Tracks of the StoneBear Odyssey ROF = Ring of Fire

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Monument Valley 2 Kyenta, AZ Sept '08

4COR 2 

Tracks of the StoneBear Copyright MCMLXIII Uncle Hargus ALL Rights reserved

ROF= Ring of fire Odyssey  http://sbtrof.blogspot.com/ 

4COR= 4 Corners Journey   http://stonebeartracksrof.blogspot.com/2011/01/monument-valley-2.html

http://stonebeartracksrof.blogspot.com/2011/05/watchtower.html

Sept 2008

Sept 09

ROF road trip

Monument Valley , Arizona / Utah -- Navajo Nation --2-- Same text, different pics

I knew this would be good....

Oh God... I didn't know it would be this good.

Best friend Moose Dude knew friend Haley that did an internship in Kayenta, AZ. reports back were mixed, some about the poverty of the area... the despair of the area... this is Navajo territory.

Monument Valley, AZ is actually Navajo nation : Navajo Tribal Park is the official listing.

The other reports back were of the amazing beauty of Monument Valley... and the surrounding 4 corners area. Well that decision is an easy one; ?When can I get there to see this?

So this road trip had a specific goal to get to Kayenta / Monument Valley.

I've seen pictures of this... even on the big screen HD views... and that does NOT even come close to the absolutley breathtaking magnificence of this place. Just standing there overlooking the valley is paralyzing. Cool thin air, bright sunshine on this dessert plain... Powerful.

Then... I learn that you can actually drive down into the valley among these monoliths.

The drive is a loop through the valley for 17 miles. Stops at different viewpoints... each one just as magnificent as the last... and it just keeps getting more breathtaking every stop.

It's dirt roads... some really bad potholes in places that will shake your teeth, tear up a suspension on a car if you drive more than 5 -10 mph. But you kinda want to go slow and see this valley.

At one place... saw a Navajo indian ride out onto a ridge... the most picturesque thing you've ever seen of a Western setting. ... T-bone said we hit it lucky to see this. I thought... the tour bus of Europeans pulling up to the viewpoint 2 minutes earlier helped . I could vision the director & his headset : Ok, the bus has stopped; que the Navajo on the horse. ... get the souvenier stand ready. I think like that.

But it is an amazing place to see. There are Native American Navajos that actully live on this land and some places / houses / kivas are off limits. It's an amazing drive that takes a few hours... longer if you want to soak it in or take more pictures. I should have stayed longer and taken more pics.

Also see the other Monument Valley posts, and Kayenta / Burger King ( I don't do commercials but the display in the Kyenta, AZ Burger King that honors the US Marine Navajo "Code Talkers" is impressive. it's under construction -- i'm writing as fast as I can bear w/ me.

You never drink twice from the same stream. 

StoneBearTracks Copyright Uncle Hargus MCMLXIII ALL blog posts/photographs/video ALL Rights reserved

ALL Blog posts/photographs/video Copyright MCMLXIII ALL Rights Reserved

ROF 2 

Tracks of the StoneBear Copyright MCMLXIII Uncle Hargus ALL Rights reserved

ROF= Ring of fire Odyssey

http://sbtrof.blogspot.com/

4COR= 4 Corners Journey 

Sept 08

ROF road trip

http://stonebeartracksrof.blogspot.com/2011/05/watchtower.html

Monument Valley Arizona / Utah -- Navajo Nation

The other reports back were of the amazing beauty of Monument Valley... and the surrounding 4 corners area. Well that decision is an easy one; ?When can I get there to see this?

So this road trip had a specific goal to get to Kayenta / Monument Valley.

I've seen pictures of this... even on the big screen HD views... and that does NOT even come close to the absolutley breathtaking magnificence of this place. Just standing there overlooking the valley is paralyzing. Cool thin air, bright sunshine on this dessert plain... Powerful.

Then... I learn that you can actually drive down into the valley among these monoliths.

The drive is a loop through the valley for 17 miles. Stops at different viewpoints... each one just as magnificent as the last... and it just keeps getting more breathtaking every stop.

It's dirt roads... some really bad potholes in places that will shake your teeth, tear up a suspension on a car if you drive more than 5 -10 mph. But you kinda want to go slow and see this valley.

But it is an amazing place to see. There are Native American Navajos that actully live on this land and some places / houses / kivas are off limits. It's an amazing drive that takes a few hours... longer if you want to soak it in or take more pictures. I should have stayed longer and taken more pics.

You never drink twice from the same stream. 

StoneBearTracks Copyright Uncle Hargus MCMLXIII ALL blog posts/photographs/video ALL Rights reserved

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Last Chance Gulch Helena, Montana

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Last Chance Gulch Helena Montana

ITW 77 - 76

Tracks of the StoneBear Copyright MCMLXIII Uncle Hargus ALL Rights reserved

ROF= Ring of fire Odyssey  MEF-H = Marine Expeditionary Force- Hargus 

ITW= Into The West Journey

July 14, 2010

Helena, Montana Last Chance Gulch

Helena, Montana is a fantastic town of a rich western history. A couple of days here is not enough. A western mining town... a boom town... and some busts. An earlier road trip through the west , went to Virginia City, Montana... the provisional territory capitol of Montana , until it was wrestled away by Helena.

They called it the "Last Chance" gulch... ...the creek / stream that ran through the main street of what was Helena, Montana. Story was... all the Gold prospectors were ready to give up on a worthless claim. They had prospected and panned for months w/ minimal results on this worthless creek. Ready to throw in the towel,... give up... move on to more promising gold prospecting streams.

And one guy said... well,... Let's give it one Last Chance.... my Last chance. ... and he hit a vain of gold. Found a nugget strike that was like no other. And the gold rush was back on.

The life of the gold miners was a rough tumble life. They'd be up at dawn, working their claim; 10 feet of dirt riverbank that was theirs and anything they could pan out of it. Typical day was to pan gold all day from dusk 'til dark.... or late eve when they'd take their Gold-dust into the saloons and "weigh out"... tally their daily Gold weight for dollars... most of the time on a credit ledger in the saloon. .... then for the rest of the night spend it on whiskey and saloon women... until dawn. ... then get up and do it again. WHAT a life to be a gold prospector in Helena Montana!!!

Wait a minute!!! ... men that would work hard all day and cavort into the night.... I know these guys; I worked with these guys. I knew Marine buddies that did the same thing. ... I worked with shipyard Cajuns that did this.... i worked with stockbrokers that did this... I worked with construction workers that did this. .... Dad ! .... I know these guys; I worked and lived with them... god I love 'em!!! These are the guys that lived life to the fullest and built America!

There are hundreds of tiny shanty / shack homes still along Last Chance Gulch. Homes now renovated over the years and still lived in from the original claims on the property by these prospectors.

Claims to the 10feet creek-banks were sold,... claims were traded.... worthless claims were sold to greenhorn tin-pan newcomers,... claims were jumped by cutthroat scoundrels, ... men / prospectors were killed / beaten to death for worthless claims ... right here on the "Last Chance " Gulch. And it has now transformed through Helenas history to be one of the old main attractions.

*** a sidetrack here---

--- Also see Virginia City, Montana on the sbtyellowstone blog --

http://sbtyellow.blogspot.com/2011/01/virginia-city-montana.html -- another mining boomtown with rich history... notably... the origin of the 3 - 7 - 77 Logo that is still on the present Montana State Troopers cars.

Legend is ... Virginia city, MT an old somewhat ghost town of the old west mining boom-towns where 1,860s the vigilante law was --3-- , --7--, --77--. If you were a thug, robber, scoundrel.... the -3- -7- -77- was painted on your door.... on your linen tent,... your number was up. --you have been found out for the riff-raff you are. It meant... the stage leaves town at 3, the sun sets at 7, & it's 77 miles to Bozeman... the territorial capitol where you might could get a fair trial by official law. Otherwise,... take your chances here w/ the vigilantes western justice of a noose. The vigilantes hung about 24 thugs(most notably the elected sheriff Henry Plummer and associates) in a couple of months when they cleaned up the town. god I love Montana and their people! --- They understood how to govern!

You never drink twice from the same stream. 