Dear Friends and Family,

We are back in Utah this summer in the South western part at the border of Arizona-Monument Valley.  We were here with the boys in the nineties and it is good to be back. This time however, we could not stay in the same campground as the Beast is too big. So we reserved space in the Gouldings RV park. The Gouldings, Harry and his wife nicknamed, Mike, came to monument Valley in the early 1920’s. Harry was a sheep trader looking for a new place to call home. They set up a trading post and they conducted business with the local Navajo people. The Navajos traded hand crafted items like rugs and jewelry in exchange for food and other goods. The Gouldings constructed the permanent trading post in 1928 which today is a museum. With the depression of 1929 the area was really suffering including the Navajos.  Harry approached John Ford, a hoillywood director, to film his western movies in Monument Valley.  John Wayne and many other stars were filmed in the valley. “Stagecoach” was Wayne's first movie in the valley. Over the years, the Goulding’s continued to host movie crews, photographers, artists, and tourists.  They built lodge rooms and a dining facility to accommodate their guests. Since then, Gouldinhg’s Lodge has expanded to host the thousands of visitors from all over the world who come to see Monumenjt Valley. We were camped in the RV park with a large group from Holland. We can say that Monument Valley's magnificent rock structures have not changed since we were last here and since John Wayne was filmed here. We left early with pending rain to drive into the Navajo monument.  First we spent time at the excellent museum and visitor’s center where the history of the valley’a settlement was chronicled as well as the Wind talkers the Navajo speakers who helped with codes in WW II.Then off we went down the 17 mile drive through the valley. At first the road was just a dirt road. But as we drove on, we were so glad we were in a jeep with high clearance. Throughout the trip we met drivers who had bottomed out or scraped their cars or bumpers because of the rough road. We drove through the Left Mitt and Right mitt, then on to 3 sisters, to Ford’s Point.  Then more rough roads to Cube and more views before we climbed up out of the valley. What a trip and boy were we glad we did this drive in our jeep!

Monument valley is such a special place.  We hope you all add this destination to your travel list. We were glad to return.

Until our next post, remember to be good to yourselves.

Cheers,

Susan and Jim