It was a long day and our longest bicycle ride yet (88 miles). To circumvent the strong afternoon winds, we woke before dawn and were on the road shortly after 6am, not arriving in Page, AZ until after 7pm. But what a ride! For almost the entire day we were on the Navajo Reservation, surrounded by sand, mountains, and cliffs.
It was very interesting too see the different colors and formations that appeared to be randomly distributed across the landscape. We had a ~10mph wind to help push us in the right direction, and we made good time cruising across reservation, covering 40 miles in only a few hours. We had coffee from the restaurant in Cameron to give us an extra boost :)
That is the Hamblin Ridge in the photo above, with a max height somewhere around 6000ft. We were at an elevation of around 5000ft above sea level. The Navajo Nation was an interesting place and provided much food for thought. The houses were wide spaced and may or may not have had electricity as there could easily be miles in between two dwellings. Many trucks passed us with large water containers in the back. The houses were usually rundown in appearance. Some would have old RVs out front, others would have no vehicles in sight (this was a weekday in which we were passing through on though). The houses were small, and single story and most had a hogan in the vicinity (a hexagonal or octagonal building used for different types of meetings or occasions). We passed numerous stands selling Navajo made jewelry, pottery pieces, and woven rugs and hangings. We stopped at a few to admire the craftsmaship and skill. There were some truly beautiful pieces of stone jewelry. Below is one of the dwellings on the Navajo reservation, at the base of Echo Cliffs.
Soon we came to an intersection that forced us to make a decision. Did we want to head West and farther North to go see the North Rim of the Grand Canyon? What was our alternative? We were at the intersection of 89 and 89A. 89 headed over a mountain that we couldn't see the top of, and then down to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (this was headed more towards Florida). But, 89A traveled northwesternly towards the Marble Canyon, Lee's Ferry, and the North Rim. It was a hard decision, but we decided we were ready to start heading more Easternly, and Lake Powell sounded like a nice place to stay the night. So we headed up the mountain!
We reached a scenic viewpoint were a few Navajos had set up their tabels and were selling their wares. It was a beautiful vista. Above you can see the Vermillion Cliffs in the distance. We were more than 1000ft above the valley. The Colorado River is seen snaking through as a small gorge in the photo as well. It was a 3 mile climb from the base of this mountain to the top, and Chris said later it was the best 3 mile investment we had ever made.
While enjoying the view, a Navajo man offered us a piece of watermelon. It was the sweetest, crispest, cold, most delicious piece of watermelon. It was a wonderful treat after biking uphill. Then one of the ladies behind a booth said we were almost at the top, we just had to go around the bend (as in the above picture) and then the land would level off, then it would be downhill all the way to Page (the payoff for the three mile investment).
The rock walls we biked through (above and below). The photograph doesn't seem real looking at it now, but that is exactly as it appeared.
Soon we were headed downhill though extensive grassy plains. They were silver-hued. When I imagined young Indians training their horses and riding swiftly and freely across grassy plains, it looked just like what we were passing through. There were even herds of horses in the distance. We hadn't expected to find a grassland at the top of the mountain, but it was a beautiful sight to behold and a euphoric, fast ride through the sloping fields.
Soon we came to a rocky pass, were the road seemed to drop off. We stopped for a photograph (above) and then continued onwards - only to stop not a minute later to gape at the view before us. Lake Powell, the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and Monument Valley stretched out in front of us. The canyons and the water didn't look real. To our left we could still to see the Vermillion Cliffs, and then the top fo Marble Canyon and unknown rock formations also came into view. It was an unvelievable sight.
We started down the mountain, only to realize that it was literally "all" downhill into Page, AZ.
It feels like flying when you are hurtling down the mountain on a bicycle, with the wind whipping your hair and the exhileration of knowing that if you hit a rock or or turn to tight you are going to go flying off your bicycle into the alternatingly rocky and grassy landscape. We zoomed over a canyon bridge, only to have to come to a halt so we could go back and investigate. It was the Waterholes Canyon, and an impressive display of red sandstone rock.
After the canyon, we continued on into Page, AZ. We stopped at a Walmart to restock on Cliff bars and sun screen, and stopped at McDonald's for delicious unhealthy food (including a rolo McFlurry). 89 took us directly into Glen Canyon, and we crossed over the recently finished Glen Canyon Dam Bridge. The sheer size of the dam was amazing. The height at which we stood over the base of the dam was dizzying.
From the dam the Colorado River flowed. It was a dark blue-green in color, contrasting dramatically with the red rock walls of the canyon.
After passing over the dam we soon officially entered the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and found a campsite overlooking Lake Powell.
Location:Cameron, AZ to Page, AZ
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