Alright! Time to find higher ground. I love the heat and I love the desert, but even in this high desert running the AC all day was not what we were looking for. A quick look at the topo's showed Mt Ellen nearby that peaked out at 11,500 feet. Let's go!
Nothing gets the heart racing like some tight switchbacks first thing in the morning!
It's like a red dirt version of Black Bear Pass in Colorado!
Hard right!
Goose likes the red dirt.
It was building up a nice coat.
The wall just keeps going.
Saw this little fella cruising along. He even did a fake rattlesnake shake for us with his tail. Pretty good too!
Don't worry. Goose isn't on fire, but my camera lens does have a smudge. Darn cheetos.
After seeing little rock cairns on top of every darn hill along Poison Spring road we just had to check one out so we hiked up. Nothing there and it did't seem to mark anything, but someone was sure bored!
All good art takes time.
Now this is an interesting site. An old Hudson that was turned into an awesome mad max trailer.
Talk about random. We took a side trail off of Poison Spring and came across some evidence of people doing... something!! Not sure what. Why exactly would you sink metal bars into solid rock and then also sink in an old farm jack (hilift type jack).
Trying to cleave pieces off of a rock? A rock that could be found a lot closer to major cities? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me so if anyone knows what sort of mining or work was being done out here, let me know!
Lots of Mexican Hat's like the one in Mexican Hat, UT.
Pretty amazing natural colors. What minerals they are, I have no idea.
Just so many amazing vistas!
Water has carved smooth this section of rock. Amazing.
It was a trip to park under this section of rock overhang. Just picturing a big piece cleaving off like an iceberg was running through my head!
Nice hand reaching to the sky!
Not a bad tribute to a friend.
Where you find remnants of past civilizations tend to make sense. Not always, but in this case it did. The first time we start to see running water and trees we come upon evidence of past peoples.
A snake.
A goat maybe?
Weiner dog? Haha, not sure.
This whole area has water seeping from the rocks. Pretty amazing.
It's always nice to see a lack of evidence of others being where you are. ahhhhhhhhh solitude.
After exploring the Maze for a couple days, driving back to the highway via Poison Springs Canyon and then to Hankville the stock tank was just about empty. We didn't need to use the 2 new fuel cans we brought with us, but I was still glad to have them. There were a lot of side trails we explored that I wouldn't have if I didn't have the auxiliary fuel in reserve.
Yep, it's really a hole in a rock and yep, it's a dump!
Local choices!
Time to head for high ground!!
We're getting warmer and by that I mean cooler!!
So nice!
Except for the part where climbing from 2,000 to 8,000 feet made my exhaust melt off the rear bumper! Whoops!
No comment on that one.
What a change from this morning. WOW. It struck me how immensely diverse Utah is.
After going up, up and up in low range for a while we made it to the top. Pretty amazing. We were now staring at the Ham Radio Repeater we'd been using while in the Maze over the last couple days.
Above the tree line.
Deer.
Rain is moving in.
Then all of a sudden it started hailing. A lot!
We found the most amazing camp and decided to grab a beer and hike around.
A word from our sponsor. Sierra Expeditions and Beer.
Look at this little guy.
He walked right up to us and then just about a foot away started burrowing.
He just kept wiggling and in a minute he was completely underground.
What an amazing spot!
It was carne asada time!!! We'd been lating it marinate during the trip so far and I have to say that it was absolutely amazing.
Now that was one of those HELLUVA great days. Just put it on a loop and I'm good.
The repeater we've been using this entire trip!
I love the desert, but this time of year it sure was exhilarating to be cold and in the mountains!
These mountains are controlled by the all knowing being. Everyone knows to watch out for... the holy cow.
Right about where this photo was taken I ran out of luck with the truck.
We were descending from well over 11,000 feet down to just under 3,000 and we were using low range for the most part for braking. About 3/4 of the way down the road is smooth, fast and a lot less steep so we went into high range. About a mile later I tapped the brakes and.... wait for it... nothing. Well, maybe about 10-20% braking thankfully. Still it took us several hundred yards of the brakes to the floor to stop. It's strange thinking "STOP" in your brain and then driving around a corner, over a little rise and then half way through a corner and then stopping...
The brakes were cooked. I've never overheated brakes on anything. I am thinking that I may have had a hanging piston on one caliper so it was heating up whether I was braking or not.
Let's hope for that being the case or FZJ80 brakes are truly horrible.
Always carry coveralls! I was in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, but I knew I'd be laying in the dirt covered in ants so I pulled out the trusty United Airlines coveralls a friend gave me and went to work. These things come in so handy. The only thing they didn't prevent was burning my arm on scalding hot brake fluid.
This is a bad picture. I took it driving. That being said I can't stop looking at all of these rocks as people huddled together praying. Wrapped in red and white blankets sitting around together.
After that we were back on black top! Under the dictionary next to the word "Road" this picture could go.
Oh yah, I will have to come back on a motorcycle.
Again, where is a motorcycle when you need it! Go go gadget moto!
Time to head for AZ.
Not a bad airport to land at.
Mogi Lookout, looking down to Johns Canyon trail.
Down at Mexican Hat stopping off at the river to cool off. NICE.
We made it to the South Rim. Not a lot of people know that there are some great dirt roads to explore for free just south of the South Rim park.
The old fire lookout. Still manned.
We camped right under the Helicopter flight path for sightseeing tours and actually loved it. The complete and utter quiet except for the rain punctuated by a helicopter about 100 yards above you.
Still, good spot.
We just read and ate leftover carne asada all night. Not a bad end to a great trip. We took our time going home through Williams and Prescott wishing the trip wasn't ending. Another great one in the books for us.
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