Allegria Travels West – California’s Alabama Hills

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent

Panorama of the Alabama Hills and Sierra Nevada Mts.

Mt. Whitney as seen from the Alabama Hills

For all you Western film fans – Great news! On July 3 Disney Productions will be releasing the new “Lone Ranger” movie starring Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp as Tonto. The dynamic duo continue to fight injustice in the Old West, as their characters did in the original TV series, much of which was filmed in the Alabama Hills of southeastern California.

Our discovery of this corner of America is one of those serendipitous moments. With an extra day to spend in the area of Ridgecrest, California, we head north toward Lone Pine, located in the

shadow of Mt. Whitney, the tallest mountain in the lower 48 States (14,495 feet). A helpful ranger suggests that the area in Owens Valley, on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, would be a great place to photograph.

The area was named in the 1860s after the Confederate warship, the ‘CSS Alabama,’ by gold prospectors sympathetic to the South. Thirty thousand acres of hills, hidden valleys and massive rock formations create what is officially known as the Alabama Hills Recreation Area. Compared to the crisp, sculptured peaks of Mt. Whitney and the surrounding Sierra Nevada mountains, the Alabama Hills are rounder and less defined, with smooth, orange volcanic rocks weathered by the wind and enormous round granite boulders stacked on top of each other, creating hidden paths and byways.

Mobius Arch

Dozens of stone arches dot the landscape, blending in with the rock formations. The most popular and iconic is Mobius Arch which can be accessed by a short hike through the boulders. At 17 feet wide and 6 feet high, it makes the perfect frame through which to photograph Mt. Whitney, 

especially in the early morning when the rising sun paints the mountain with a rosy glow. About 25 feet west of Mobius is the smaller Lathe Arch which also provides a frame for some very interesting shots. There are 12 or more other identified arches in the area, most of which are accessible on longer hikes. However, there are several hundred “undocumented” arches which you can discover yourself by wandering around. (A very helpful website for identifying the arches is http://www.eugenecarsey.com/camp/alabamahills/arches.htm.)

As we meander down a dusty trail between hodgepodge rows of towering rocks, we can’t help but comment on what a perfect place this would be to stage an ambush! Hollywood obviously thought and thinks the same because over 400 action movies and hundreds of TV shows have been filmed here.  In addition to “The Lone Ranger,” others include “Gunga Din,” “The Bengal Lancers,”  “How the West Was Won” and portions of “Star Trek- The Next Generation.” Even parts of “Gladiator” were filmed here with Russell Crowe riding a horse across the Alabamas!

Mt Whitney peeks over boulders in Alabama Hills

If you are planning to visit Death Valley, then a trip to the Alabama Hills is a wonderful addition to your expedition. Who knows? You might even catch a glimpse of Tonto and Kimo Sabe lurking behind the rocks – even if it is only in your imagination!

PHOTOGRAPHIC TIP

The best part is that this area seems to be unknown to most people. In a day of driving and hiking we only saw 3- 4 other cars and 1-2 RVs. It means that you don’t have to fight for a spot to photograph.

Sunrise is the light for photography in this area although you will be able to get good shots at sunset and even during the day. We utilize a wide-angle (14-24mm) and a zoom lens (70-200mm). Blowing dust makes it difficult to change lenses, so two camera bodies are advisable.  A tripod will enable you to take advantage of the excellent opportunities for HD and Panoramic photos. A bean bag is helpful for some shots when you want to get down on the ground. Be prepared to lie down to get some of the more dramatic shots. A ground sheet is a helpful accessory to put in your backpack.

IF YOU GO

Stop at the Eastern Sierra InterAgency Visitor Center on Highway 395 and SR 136 in Lone Pine to pick up maps of the region (Tel 760-876-6222; www.fs.usda.gov/inyo)

Jumbles of boulders, Alabama Hills

To get to Mobius Arch, take Highway 395 to Lone Pine, north of Ridgecrest, California (west of Death Valley). Turn west at the stop light onto Whitney Portal Road, drive 2.5 miles to Movie Road and turn right. After 1.5 miles you will reach a Y intersection. Go right and park in the open space on your left. Follow the trail markers to the Mobius Arch.

Be sure to keep an eye out for wildlife, including coyotes, rattlesnakes and bears. We saw enormous bear paw prints in the dust near one of the areas we walked through!

Once you are in the Alabama Hills Recreation Area there are no shops, restaurants or gas stations so take plenty of water and a picnic lunch. Plan on spending at least a day to explore the area.

Allegria Travels West Into Death Valley, California

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent

           

Sand dunes near Stovepipe Wells, Death Valley

Following the tracks of a sidewinder snake, Death Valley

            Do you think you would have the gumption to take off across an unexplored desert in a covered wagon, with only a vague idea of where you were headed? Few people today would probably have the courage… But in 1849 a group of pioneers (known to us as the ‘49ers’) set off from Salt Lake City, trying to reach the gold fields of California to make their fortune. They took what they thought was a shortcut!!! After much misfortune and many lost lives, a group of them finally stumbled out of the furnace. “Good-bye Death Valley,” one of them uttered. And the name stuck! 

            Located mostly in eastern California, with a tiny corner in western Nevada,  Death Valley is the largest national park in the lower 50 states, its 3.4 million acres of wilderness amongst the most desolate you will find. It is a place of extreme temperatures (134 degrees F) and, at 282 feet below sea level, it is the lowest place in the United States (The Dead Sea, in Jordan, is the lowest place on Earth).

Remains of an old wagon wheel, Death Valley

It is a vast emptiness with little human presence, interrupted only by the rusting remains of buildings, wagons and machinery from the time when Borax was mined in the area. It is here that the famous 20-mule-trains were hitched to wagons to haul the borax to the closest railhead. Most of the mining failed within a few years leaving behind ghost towns scattered around the region.

            It is a place you must experience from close up to appreciate its raw beauty and unforgiving harshness.  We start our explorations from Ridgecrest, California, rising at 4 am to make the two- hour drive into the park in time to witness the sunrise over the sand dunes at Stovepipe Wells. The sinuous mounds turn to gold in the early morning sunlight as we hike up the sides, following the traces of a sidewinder snake, its telltale hook shaped tracks gliding over the pristine sand where all previous tracks have been wiped clean by the wind. Tracks of kangaroo rats and stinkbugs can also be seen punctuating the sands. Each time you visit the dunes, they are slightly different as the relentless wind constantly sculpts and reshapes them.

Remains of the old Borax works, Death Valley

            Just south of Stovepipe Wells is the Furnace Creek area where a colorful moonscape opens up before you. A one-way road, known as Artist’s Drive (10 miles south of Furnace Creek) wends its way for nine miles through ravines and rock formations. The highlight of the drive is Artist’s Palette where outcrops of salmon pink, egg yolk yellow, lavender, turquoise and green mineral deposits are splashed across the barren land. The best time to visit is at sunset when the intensity of the colors is at their peak.

            In this area we spot a coyote walking along the side of the road. It comes very close to the car, allowing us to take photographs. We also are able to photograph a number of small lizards on the rocks. Although less than 2 inches of rain falls annually in Death Valley, in the spring time the desert seems to bloom in some places, providing a unique photographic opportunity.

The rocks at Artist's Palette, Death Valley

            Continue along the same road, and you will reach Badwater Basin, the lowest place in the United States, as indicated by the marker on the hill by the parking lot. A formidable, nearly pure white, saltpan stretches as far as the Panamint Mountains. Several thousand years ago, a lake filled the area; when it evaporated, it left behind a 1-5 foot layer of salt. A briny pond, whose water is four times saltier than the ocean, can still be seen.

            As you wend your way back to the Visitors Center, be sure to stop at Zabriskie Point, one of the most popular outlooks which is ideal for viewing both sunrises and sunsets. After you park, it is a short hike up a hill where you will see a panorama of steep, eroded hills and badlands where rills and gullies have been sculpted into the brown soil (parts of the 1970 film, “Zabriskie Point,” directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, were filmed here).

Badwater Basin and Salt Flats, Death Valley

            If you have a full 4-wheel drive vehicle or would like to rent one at Furnace Creek, you can drive north to a remote valley between the Last Chance and Cottonwood mountain ranges. On an old saline lake bed known as “The Racetrack,” rocks glide mysteriously across the barren sands at night, leaving deep furrows behind them. No one has ever seen them move, and scientists are hard pressed to explain the phenomenon. NASA has set up a website (www.racetrackplaya.org) where you can upload any photographs you take of the rocks and contribute to the research database that is being compiled to try and explain this mystery.

            Despite the name given to the Valley after unspeakable suffering by early explorers, Death Valley is a place of exceptional beauty that should not be missed. Ideally, you should spend at least 2-3 days in the park if you want to explore some of the more remote areas.

PHOTOGRAPHIC TIP

Briny pool at Badwater Basin, Death Valley

The best time to photograph Death Valley is at sunrise or sunset. Plan on being at your selected location at least one hour earlier to pick your spot and set up your tripod. The best places for sunrises are Dante’s Point, Zabriskie Point or Badwater. For sunsets, go to Artist’s Drive, Zabriskie Point or Ubehebe Crater. A wide-angle and a mid-length telephoto lens will permit you to photograph different aspects of the desert. A polarizing filter is critical when photographing on the salt flats. This area also lends itself to panoramic and High Definition Photography.

IF YOU GO

Death Valley National Park is open every day. Entrance fees vary (www.nps.gov/deva; Tel 760-786-3200). The best times to visit are in the spring and fall.

A coyote running across the desert, Death Valley

You really need a car to explore the park, and in some places only 4-wheel drives will do. Be sure that your car is in excellent working condition, and fill up completely with gas. Although it is possible to purchase fuel at Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells and Panamint Springs Resort, it is exceedingly expensive. You should also carry plenty of water with you. A good paper map (available at the Visitors Center) is essential since there is little cell phone coverage outside the Furnace Creek Area, if you are relying on electronic maps.

Although we stay at a hotel in Ridgecrest, California, a popular gateway to Death Valley, it is a two hour drive from Furnace Creek. There are several places to stay inside the park including The Inn at Furnace Creek and the Ranch at Furnace Creek (www.furnacecreekresort.com Tel 800-236-7916; open mid-October to mid-May); and Panamint Springs Resort (www.deathvalley.com/psr; tel 775-482-7680.) The advantage of these is the flexibility you will have to stay out as long as the light is sufficient.

Allegria Travels West – The Grand Canyon, Arizona

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent

Panorama of the Grand Canyon from the Tower

            No trip to Arizona would be complete without a visit to the Grand Canyon. If you are lucky you will be able to spend a week or ten days – the time it will take to visit the South and North rims, explore the inner canyon which is only accessible on foot, by boat or by mule, or even raft the Canyon! At the very least, you need to experience a sunset and a sunrise!

The Grand Canyon at sunrise from Yavapai Point

            How do you describe the grandeur of the Grand Canyon to someone who has never seen it? Carved out by the Colorado River, at its deepest point it is 6,000 feet deep and its average width is 10 miles. Over 70 major rapids punctuate the river as it roars through its 2,200 foot descent. Peering at its horizontal rock strata is like reviewing 2 billion years of geological history. The buttes, outcrops and mesas that you see accenting this enormous gorge are really mountains that you are seeing from above. But these are factual statements.

The Grand Canyon and Colorado River

            How do you convey the sense of wonder….the human impression of this icon of the world… the ever-changing hue of red, tan, orange, even purple,

of the canvas before you?

            In the end we decide that, rather than try to describe what we see in words (especially since so much has already been written on the subject by others),we will leave it to our camera to capture the beauty and majesty of this vast and rugged wilderness. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.

            These photographs were taken over a 24-hour period, capturing the sunset and sunrise, over the Grand Canyon, as taken from various overlooks along the South Rim.

Grand Canyon from Yavapai Point

PHOTOGRAPHIC TIP: We use a tripod, wide-angle lens (14-24mm) and 70-200 mm medium telephoto lens to capture these images. Having located our preferred spot, we set up well before sunset and sunrise and wait until the light provides the shot we want.

The Grand Canyon from the Tower

IF YOU GO: “Grand Canyon” by Moon Handbooks provides detailed information regarding all aspects of visiting this national monument.

Grand Canyon from Yavapai Point

Allegria Travels West – The Red Rocks of Sedona, Arizona

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent

Courthouse Butte at sunset under a full moon, Sedona

Slide Rock, Oak Creek Canyon

            No matter how many photos you may have seen of the area around Sedona, Arizona, nothing quite prepares you for the breathtaking beauty of the flat-topped mesas, enormous buttes and spindly spires of red sandstone that soar into the cyan blue sky! You don’t know where to focus first and keep taking photograph after photograph to catch the nuances of the changing light on the rock faces. It is beyond the scope of this blog to describe all the things you can see and photograph in and around Sedona. Whole books have been written on the subject. We only hope to whet your appetite!

            We drive to Sedona from Flagstaff, through thick ponderosa pines, down Oak Creek Canyon, a twisting, winding 16-mile chasm with waterfalls and steams hemmed into the sheer red rock walls. Aromas of springtime – apple blossoms, fresh pine, wet leaves – fill the air.

This is one place where you have to park the car, get out and hike one of the innumerable trails that wend their way through the Canyon. A favorite is Call of the Canyon/West Fork Oak Creek Trailhead, a six-mile round-trip hike that takes you past spectacular scenery, through apple orchards

Oak Creek Canyon,  Sedona

where, in the fall, you can simply reach up and pick your snack fresh from the tree. This is where author Zane Grey found inspiration for his book, “Call of the Canyon.” It is also one of the vortex sites for which the Sedona area is famous.

            About six miles south, Slide Rock State Park is the perfect place to stop for a swim (assuming you are visiting in the summer). In this spot the bottom of the creek is smooth sandstone, creating a natural waterslide that you can ride down over mini falls and rapids! It is a very popular spot on a hot summer’s day!

            As you drive down towards the center of Red Rock Country – Sedona – it is the colors that are most enthralling! Green trees and red rocks contrast with the blue, blue sky, accentuating the tints and hues even more. Although it is possible to drive close to many of the red monoliths (most named for their distinctive shapes), it is much more fun to spend some time hiking through, around or up them.

Ship Rock, Oak Creek Canyon

            We spend two days photographing around this picturesque city.  One of the most popular and most photographed sites is the west face of Cathedral Rock, located in its own park – Red Rock Crossing – Crescent Moon. As part of the formation, slender monoliths, resembling fingers accent the outcrop. These are known as “The Lovers” and, there is a Native American legend surrounding them. Storytellers narrate how these “Lovers” were created when the Great Spirit observed a couple fighting all the time. In order to distract them from their petty issues, he extolled them to turn around and observe the beauty surrounding them and live in harmony.

There are several trails of varying difficulty that take you up the rock from where you will be able to see superb vistas. At around sunset you can find the rock reflected in the waters of Oak Creek.

            Our favorite site, however, is slightly south of Sedona where Courthouse Butte and Bell Rock (also considered a vortex site) soar into the sky. Courthouse Butte, a massive, towering formation, is visible from almost everywhere in Sedona. We are fortunate that we are in Sedona the night before the full moon which gives us the opportunity to photograph the setting sun and the rising moon around these two landmarks. The color of the rock changes from burnt sienna to a fiery red as the sun sinks towards the horizon.

Cathedral Rock, Sedona

            We very quickly realize that we have not budgeted enough time for Sedona. Around every

corner and bend there is something different to photograph or a new angle to explore. I guess it means we will simply have to come back for a much longer period of time.

PHOTOGRAPHIC TIP: On this trip you can use every lens and every type of photographic equipment you have! A wide angle lens is a must! The vistas are ideal for panoramic and HDR photography!

IF YOU GO
To protect the fragile environment, the Chamber of Commerce has introduced the Red Rock Pass Program, a mandatory parking fee that is required if you want to park alongside the roads outside downtown Sedona as well as at the numerous trailheads. The Red Rock Pass is available from any of the Visitors Centers as well as from automated machines at most major trailheads. If you have a National Parks pass, you can also display this from your mirror.

The Bell and Courthouse Butte

For information on Sedona visit the Chamber of Commerce website (www.visitsedona.com; tel 928-282-7722 or 800-288-7336).

Slide Rock State Park (www.azstateparks.com; Tel. 928-282-3034)

There are several excellent books with information on the hiking possibilities in Sedona including “Sedona’s 10 Top Hikes” by Dennis Andres and “Sedona Hikes” by Richard and Sherry Mangum.

Allegria Travels West – Off the Beaten Track in Arizona

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent

Grand Falls on the Little Colorado River

Grand Falls on the Little Colorado River

            Of all the States we visit on our trek across America, Arizona has to be one of the most photogenic! Home to ancient peoples as well as such natural wonders as the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, Sedona and Monument Valley, every corner seems to have something to offer – ancient dwellings, snowcapped volcanoes, tripping mountain streams, twisted ponderosa pines,  – the list is endless, and it is hard to choose what to see now and what to save for a subsequent visit. Three areas off the beaten track capture our imagination – Grand Falls, Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki.

            We base ourselves in Flagstaff, Arizona, a pretty mountain town in the shadow of 12,000 foot high Humphrey’s Peak, where we have friends. The three locations we want to visit are only a short drive away.

Sunset Crater in the shadow of the San Francisco Mts.

            For a few weeks of the year, as the snow melt swells the rivers and streams, the Grand Falls on the Little Colorado River turn from a small trickle to a spectacular mass of churning chocolate-colored water, roaring over a lava bank. At 187 feet, Grand Falls is higher even than Niagara (167 feet)!

If the falls exist at all, it is because of the intense volcanic activity in the area. Some 20,000 years ago, lava from one of the many volcanoes that dot the landscape pushed its way across the desert and filled in the river canyon, creating a multi-leveled natural dam.

            Finding the falls is a bit of a challenge since they are located inside the Navajo Tribal Lands, and there are no signs to guide you. As we leave the main road and head off on a dusty dirt track, we wonder whether next time we should carry a satellite phone with us, since the phone signal here is nonexistent, and a flat tire or breakdown is a distinct possibility.

Nevertheless, we find our way to the crossing point of the Little Colorado River before backtracking and finding a tiny track to a vista above the falls. There is one other car near the Falls; otherwise we are completely alone in a pristine wilderness where the only sound is the roar of the cascading water.

The gnarled, twisted trunk of a Ponderosa Pine tree

At the bottom of the falls, trees, branches and other debris picked up by the waters swirl around in a spiraling pool as they make their way from the White Mountains in the east to join the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.

As you drive through this area, one volcano after another punctuates the desert, the edges of the craters visible from the road. Perhaps the most striking is Sunset Crater Volcano. Smooth, dark slopes of cinders rise to over 8,000 feet above the jagged, black remains of a lava flow. As you wander along Lava Flow Trail, twisted Ponderosa pines poke out of cracks, their gnarled, swirling trunks reflecting the patterns seen in many of the canyons of the Southwest USA. Many are silhouetted against the background of the San Francisco Mountains, visible across most of northern Arizona. (They were named by Spanish missionaries in honor of St. Francis of Assisi).

Looking up towards Sunset Crater Volcano

The volcano is particularly striking at sunset when yellow, orange, red and purple streak the edges of the crater rim. It was these colors that prompted John Wesley Powell, a 19^th century explorer, to give it its name.

Continuing past Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, 26 miles north of Flagstaff, we come to Wupatki National Monument. When you look at the harshness of the countryside, it is hard to imagine that for hundreds of years Native Americans lived here, cultivating the land and trading with surrounding peoples. (Evidence has been found of copper bells and shell beads from Mexico).

The remains of 700-year-old multi-level stone pueblos and other structures that dot the landscape for miles attest to their efforts in this volcanic wilderness. According to the rangers the largest dwelling in the area had over 100 rooms, with entrances through the roof and double walls filled with rubble, and rooms to store grain and other food.

Although it may seem abandoned and forlorn, according to the Hopi, Wupatki is one of the most important of their ancestral homes, and they believe that the people who lived here continue to remain as spiritual guardians.

A short way down the trail is a ball court (the only one in the Southwest) as well as a

Panorama of Wupatki Pueblo and ball court

blowhole. This is a particularly fascinating sight. It is one of many found in the region but no one really knows what they are! According to the Hopi, this is the home of Yaaponsta (The Wind Spirit) and, really, it does feel as if Mother Earth is inhaling and exhaling! Sometimes the air is sucked into the hole like a giant vacuum cleaner; other times it blasts out so fiercely that it will blow your hair straight up if you sit over it!.

Geologists believe that there is a vast system of fractures and caves beneath the blowhole, perhaps 50 miles long, that responds to the barometric pressure. We like the Hopi explanation better!

These are but three of the countless sites in Arizona where photography is a dream! Whether it is the ancient spirit of the land or the natural wonders, you will be enchanted by what you see.

PHOTOGRAPHIC TIP

Wupatki Pueblo

The quality of the light in Arizona is superb. We had our best photographic success using  14-24 mm,  70-200 mm and  28-300mm lenses on three separate camera bodies. This avoided the need to change lenses in a high dust environment but also gave us the flexibility to take a range of photos from the widest landscape to the tiniest of details. The vastness of the landscapes, the colors and the quality of the light lend themselves to panoramic and HDR shots but the wind can be very strong and could tip over your camera if the tripod is not well anchored.

IF YOU GO

GREAT FALLS:

The Falls are located within the Navajo Tribal lands. They only flow for a few weeks in March-April. Although at the moment no permits are required to visit, if you want to leave the trails or hike, a permit must be obtained from the Navajo Parks and Recreation (In Window Rock, Tel 602-871-4941; in Cameron, Tel 928-679-2303). To reach the Falls, take exit 211 off I-40 to Winona (on old Rt 66), turn left on Navajo Road 15 and follow it for 13 miles towards Leupp. You will pass Navajo Road 70 on your left shortly after you enter the Tribal Lands. About 7-8 miles past Road 70, also on the left, is Navajo Road 6910, marked by the second “Grand Falls Bible church” that you will encounter after entering the Tribal Lands. Take 6910 until it intersects with 70. Turn right onto 70. About a mile further along is an unmarked dirt track on the left that leads to the Grand Falls Overlook. If you reach the Little Colorado River crossing, you have gone too far. If it has rained then a high clearance 4 x 4 vehicle is required.

SUNSET CRATER VOLCANO NATIONAL MONUMENT

Wind from the blowhole whistling through pages

From I-40 east of Flagstaff take exit 201 and follow US 89 for 13 miles; turn right at the Sunset crater sign. The Visitor Center is open from 0900-1700 from November to April and 0800 to 1700 from May to October (Tel. 928-526-4259; www.nps.gov/sucr ). There is an entrance fee that covers both Sunset Crater and Wupatki Monument a few miles down the road.

WUPATKI NATIONAL MONUMENT

From Sunset Crater, follow Loop Road for 21 miles to the Monument. Loop Road will eventually rejoin I-89. The Visitor’s Center at Wupatki is open all year except December 25. (Tel. 928-679-2365; www.nps.gov //wupa)

Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time but stays on Mountain Standard Time year round.

Allegria Travels West – A Wander through New Mexico’s El Malpais

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent

 

Albuquerque, NM to Flagstaff, AZ (Google Maps)

            

Sandstone Bluffs overlooking lava fields

          El Malpais – the name means ‘The Badlands’ in Spanish (although I am sure that this is not the name given to the area by the original inhabitants who long preceded the Spanish)! A more inhospitable area would be hard to find, but this is a perfect example of how one man’s ‘badland’ is another man’s ‘sacred land.’

            Located about 72 miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, on the high desert lands, El Malpais National Monument is the result of multiple volcanic eruptions over the past 100,000 years, most recently about 3,000 years ago. These eruptions formed cinder cones, shield volcanoes, ice caves, trenches and ‘other-worldly’ formations across the stark landscape.

A figure in the rocks?

            To the east are the reservation lands of the Laguna and Acoma people, to the west are the lands of the Zuni and Ramah Navajo. Their ancestors have had a connection with the land for over 10,000 years and the tribes still retain a close relationship with El Malpais, considering it an integral part of their culture, using the area for ceremonies, paying respect and renewing ties.

            The day we visit a 60 mph wind is raking the area, throwing up sand and grit; we stop first at Sandstone Bluffs Overlook which offers excellent vistas of El Malpais lava flows and surrounding countryside, as far away as Mt. Taylor (which already had a Native American name, Tsoodzil, “the turquoise mountain”) reflecting the sacredness of the peak.

            Sandstone Bluffs, formed over 200 million years ago by ancient seas, overlooks the more recent 3,000 year old lava flows. There are no trails through this area but you can scramble along the cliffs and even down the sides (be careful on a windy day). Along the base of the bluffs are small sandstone arches and, if you look hard enough, you may see some petroglyphs, evidence of early inhabitants in the area. The guidebook will remind you to be careful not to step on any knobby black crusts on the ground since these are, in fact, living communities of micro-organisms that have taken hundreds of years to grow and which are crucial to keeping loose soil from being blown away.

La Ventana Natural Arch

            As you drive south, there appear to be faces in the rocks, staring out over the harsh landscape. About 10 miles further along, a short walk off the road, is La Ventana Natural Arch.   Some 25 feet thick, 125 feet high and 165 feet across at the base, the archway (New Mexico’s largest reachable natural arch) has been eroded in the Zuni Sandstone, that dates back to the time of the dinosaurs, by wind and water. It is nature’s Gothic Cathedral.

            The 500-foot high sandstone bluffs that line the road seem like giant roadblocks! In fact, they were instrumental in stopping the flow of lava after the successive volcanic eruptions. As you look west, you see a land of black basalt with dwarf pine trees and other vegetation that tenaciously have taken root in this inhospitable landscape.

Fields of lava

            There is much to explore in this primal, ancient land that seems timeless. Spend some time appreciating nature without any trace of “modern man” to mar the landscape of the beautiful ‘Badlands’ of El Malpais.

           

IF YOU GO

El Malpais National Monument is located about 72 miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Take exit 89 off I-40 onto NM Hwy 117. There is a ranger station about 9 miles south of the exit where you can pick up maps of the area. There is another more elaborate Visitor Center off Exit 85 where you can watch prairie dogs frolicking outside huge Floor-to-Ceiling windows. The rangers are extremely knowledgeable and helpful, suggesting places to stop and photograph. The area is open year round except Sandstone Bluffs which closes at dusk every day.

For information on road conditions you can call El Malpais information Center (505-783-4774), the Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center (505-876-2783) or the BLM Ranger Station (505-280-2918). The National Park Service publishes a number of very helpful trail guides and brochures which you can download at www.nps.gov/elma/.

Allegria Travels West – Buried Cadillacs and Steakhouses In Amarillo, Texas

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent

 

Weatherford, OK to Albuquerque, NM (Google Maps)

Big Texan Steak Ranch

“Keep your eyes peeled,” I say to Bill as we cross the border from Oklahoma into Texas near Amarillo. We are looking for two icons of the road – the Great Texan Steak Ranch and the Cadillac Ranch.

Then it strikes me (if I may digress for a moment) – why would we tell someone to keep their eyes “peeled”? The mind boggles at the thought! The answer may surprise you. Robert Peel, former Prime Minister of Great Britain in the 1800s, is credited with creating the modern police force known as The Metropolitan Police, aka Scotland Yard, when he was Home Secretary. Policemen were known as “peelers” and were told to keep their eyes “peeled” for trouble! Hence the expression which survives today!

Back to our search for the two Texas icons!

House your horse while you eat

Everything in Texas is BIG! The State itself is enormous, second only to Alaska as the largest in the United States! It is no surprise, therefore, that things on Rt 66 in Texas are also huge – especially the Great Texan Steak Ranch, which became an icon on the road when it opened in 1960, and Cadillac ranch near Amarillo.

Sure enough, after miles and miles of billboards advertising the restaurant, a few miles inside the state, an enormous bright yellow building appears, surrounded by even bigger statues – a huge cowboy, a lizard wearing cowboy boots and a gigantic cow advertising the restaurant’s claim to fame – the 72 oz.  (4.5 lbs.; 2.04 kg) steak! (I told you Texas was big!).

There is a twist to the tale. If you eat the 72 oz. steak together with the baked potato, salad, bread and shrimp cocktail in an hour, it is free! Many have tried. Many more have failed! (The price is $72 dollars if you don't finish or get sick trying!) If you saw the movie “Waking Up in Reno” then you saw Billy Bob Thornton try to eat the steak, served on a raised platform under a digital clock.

Big Texan Steak Ranch dining room

For the rest of us, a table in the enormous, Victorian-style dining room, with animal trophies watching us from the walls, is enough. We order a “normal” size steak and salad which actually turns out to be pretty tasty!

Over 500,000 people a year stop here, attracted by the kitsch and the aroma of broiled sirloin that wafts through the parking lot where Cadillac taxis, complete with longhorns on the hood wait for clients. Across the parking lot is a motel designed to resemble the main street in an old western town. There is even a horse hotel in the back so that your horse can be stabled and fed while you grab some shut eye in the motel.

Clearly a tourist trap but a fun one!

As you drive about ten miles down the road west of Amarillo, the Bruce Springsteen hit “Cadillac Ranch” comes to mind as a strange sight awaits you – 10 vintage Cadillacs buried nose down in the middle of a large empty field. The Cadillacs (or shells of the cars) are covered in colorful graffiti. Empty spray paint cans are tossed around the field.

Cadillac Ranch

The cars are the creation of local millionaire Stanley Marsh who wanted to pay tribute to the golden age of car travel. The cars periodically are repainted white to provide a fresh canvas for artists. It is perfectly acceptable to bring a can of spray paint and add to the décor. However, a sign over the gate warns you that the State of Texas will not permit you to spray paint anything on the outside of the fence.

The thing about travelling on Route 66, irrespective of whether it is in Texas or elsewhere, is that you have to keep your eyes “peeled,” so that you don’t miss these gems!

IF YOU GO

Big Texan Steak Ranch (7701 East I-40, Amarillo, Texas; Tel 806-372-1000; www.bigtexan.com). Open 0700 to 2230 365 days a year. On the north side of I4- at exit 75.

Cadillac Ranch is located between exits 60-62 on the east side of I-40 just outside Amarillo, Texas. The cars are visible from the highway. The best way to reach them is to drive along the frontage road until you reach a gate into the pasture.