10,000 x 2 - USA Four Corners Journal Day 26 -

Today I passed two 10,000 milestones; I ended the day with 10,287 miles accomplished on this trip and I rode at an elevation exceeding 10,000 feet above sea level.

The road from Page is straight and flat as it heads south to a ridge. Then it twists up and over the ridge. Just past the summit is an overlook of the valley and Marble Canyon. It’s a narrow, deep canyon of the Colorado River north of the Grand Canyon. I stopped and took several pictures and just took in the sight.

A little west of Shiprock, NM is the road to the Four Corners U.S.A. – the only place in the country where four states meet in one point. Since people usually thought I meant this place when I told them I was doing the USA Four Corners ride, I decided to take a short side trip and take a picture there. We’d been there in 2000, so I knew what to expect.

The intersection is on tribal lands and the tribe charges $3.00 per person to visit. I dug out three bucks and parked my bike where it could be seen in the background of my picture. I parked next to two Harleys. Later I talked to the couple riding them. They were vacationing in Durango for the week and had decide to rent a Softail Deluxe and a Heritage Softail from the local dealer.

The intersection is marked by a large bronze medallion on a raised bed of concrete. The four state flags are placed there as well. There’s a raised, wooden platform to one side where you can stand to take pictures of your family. People wait in line to take a turn and have their picture taken. I asked someone on the platform to snap mine. Surrounding the whole area are perhaps 75 booths that native Americans use to sell their jewelry, blankets, and other trinkets. Many of the booths were empty, but there were enough vendors to attract a small crowd. I took a few pictures and then got back on the road.

The Cumbres and Toltec narrow gauge railroad starts in Chama, NM. We rode the train to Antonito, CO in 2000. I stopped long enough to take a couple of pictures of the station and some of the rolling stock.

East of Tierra Amarilla, NM US-64 climbs over a mountain pass that is above 10,000 feet. The Garmin GPS unit has a limit of 9,999 feet, so I’m not sure what the maximum altitude was.

This evening I dined on grilled salmon salad and a Blue Moon Belgian White beer at a restaurant here in Taos. The beer has done the job (along with the miles ridden) to put me in a good mood for sleep.

Tomorrow I’ll head toward Wichita on the red roads.

Page AZ to Taos, NM – 505 miles

Today’s Photo Album

Morning in Page, AZ

Over a ridge of mountains, and then here is the valley floor and Marble Canyon. That's the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon.

Marble Canyon area.

This is the Four Corners most people think of first. It's where Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico meet. I was nearby, so I thought I'd hit this corner as well.

At the intersection of the four states.

Ther is a per-person fee to get in. It's on a reservation and the Indians charge the entry fee. The corner is surrounded by stands where you can buy souvenirs and native wares.