Monument Valley Ride
The ride through Monument Valley is from Mexican Hat, Utah to Kayenta, Arizona
This ride through Monument Valley starts out early in the morning, just after sunrise at the San Juan Inn in Mexican Hat, Utah.
With a full moon still visible in the western morning sky, we make our way down one of the most scenic travel destinations you've ever seen.
If you've never been through this valley, you'll believe you have. Reminiscent of the old west, images and memories from the best that Hollywood widescreen cinema could produce, long since engrained in our minds, flash before us.
It's a quick ride at only 44 miles, but what a ride!
View The Monument_Valley Ride in a larger map
This is the route in text form in case anyone is interested. Total: 44.2 mi - About 47 mins without stops.
Starting from San Juan Inn. Mexican Hat, Utah
1. Head southwest on US-163 S/US-163 Scenic
2. Continue to follow US-163 S
3. Entering Arizona
4. Indian Route 591 Kayenta, AZ 86033
Arriving at Kayenta, Arizona
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Have any of you older bikers ever seen the movie "Electra Glide in Blue"? The last scene
was shot along this route. It's where John Wintergreen (Robert Blake)is
mercilessly gunned down by a hippy in a VW van.
He takes a double barrel 12 ga shotgun blast to the chest right through his windscreen. As he falls off his bike, he tumbles down the road ending up on the center line where he manages to sit up and slump over... then he expires.
The scene ends with over 30 seconds of silence as the camera begins to pull back down the road while "Tell Me" by Terry Kath (former and deceased leader of the band Chicago) begins playing. It's a sad and fitting score for the end credits.
The camera keeps rolling as the distance increases. Wintergreens wrecked bike comes into view on the side of the road. As time passes, the color of the film begins to slowly dissolve into black and white.
It is haunting to watch and takes a good 3 minutes before the credits begin to roll.
The shot is from the south looking north on US-163, 16 miles from the San Juan Inn in Mexican Hat Utah on a straight stretch of road about 1\2 mile long.
The mountain in the foreground directly inline is called Brighams Tomb and the one on the far right is called Stagecoach. The little peak in the middle is un-named on Google maps.
I don't know what it is about me and old movie locations, but I get a big charge when I discover one while on a road trip. What about you?
Click Play Button In Center Of Image To Watch a
Youtube Video Of The Ride
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