Valley of the Gods
Indeed the night at Monticello was
particularly cold, -9°C under my truck…
The gray water drainage was frozen. I left the
carpark of Visitor Center around 9:30
after having worked on Internet. On the
way I stopped at the Valley of the Gods to
have lunch and finally I bivouacked there.
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| Valley of the Gods at noon |
Valley of the Gods at around 5 p.m. |
At sunrise on the site, the beauty and the
quietude of the spot encouraged me to
remain still a night in spite of the night
temperature below zero. I made this
profitable day to immerse me in the
training of Spanish with the Assimil
French method, the task is difficult…
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| Valley of the Gods at 7.30 a.m. |
En route to Flagstaff
I left with regrets Valley of the Gods so
much the place was quiet, but cold. The
condition of the tires ex-military was
frankly bad after only 11,910 km. The
report showed an unequal wear because the
sold tires had between 20 and 30% of wear,
according to the salesman… I thought that
I should change before leaving the USA
with the hope to have finally new tires,
without believing in it too much.
Consequently I gave up part of my project
to see again certain parks. I crossed to
shortest while heading to Flagstaff, then
tomorrow will be another day. On the way I
took again two phictures of Monument
Valley, alas as often in the fog, to look
at the photographs of the
first visit. I returned to the bivouac
in 2011 close to
Sedona.
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| Monument Valley |
En route Hwy #40
The following day was a short driving day
with alunch pause at Wal-Mart in
Winslow after a stop in front of McDo for
Internet. Then I went at the entrance of
Petrified Forest NP to bivouac at the
Crystal Forest, free RV Parking. Altitude
is above 1600 meters.
Petrified Forest National Park
For the first time since more than one
week, the night temperature was at Crystal
Forest of +4°C. I revisited Petrified
Forest with pleasure because in
April 2011 the temperature was chilly.
While arriving at Gallup the sun was
resplendent, I spent the night on the
Wal-Mart carpark.
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| Blue Mesa |
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| Painted Desert |
Albuquerque, New Mexico
The way from Gallup to Albuquerque was
without interest on the Interstate 40.
After a stop at the Visitor Center on the
highway close to Grants and a liunch pause
I approached Albuquerque in the fog at the
bottom of mountains at an altitude of
almost 1600 meters. Again I stationed at
Wal-Mart.
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| Landing at Albuquerque |
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
Sunday started under a black sky after a
night rain. The program of the visits was
charged. Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
accommodated me as of its opening. It
exhibits the culture of the pueblos by
presenting handicraft and custom as well
as the relations with the various
conquerors. A gallery shows paintings by
Native Americans.
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| Migration of Salt Mother by Larson Gasper |
K'yawakwayina:we by Edward Wemytewa |
Old Town
Then the sun appeared around 11 a.m. I
benefitted from it to stroll in the
Hispanic old town founded in 1706 by the
governor Francisco Cuervo y Valdez. It is
representative of the Spanish urbanization
with a plaza and its church.
Albuquerque Museum of Art & History
Beside Albuquerque Museum Art & History
gathers the art of the three cultures of
New Mexico, native American, Hispanic and
English.
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| Back Alley by J. Chris Morel |
Autumn in Highland County by J. Cris Morel |
Down Town
Finally I walked the quadrilateral formed
from the west to the east by the 5th and
the 3th st and, from the north to the
south by Lomas Blvd and Silver street.
Central street is on the old Route 66.
KiMo Theater is representative of Pueblo
Deco-style. As in much of American cities
mural are omnipresent.
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| KiMo Theatre |
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| Murals |
