First, we drove to Old Paria, an old but now vanished pioneer town. In the beginning of the 19th century, they rebuild the village (also gone again) and used it as a film set in many Westerns. And it is understandable why here:
The Paria River was a mud stream, it felt very smooth!
We didn't take the back road we first intended, because it is impassible when wet and we saw rain in the distance. The alternative road was paved the first 16 miles, dirt road the next 34 miles. It was 2 p.m. when we reached the unpaved road when we decided to stop for lunch. We were hungry! Why I remember the hour so well?
Well, because for once, the kids didn't forget to close the car doors. And because the car thought it was a good idea to lock itself while all doors were closed. And because the car key was still inside! #%&ò!!!!!!! And we had no cell phone reception òç#&%!!!!
We left so well prepared this morning and than this happens...
Luckily a car passed after 5 minutes. The guy had a pick up with a tool box, but no piece of wire. So did the next two guys with a pick up. They left with the promise to drive until they had reception again and then call a towing service.
We sat in the shade of our car and waited.
We remembered that we locked ourselves out of our house in Italy at least three times while we lived there. We wondered if an average of locking one out once a year is average, or if we exceed that average?
After a while, a ranger of the Grand Staircase - Escalante NM drove by. He had a pick up with a tool box.
And a piece of wire!
I remembered a time in Saint Tropez when we locked ourselves out of our car and the gendarmes helped us with a piece of wire. (We locked ourselves out of the car only twice in my whole life yet. Is that beneath average?)
Those gendarmes de Saint Tropez did the job in five minutes. But back then, cars where simpler. Our car was rather stubborn. It took Jan and the ranger a while to get the wire in the car, and then it took a while before they cold move it to the locking knobs. And when they reached them, happened... nothing! They cold lock the car, but not unlock it. Nor could they open the window. Was it because the key was still in the ignition?
While Jan and the ranger where stubborn and tried and tried and tried, Jutta saw something strange inside the ranger's car. A humming bird had flown inside through the open door, and tried to fly out on the other side. He hovered before the closed window. It was the first time I saw a humming bird so close. It was a magical sight! My mood lifted instantly.
After several tries, of the guys we needed a plan B. The ranger promised to drive until he had reception and call the car rental company
.
We sat in the shade of our car and waited. Luckily the shade had grown. Yeah, because we were there already more than 1,5 hour (and we still didn't have lunch, zucht!).
After a while the ranger returned. He had called the deputy sherrif.
We waited. We sat in the shade of the car. It felt familiar to sit there and wait...
And then; we saw a yellow pick up coming from the right direction. Could it be? Yes!!! It was the tow guy! He opened the door in two minutes. Jan and the ranger looked a bit upset because he did it so quickly...
Finally, at 4 p.m., we had lunch:
Replenished, we drove on. (After one adjustment: I took the spare key and put it in my pocket. It is still there. Always.)
The back road was beautiful. Since we passed different layers of rock, the road changed color from time to time:
We also had yellow, purple and white!
We passed some lone ranches and wondered what kind of live people have there, so far away from everything.
Then we crossed a hole in the ground. When we looked closer, it was a full size sloth canyon (like Antilope Canyon). But this one was in the middle of nowhere, no entry fees and no guide. But also impossible to access:
A few miles further, we saw another one. And this one was accessible. We went in. It was wonderful! Not as aesthetically beautiful as Antelope Canyon but far more adventurous. And this one, we discovered ourselves! (Well, probably the guys who build the road must have seen it before, but hey...)
It even had a little water fall at the entrance:
After our hike, we drove on. Finally, we reached the paved road again. On a point with a stunning view on a green valley.
It was a long day. We liked the remoteness and the unexpected finds. I think this was my favorite day so far.
Except for the delayed lunch. If your name is Nevelsteen, you know what I mean ; )
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten