay Perry I found some tape & wrapped my shoes. I set down with my drink & entertained questions from some of the locals. Back on the road riding in and out of rain showers & temp that went from 72 degrees if the sun peeked out to finishing up with the wind blown rain & 44 degrees. I could have done another 30 miles or so but like yest that would have left me in the middle of the desert for the night. So once again I am forced to layup short for the day with 75 miles for the day in Kayenta. Kayenta is a crossroads town with a few hotels & Restuaurants with tourists on their way to the Monument Valley, 4 corners, & the Grand Canyon. The RV traffic on this road is beyond your comprehension! Lines of amateur rig drivers blasting by you inches away. 

Tomo will be a long day 130 miles to get me to the outskirts of Cortez Co. 

  

My thought of the day is that maybe we should take a look @ banning glass bottles- I like my cold beverage in a bottle as much as the next guy- but with the sport of smashing the empty bottle along the road makes a good case for the ban. Dodging the broken glass along the road is a constant effort. How I’ve made 730 miles with out a flat is a testament to my Kevlar lined tires!