“Muley Point”, where the silence of time prevails. UT [map]

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

"No two stone shapes in this landscape are the same.  Each stone has a different face.  Often the angle of light falls gently enough to bring out the shy presence of each stone.  Here it feels as if a wild, surrealistic God laid down the whole landscape.  These stones, ever patient, ever still, continue to praise the silence of time." ~  John O’Donohue ~  "Anam Cara"

Mexican Hat  

One of the biggest gift of Life for us, besides Life itself, is the Sunshine laid out as this morning after a final wake up, following another bad night of sleep as it has been these past days. Everything has been so mixed up, falling asleep in daylight hours, up when the World surrounding seems passed out with no breath left after prevailing storms, a halt it has been, “is” as now with promising forecast "water under the bridge". A couple eggs, a couple corn tortillas, Spirit’s breakfast served, a glance at the map ending up in no decision as to where to go. As usual, extra clothing for a late ride as the nights are still in the freezing temperatures and we are ready to go, also securing something to eat throughout the day.

Off # 95  
Off #95  

I can breathe freely again today. The winds are in my face with the visor up. I don’t know where we are going but we are as I found my pace again. Slow and inquisitive. Mother Nature did not let us down for too long from a forced upon us inactivity. Spirit’s tail is up, wagging, he is one happy Dog today, I am too. We end up riding north toward Blanding, the thought of a dirt road branching off Highway 95 came up, Muley Point came up, the ultimate space, as I call it “My Top of the World”. We came across a ride for I believe it is “Cure for Breast Cancer”, a long parade of hundreds of bikes with support vehicles, highway patrols. I found out it is put together annually by “Kyle Petty”. I think he is the son of a famous race car driver as it does not seem any expense was overlooked including a sponsorship by Coca Cola as I took a photo of a hack on it’s way to rejoin the file. They are going cross country, it is an 8 days ride. I did not know what to think about the vehicle, Spirit did not either, it made me smile and at the same time a bit sad thinking about my Friend Phil trying so hard with such little resources spreading awareness for his cause toward ALD which the Logo of his Expedition Awareness I put up as a courtesy, as when it is a child’s Life in the balance of it all, as his 7 months old Brooke, well, it it hits Home in more ways than one.

Coca Cola Hack  
Jack welding  

We end up for the late afternoon at Muley Point. We came in from the north after stopping in Blanding and have my Friend Jack do some touch up welding as he did last year and the year before. We traded for a photo. We have many good Friends it seems like. “Old Faithful” with now 225,000 miles young and just purring. I don’t even like to mention that, has never missed a beat, sometimes even I am puzzled. 95 is a beautiful ride as I also found a real smooth gravel road forking off called "South Cottonwood Rd". We went for a while, it turns into Ute Land as I stopped near by a beautiful Red Canyon where I have no doubt in some days past sheltered them. It was utterly silence and yet I could see the Village, I could hear the children playing as their own lives when on peacefully in those days. We did not hike into the Canyon, I feel uncomfortable doing so in such spaces that I personally demand so much respect often unfortunately missing. Sitting by the edge and only feeling what was below that day was enough of a being there.. 

Canyon on Ute Land  
Canyon on Ute Land  
Canyon on Ute Land  
Ute sign  

I did not have a map with me, keep forgetting it, and deep down wanted to come here, just sit here for a while, in this space so away from it all that nothing again truly can matter. I can see Monument Valley with it’s traces of snow received last night. I can see the Gooseneck and Jon’s Canyon below us. Mexican Hat is bit further and on my left is the Valley of the Gods. The wind still cool here at 6500′ is blowing in bursts as the sun at the same time is heating me up from a sky where the clouds are today absent. Muley Point is magic. Geographically when coming from the North, the Mesa is a flat and lush green land that goes on for over twenty miles from after bearing from 95. And suddenly there is Moki Dugway and it’s cliffs dropping to a true Desert. We stopped at the Ranger station and chatted a bit with those thoughts in mind as I finally asked “wonder how big that shovel was that took it all away!”. The Geography and Geology of such areas are always so filled with questions… as Life itself is.

# 95  
Moki Dugway  
Moki Dugway  

I am thinking maybe Monument Valley would be good for Sunset with that bit of snow in traces delicately imposing. We had already ridden Moky Dugway twice. It feels good being here, Spirit is tanning, at times passed out and at times with his ears propped up as if he owned this space. Wish I could smell and hear as he does. There is no one here but him. He has been more than ever my shadow throughout these times of quality when one on one which is just about our full time path. My affection and Love for him only grows by the day as there is this creature, this Dog, this Person that has never ever asked for anything. Only through his eyes I can see his wishes of my closeness to him, my hugs, my scratching him and my talking to him. 24/7 he is here, I can actually count on him in so many more ways than one on this wide highway we are on, just the two of us. How amazing is that? How beautiful is that? It is not a concept, it is reality, our reality, as so fortunate we both are to have each other’s company.

Muley Point  
Muley Point  
Muley Point  

Such beauty surrounds us. Every tree bursting in their odd shapes out of the rocks imprisoning their roots, every branch twisted in every which way and shape possible is th ultimate Art in itself. A pleasure for the eyes, the senses which maybe went dormant these past days. And yet my previous thoughts remain only maybe expanding from this space surrounding me right now, this space that I know tries so hard to make me understand that all paths need to come within with the label of acceptance. How strange then it is truly this Life on Earth we are bound to. Such always the deep contrast between both sides of a curtain that only rises to make us jump from one stage to the other. 
What is the lesson today? What have I learned or is it maybe that this not long ago a Worldwide and famous traveler was right when he said that thinking only leads to answers which leads to more thinking and answers and all should be avoided. I like to think since we have the ability to do so. Truly not much else left.

Muley Point  
Muley Point  
flowers Flowers
flowers flowers

Ara & Spirit

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Muley Point  

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3 Responses to ““Muley Point”, where the silence of time prevails. UT [map]”

  1. alady's life Says:

    I often think that the Indians are right. This land, the soil, the elements found in it, are the dust and ashes of our ancestors and therefore holy land to which no one can lay claim to
    We build our homes in what could have been another civilization of people 4.5 billion years ago. that the earth has taken back into itself.After all the wind blows and the rains take soil away and bring some in. Who is to say where the dust settles?
    Looking at this landscape makes this more real than unreal.

  2. Lorena Says:

    Hey guys, nice trip to take this time of year. I haven’t been back there in 5 years. The austerity is different than Texas, more color perhaps.

  3. Andre Shoumatoff Says:

    Ha, it all looks so familiar.. I really need to write it up somewhere… I was in every single one of those spots and even have the photographic evidence to prove it! Wonderful…

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