I sometimes think that in a previous life I was either a cowboy/girl or a native Indian - this way of life and the vast expanses of country in the Mid West have always fascinated me (maybe being born in Hereford the place of the famous and beautiful white faced Hereford cattle created this intrigue).
I'm already excited visualizing the enormous landscapes, the sounds of horses galloping and the thundering hooves of cattle being rounded up ... mmmm...
So hopefully if all goes well (including the Bonnie) I'll start the week in Oklahoma City for a well deserved days rest; but hey what is rest when there's so much to see and do?
The highlight will have to be visiting the National Cowboy and Western Museum and definately trying to creep in and experience one of the auctions at the worlds largest cattle market and stock yards with the cattlemen, horsemen, farmers, ranchers and real cowboys buying and selling - it's just another world - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_rQG-X6fLc
Next day the plan is to cover 300 miles along the "Mother Road" or Route 66 to Amarillo - this road trip wouldn't be complete without riding at least part of this famous road.
I'm hoping to stay at a Horse Hotel - literally! ... where the cowboys stay with their horses !
But Hereford, TX is also closeby and this is somewhere just out of sentimentality that I want to try and get to.
Then back on Route 66, heading north to Santa Fe before heading into Colorado to Durango and jump onto the incredible steam narrow gauge railway trip through the San Juan Mountains up to Silverton http://www.durangotrain.com
Still westward bound but getting into the ever incredible landscapes - maybe heading via Four Corners to experience a small thrill - of being able to stand in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah all at the same time. Then approaching the spectacular buttes and mesas in the desert of Monument Valley. Imagine John Wayne on horseback contemplating the unknowable vastness of the Wild West or UFO's landing - the backdrop of many films.
As they say, Hollywood showed the world how to make westerns. Monument Valley showed the world how they should look.
All the classics were done there; John Ford's Stagecoach, My Darling Clementine and yes Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and ... 2001: a Space Odyssey, Thelma & Louise, Forrest Gump ....
By the end of the week I'll hang my hat (helmet) up at maybe Mexican Hat, about 40 miles north of Monument Valley, at an old indian bar and dance hall where they'll hopefully have a room for me.
No comments:
Post a Comment