Southwest! 8 weeks with the family, Denver-to-Denver loop, 1st part... (page 2 of 5)

Saturday, July 16: the day we lived like Native Americans...

Another good night, and this morning the showers are working—phew! Across from the hotel, a bakery gives us something to fill up on with delicious slightly sweet bread, yummy 😛

A bit of suitcase organizing for logistics and to avoid unpacking everything every night... and tonight, it's camping again! 🙂

But before that, we head to Bandelier NM to see how people lived around here 10,000 years ago 😄



We arrive before 9 a.m., the dreaded time after which you have to take shuttles to enter the park... We’ll be driving in. The America the Beautiful Pass we bought at GSD works here 😉

It’s really green, and quickly, following the main Main Loop Trail, we reach a stunning pueblo partly in ruins and those famous cliff dwellings, some accessible by ladders...





Nice view of the pueblo:



The Main Loop Trail, as the name suggests, is a 2 km (1.2 mi) easy loop, and at the end, you can add a 2 km (1.2 mi) round trip to Alcove House, which is totally worth the detour!!! If you’re afraid of heights, you probably won’t be able to climb up 🤪, but even the view from below is great!







Back on the main trail with views that are just as pretty...





We finish the visit around 12:30 p.m. and head to Los Alamos for a bite to eat! We have to cross a military zone, so we stop at a checkpoint where an armed U.S. soldier asks us a bunch of questions about why we’re there... The kids are impressed, and so are we—he wasn’t exactly smiling!!!!

We eat at Los Alamos Coop at the edge of this little town, where they sell fresh, organic products at a reasonable price ($43 for 4 of us).

We take the Jemez Trail National Scenic Byway to reach Albuquerque—a nice drive through a forest that opens up to a much more arid area and our first red rocks... no photos, I don’t know why!!! 🙁

We arrive at our campsite in Albuquerque: a KOA, a chain of U.S. campgrounds with nice amenities like a pool, showers (yes, lots of U.S. campgrounds don’t have showers), and kids’ games. But it comes at a cost: $70 per night! We enjoy the pool, the games, and admire the "small" American RVs...



A little barbecue and an American menu: white beans in tomato sauce, grilled corn, yummy 😛—and bedtime!

Good night, and see you tomorrow!!!

This travel journal start is amazing! In May 2022, Bandelier was closed due to wildfires—we were also charmed by the colors of Painted Mines. Can’t wait for the rest of your trip!! 🙂

Hi Sylvain, I'm diving into this travel journal that's progressing at a crazy pace on a loop of... 8 weeks that really makes you want to go! I smiled when you mentioned the F&B tent that caught the wind, because we had the same misadventure this summer with a 5-person F&B that wouldn’t set up properly. Except it wasn’t in the middle of the desert with a light breeze—it was in Iceland, not exactly known for its calm weather. You’ve been to St. Elmo, which I first discovered in Julien’s journal, aka Ju45. Maybe you got inspired by his journal... For the next day, we’ll see if you’re a Breaking Bad fan 😉

Hi Fabienne, Hi Guillaume, Yes, I was influenced by lots of travel journals on this forum to plan this 8-week trip. While reading, I kept adding sites and tweaking my route—this prep work is pure joy for me because the journey starts right here!

By the way, I read your travel journals too, Guillaume—they were a huge inspiration!

Have a great day, Sylvain

PS: I’m a huge *Breaking Bad* fan, but… I’m the only one in the family, so I didn’t specifically ask the kids to do the filming location tour…

Hi Sylvain, Normally I don’t follow travel journals about the States—I’m saving that destination for a reeeeally long trip when I’ve got more time ahead of me (even though that time got pushed back by 2 years recently 😠). But your journal hooked me—I love the tone and the good vibes coming through, so I’m hopping in the truck with you, happy to join! Bruno

Awesome, finally a new travel journal—we weren’t sure it’d happen! Thanks to everyone at VF who made this comeback possible.. I’ll be following along... I’m heading back next year too, leaving from Denver... That said, I wasn’t planning to stay in Denver. Your story and photos are making me rethink that...

Hi Bruno, welcome to the GMC! 😉

Hi Marie, absolutely, Denver and the surrounding area are worth stopping for! And welcome to the discussion! Sylvain

Sunday, July 17: the day we left civilization...

Woke up pretty early around 7:30 AM. First, because the KOA is near a reeeeally busy road🤪, and second, because today was our second (and last on this road trip) race: the Albuquerque Chunky Monkey Run, 5 km through the city. The race started at 8:15 AM 😮 Yes, at that hour, it’s only 25°C here...😎



and meanwhile, Oscar found a playground



It’s hot, but Tom finishes his second 5 km in just over 30 minutes, which puts him 3rd in his category—so podium! 😇



Super friendly vibe—the announcer kept mentioning us because we were the only foreigners participating. We even got cheers from the excited crowd (okay, maybe not *that* excited 😄) during the medal ceremony. Proud of big Tom!



Back at the campsite, we pack up the tent and stow our gear in 30 minutes—challenge accepted with kids, and so far, so good! Then we can take a shower, relax in the pool, and shower again before hitting the road because tonight, it’s... camping rough—no showers 🏴‍☠️

We stop at a Denny’s on the way out of Albuquerque ($65 for 4) and head toward Bisti Badlands......... A long, pretty monotonous drive to get there....😕

We arrive late in the day, pitch the tent, and set off to explore the first few hundred meters of this lunar landscape...



The area isn’t as remote as I’d read before—there’s now a composting toilet block and a sort of shelter with tables and barbecues... We use the barbecue to make a nice hot meal: sausages with white beans in tomato sauce (we love it!!!!). The wind starts picking up... and wait, is that lightning in the distance? Oh yeah, but it’s far...😏

We go to bed around 9:30 PM—there’s not much to do around here... We wanted to stargaze, but there are clouds, big clouds, *really* big clouds, and wind, lots of wind, *so* much wind!!!! The tent’s shaking a lot 🤪. Suddenly, a stronger gust flattens the tent fabric against us, and we can tell the stakes have popped right out 🏴‍☠️. I jump up to stand in the middle of the tent and hold the poles to keep us from flying away!!! Almost no rain, but we can hear the thunder!!! A flash of lightning—I count: 1, 2, BRRRRR—okay, that means it struck 680 meters away 😮. Everyone to safety!!!! Well, everyone in the car except me, holding the tent until a lull comes—after what feels like forever... Caro joins me then, and we pack up the tent in... 3 minutes 60 seconds, new record!!!!!! 😎 Though "packed" is a bit of a stretch—we just stuff everything into the car and sleep... in the car...

Good night, and see you tomorrow!!!

Since VF is back, I'm diving back into reading ;) and it's great ;) It's been a long time since Bisti wasn't a hidden gem at all! Already back in 2018... And I'm not even talking about last October, the weekend of the partial eclipse, when there were 300-400 vehicles camping in the main parking lot and all around. There's a smaller parking lot further north (the closest to the Conversing Hoodoos for those who know) that's a bit less known and crowded... but even there, there were 15-20 cars for the eclipse. The day before the eclipse, there was even some idiot (sorry, but there's no other word) who pitched his tent RIGHT AT THE FOOT of Alien Throne in Valley of Dreams... I couldn't even find a spot to set up my tripod, which made me laugh because I already had photos. The next day (so the evening of the eclipse, which happened late morning), I went back and had the place to myself for a good part of the late afternoon. And there were only 4-5 of us for the sunset...

Can't wait to read the rest, sounds awesome with the family...

Hi Yves, welcome to the road! 300-400 vehicles at Bisti????????🏴‍☠️

Monday, July 18: The day we explored another planet...

After a good night in the car... Nooooooooooo, not a good night—more like successive states of drowsiness... 🙁 Up at 6:30 AM, a nice shower to wake up... Nooooooooooooo, we’re actually camping—🙁 We make ourselves a good coffee, and since we’re up early, we get to enjoy the soft morning light to go see the birth of beings from the planet Bisti! Off to Cracked Eggs...



Well, we waited a long time, but no aliens in sight... 😏



...but a stunning site. We continue with our hiking GPS and follow the recorded trail to discover absolutely fantastic spots. Just take a look:









We move from zone to zone, from one surprise to the next—we’re completely under the spell... 😊



Petrified beings???





...to be continued in the next post...

...where were we again?... Oh right, Bisti Badlands...



We're nearing the end of the loop...



And that's it, we're done—so happy we got to explore this area under glorious sunshine... 😏 after last night's storm!!! 🏴‍☠️



We hiked for nearly 4 hours and wandered through this vast playground, covering close to 10 km without even realizing it—it was a real highlight of our road trip... Back to the car, we unfold the tent that was stuffed haphazardly in the trunk to shake off all the dust and fold it properly. We pack up and leave this amazing spot, which you really need to visit at the crack of dawn... There were only two families there 😇

Heading to Farmington for a good meal after this great adventure, and since we're still in New Mexico, we ate at... Boon's Family Thai BBQ 😎. It sounds super local!!! But we wanted a change, and it was delicious! ($80 for 4)

Back on the road—no need for gas, we filled up in Albuquerque, and I haven’t even told you this story yet!!! The GasBuddy app showed a station with gas at $3.75 a gallon!!! Since it usually hovers around $4.80 here, we rushed over. There were a lot of people, obviously. It was our turn, and then it said: "Insert your loyalty card"... uhhh, we don’t have one... and we couldn’t get gas without it, even at the higher price!!!! An American behind us, seeing our confusion, came over and said: "No problem, you can use my fidelity card!" And just like that, we got the cheapest fill-up of the trip 😏

We’re now heading toward Canyon de Chelly. Along the way, we pass by a stunning rock formation in the middle of nowhere: Shiprock, which, as you can guess, is a sacred site for the Navajo.





We arrive at the north rim of Canyon de Chelly. We stop to take a few photos.





This canyon is still as beautiful as ever. We explored it thoroughly back in 2008—we even went down to the bottom of the canyon. It’s a must-see, far from the crowds... We quickly cover the south rim, making our way to the majestic Spider Rock...



Alright, that’s enough for now, as Tom would say—but the tour’s stopping here because *I* have a pool to get to!!! As promised to the boys, and given the time, we head to tonight’s hotel: the Holiday Inn in Chinle for 136 € a night, breakfast included. At 6 PM, we unwind in the pool for a good hour before having a picnic in the room and calling it a night—today was packed!!!

Good night, and see you tomorrow!!!

Oh yeah. Little ones, big ones (25m RVs), old VW campervans—everything you can imagine. And music, fires everywhere... a joyful chaos. I only saw it during the day, but in the evening it must’ve been pretty loud! All that for an eclipse which, compared to the one in April in Texas, was interesting but not at all extraordinary... not exactly jaw-dropping, you know? The April one, though—that was something else. And there were only three cars where I stopped...

Tuesday, July 18: The day Caro reunites with HER rocks...

After a great night, we could only do better than yesterday!!! Woke up around 8 a.m., had breakfast at the hotel, and headed toward Hope Arch, located not far from Chinle. We access it via a dirt road and stop at the power pole, as indicated, since we can't see the arch from the road...

Then, a short half-hour hike leads us to this majestic arch that reveals itself little by little... 😄



We do a bit of climbing to get inside...



It’s totally worth the detour, and once again, we’re all alone at this site! 😎

We hike back to the car and head to Kayenta, where we eat at Amigo Cafe ($60 for 4 dishes)—delicious Navajo tacos—then make our way to the legendary Monument Valley!



We take the Scenic Drive, and with Buddy, it’s a breeze. What a thrill to be back here!!! We’re snapping pics like crazy—there aren’t too many people around...













We stop often, soak in the views, breathe in Monument Valley, chat for a while with an older Navajo woman running her jewelry stand, and truly experience one of those suspended moments...



...to be continued in the next post...

... Alright, we really need to think about leaving soon. One last photo with that end-of-day light.



A final glance.



No, Caro, come back!!!!! She wouldn’t leave me for Monument Valley, right??? 😮

With images filling our heads, we head toward KOA Monument Valley for $110 for 2 nights. We were supposed to stay at the Monument Valley campground, but it’s closed this year. We got an email about the cancellation... 🏴‍☠️ Well, we’re not too worse off... The view from the tent isn’t bad...



A few groceries at Goulding's Grocery, a nice shower, a simple meal, and the kids go off to play with other kids at the campground games. They’re happy, and so are we!!! 🙂 We soak in the end-of-day light on the rocks around us 😮 and then it’s bedtime!

Good night, and see you tomorrow!!!

The view from the KOA campsite is really nice, but the price hurts... just for a tent spot! 😕

Especially since the Mexican Hat campsites aren’t far—you pay online. And with a Rubicon, you can make it all the way down to the lower sites along the river. Absolute bliss: no one around, total peace, and none of that road noise...

Wednesday, July 20: the day of the fantastic ride...

A gentle wake-up around 8:30, a little breakfast on the table at our campsite that’s... covered in flies!!!! 🏴‍☠️ They’re desperately searching for the tiniest trace of sugar... but they don’t come near us.

Tom and Caro get ready because today is.............................





A 1.5-hour horseback ride in Monument Valley. The best part? The ride starts right from the KOA.



While they’re out, we tidy up and play with Oscar, then welcome them back when they return 😉

They’re over the moon—the Navajo guide shared some great stories, and they even got to gallop a bit! 😉

We drive to Goulding’s Grocery to pick up a few things. Prices aren’t too crazy for the area, so we grab some veggies (because it’s not all burgers on the menu, right! 😛) for our picnic and dinner at the campsite.

Then we head toward Moki Dugway



a breathtaking dirt road with stunning viewpoints...



to reach Muley Point...



An incredible panorama unfolds before us!!!



It definitely calls for a dramatic pose!!!



We take advantage of being alone again to have a picnic in the shade of a tree with this amazing view



We drive back down Moki Dugway and take a new trail to wander through the Valley of the Gods... Sounds like a dream, right!?

... to be continued in the next post...

...continuing with the discovery of the Valley of the Gods...









Those fluffy little white clouds in a blue sky above these red rocks—we love it! And yep, another deserted spot since we only came across 3 cars in 1.5 hours! Amazing!!!

And we head back to the campsite via this equally iconic panorama!



We end the day with stars in our eyes, relaxing at the campsite while the kids still have some energy left to play with other children. Shower, dinner, and bedtime!

Good night and see you tomorrow!!!