Keli Travels

The next day Melinda and I drove over to Kayenta, AZ this is my second time really being in AZ. the last time I just drove through on my way to CA and I told my friends Carrie and Jessica to stop the car so I could get out so I could say that I had "been to AZ"  

so now I have been to AZ again..We had to drive 20 minutes from Melinda's parents and go to the Wells Fargo there.. when we got there I found the cutest puppy I had ever seen just hanging out there..I seriously was considering "how can I get him home" I told Melinda he is SO CUTE!!!! I need to take him home with me... I found he was a stray dog.. and just...well THERE...

WHAT??!!! he just LIVES in that parking lot there.. I NEED TO TAKE HIM HOME WITH ME!!!

but well I do HAVE a large,unpredictable dog and this dog looks like it would also get large..and well no not at this time in my life.. 

but I did want him..

In other news.. we went to the Sonic.. because well Sonic is YUMMY and I had not been to one yet on that trip.. and I went into a museum that was located in a BURGER KING of all places about Navajo Code Talkers.

I also went in another small random museum about Navajo people. 

Then we left to go back to Monument Valley.

We stopped at this one place that had a lot of stalls where Navajo people were selling jewerly and all sorts of other stuff.

There were THREE stray dogs there.. all big ones.. all just laying around.. one lady told us that some tourists had bought her this big bag of dog food to feed those dogs with.. she said "that those dogs were not hers" I said they are now..

She also said "that one of those dogs just had puppies.." so glad I did not see them..because I would have wanted to bring them home too..

I did not have TONS of money to buy jewerly.. but if I did I think I would want a ring and or a belt buckle.. and probably a pair of earrings too.. 

for SURE a belt buckle..

but I did get Ralph and myself some bookmarks.

but I need that belt buckle.. I guess I will have to go back.. 

but I am afraid if I do I will bring a dog home with me..

Keli Travels

After our day of driving and hiking and exploring etc. We went out to eat at the Twin Rocks Cafe in Bluff,Utah http://www.twinrockscafe.com

those are the twin rocks.. how cool is that.? 

I got fry bread because one does not go to this part of the country and NOT get fry bread.. you just DON'T...

 also while I was there I really enjoyed the view..

Speaking of views.. this is the view from Melinda's parents backyard.. she woke up to this everyday.! SO AMAZING!!!!

I also want to say a few other things about my trip before I forget..

1. when we were in Moab we went to the Blu Pig BBQ http://www.blupigbbq.com because we heard that Mark Wahlberg had recently ate there while he was filming Transformers 4. 

2. I had to buy Ralph a glass there.. I have no idea why but I am obsessed with buying Ralph any form of a cup or glass or mug or stein or whatever...but I need to stop because the last time I was over there..( a few months ago) the cabinet was full.

3. When you are in this part of the country not only do you have to eat fry bread you MUST listen to THE VOICE OF THE NAVAJO NATION http://www.ktnnonline.com 

YOU HAVE TOO IT IS PART OF THE EXPERIENCE..

 and here is a picture of me with a monument to the first white people that settled down there..It was right outside the restaraunt in Bluff.

Keli Travels

 After The Natural Bridge Monument we drove over to the Hovenweep National Monument... at this point I was REALLY starting to rethink my choice to NOT get a national parks pass... 

We were very tired .. it took FOREVER to get there and do you know what it is like to drive when there is NOTHING on either side of you.. nothing but breathtaking scenery BUT STILL .... 

it was such a long drive out there .. and we were SO TIRED..we wanted to hike down to the things.. but we just did not have it in us... I GUESS WE WILL JUST HAVE TO GO BACK...

 But we did take this from the VISTORS CENTER!!!!

 and this we took this one too..

 and here we are at the Hovenweep National Monument Park Visitor Center..

you know what..it was worth the drive..!

Keli Travels - The Melinda version

Here are the pictures of Moki dugway and Natural bridge monument that Melinda took!

Keli Travels

After we left Goosenecks State Park we drove up the Moki Dugway. I took pictures.. but unfortunately my phone erased them.. here is a picture off the internet that is probably  better than anything off my phone anyway..

Melinda said DO NOT TELL HER DAD that we drove up that because he worries.. so don't tell him..!!! I was worried about all the people I saw that were driving up it with trailers attached to their vehicles or in big RVs and I even saw one BACKING UP.. like really..?? anyway we drove up that whole road.. and it led us to ...

Natural Bridge National Monument Park. Which has the address of "San Juan County" ..it is OUT THERE.. We hiked to the overlook of the first bridge..

that is me.. standing on the cliff.. and you can see the bridge below. It was an interesting hike, short but strenuous..

there is Melinda on a bridge that we had to climb down and then up again..

there is Melinda ahead when she got ahead of me .. THIS IS WHAT THE TRAIL LOOKED LIKE!!!

We hiked to the BOTTOM of this one.. I have a picture of us at the bottom of it.. and well it is a horrible picture and it is already on FB and that is ENOUGH.. but there was dust blowing around down there.. and it was sunny..
so we hiked to the overlook of the first one.. then we hiked to the bottom of the second one.. and on the third one.. we were like um... I can see it from the handicap access and well.. those last two were strenuous and we are HUNGRY!!! so we ate lunch.. and then left to drive to our next destination.

Keli Travels

Melinda and I had some fun adventures at Goosenecks State Park in Mexican Hat, Utah.. There were no hiking trails but that did not stop us from climbing pretty far down and taking a LOT of pictures...too bad my phone erased a lot...I had a picture of me sitting on that rock too...

I GUESS WE WILL JUST HAVE TO GO BACK!!!

Keli Travels

I love the movie Forrest Gump.. I have seen it A LOT of times.. you may not want to watch it with me because well I laugh at parts that may not be funny.. unless you have seen them as many times as I have..


"LT. DAN YOU GOT NEW LEGS!!!"

I also cry at parts

" and even though Bubba was dead and Lt. Dan said I was nuts, I gave Bubba's mama Bubba's share. You know what? She didn't have to work in nobody's kitchen no more"

that part gets me... and many other parts.



You know what else I LOVE.. ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS..

I am NOT EVEN KIDDING YOU...

I love ... love... LOVE ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS

did you know in Utah there is a place that is called Gump Hill..

AND IT IS THE PLACE IN THE MOVIE WHERE FORREST GUMP STOPPED RUNNING!!!!!!!!!???
I would put a link but I am at the library and have to go to work soon so I can't... but you know what I mean..

there is even a sign there that tells you that this is indeed where Forrest Gump stopped running.. and it does not say Tom Hanks in the movie Forrest Gump...

NO .. it says FORREST GUMP.. like he is a real person...

WHICH MAKES IT EVEN COOLER....

it is on the Navajo Reservation in Monument Valley, Utah..
Melinda and I stopped by it  in June.. and drove by it several times and every time we did there were people their taking pictures..

people know a good thing when they see it..

I later bought a shirt for myself that says Monument Valley  Utah-Arizona..

and on the back Gump Hill and the quote whatever he says..

" I think I will go home now"

I ALMOST bought Ralph one too...

but well I had a feeling that Ralph was NOT the matching shirt type of guy...

" I may not be a smart girl .. but"... hahahha

It took all I had to not by myself and Ralph TONS of merchandise that said " Gump Hill" and other stuff...

I mean it is NOT .. every DAY that you run across something as cool as this.. that has merchandise to back it up..

But I felt like a shirt for me would suffice..

So grateful for Melinda for stopping and taking these great pictures of me!

 

Keli Travels

After we went to Arches, we headed into the town of Moab, Utah.. we got out and walked around and went to the tourist shops and bought stuff.. I got a shirt and pants that said "Moab, Utah" and Melinda got a tank top that said Moab.. and we decided to wear them the next day and be "TOURISTS" like those teens that come here and then get all decked out in Washington DC stuff.. 

I almost bought Ralph a Utah dirt shirt a shirt made out of Utah dirt but I felt like I had already bought him a shirt made out of coal that same day and well.. I did not want to go too crazy buying Ralph stuff... I  know he would think that I did but I kept it a bit modest in the gift giving area.. 

We then drove on and on through lots of little towns and got to the Navajo Reservation in Monument Valley Utah where Melinda's parents live..

It had been another long but fun day! 

Keli Travels - the Melinda version

pictures Melinda sent me from Canyonlands -June 2013