Scenic Routes- US Route 89A and a stalker!

I have gone on road-trips to Arizona, not much, a little in the northern parts. My journey so far has been part of I-40, on highways 64, 89 and that US-Route-89A from Bitter Springs to Kanab, UT also known as Fredonia-Vermillion Cliffs Scenic Route. It passes the Marble Canyon National Monument, crosses Navajo Bridge, passes Old Cliff Dwellers Lodge, intersects Grand Canyon North Rim Route 67 and it is scenic!

When I was driving from Page to Bryce Canyon and I thought of taking the Scenic Route 89A rather than the usual and shorter Route-89. Though all through Arizona is scenic I wanted to go on this designated route! It was one of the scenic drives I will remember for lifetime! Very different and yet an amazing landscape, wide open desert floor, flat earth all around, then there are high standing cliffs, that vermillion color, bluest skies and oven like heat! This post is going to be a serious story of how I was stalked by a withered truck all along that lonely route than some pleasant scenic experience!

Marble Canyon NM- Colorado River from Navajo Bridge

Initially, I was the happiest person ... I crossed the Navajo Bridge over the mighty Colorado River at Marble Canyon National Monument. Soon after on my right side I could see was a long stretch of Vermillion Cliffs for miles. I wished I could go on the other-side to The Waves, a natural World Heritage Site. I didn't have a permit! I stopped at few places to take pictures but, getting out of the car was like jumping into a furnace! Hot hot red hot! The sun wasn't in my favor and so pictures have a lot of dark shadows. But, I love that blue sky and use of a circular polarizer makes it bluuuue!

As I drove around 9-miles in that lonely desert what I call "eternity of nothing", alongside the vermillion cliffs I could not see any other vehicle in the vicinity. My only car on the long straight highway and then I happened to see some strange  rocks and some remnants of brick structures sticking to them. Exploring a bit in the area I saw an old house built mostly of rocks. Looked like some ancient remains. 

Old Cliff Dwellers Lodge

But, later I came to know that these were remains of Old Cliff Dwellers Lodge built in 1920s. These weren't any ancient tribe. During great depression a couple, Blanche and Bill Russell, came here. Their car broke down right at this spot. The lady liked the desert  and opened a restaurant here! Interesting history and much info is available on net. Now, I saw a Navajo tribe selling jewelry here. I wondered who he was selling them to. I wandered around for some time and when I saw a an annoyed rattler from under a rock, I left the place. 

Back on the road I drove miles and miles. All around me was flat bed of desert and weird looking boulders. Now the wall of Vermillion Cliffs was a bit jagged. There were no other cars around and so I really didn't bother to look at the side or rear mirrors. And then I suddenly saw a truck behind me! There were no intersections or anything, from nowhere that truck appeared- I wondered!  Then thought may be I didn't pay much attention! It was tailgating me, almost hitting my car from behind! The truck was very old with rusted metal, withered paint, broken headlights and dark interiors. 

Old Cliff Dwellers Lodge

I was already little over the speed and I didn't want to speed up! It was a moment of worry and I didn't know what to do. It was a single lane road and no turn-outs nearby. I always remember horror stories when I am scared, to scare myself even more. I thought it may be some local and pushed away all the bad thoughts! Since it was a single lane route I thought poor guy didn't have anywhere else to go! I drove around thirty more miles where the landscape changed from flat red hot desert to kind of dry brown grassy with black volcanic rocks, the road going uphill. The truck was still racing behind me! I saw couple of cars at a viewpoint and I was so happy to see them. I stopped and the truck stopped too! I watched if anyone got off, nobody. The windows were closed and I couldn't see the driver. 

US Route 89A in the middle of nowhere!

I saw the two passengers cars leaving in the opposite direction. I started too! I was shocked to see the truck following me again! Panick-stricken me drove slowly thinking that the truck may pass, nope! It was an uphill winding road and the truck was right behind. I thought if I drove faster, much over the speed limit some cop would catch me and then I could tell the cop about the truck! But, I didn't drive fast. No cops and no ranger officers were seen when I desperately needed them. I reached Jacob Lake and stopped at that fairly crowded Jacob Lake Inn where all the Grand Canyon- North Rim visitors fill the gas. I too filled gas and had my lunch taking my own time. 

US Route 89 towards Page

I was so scared that I didn't want to get out of the place. Later I made up my mind and thought it would be better to reach the Bryce Canyon Campground before dark. For some time I didn't see the truck but, I might have gone 4-miles or so, saw it parked at a turnout. It followed me again! Now I was petrified and I drove fast! Later I saw Highway Petrol and I stopped to explain the situation, by then the truck was gone. I drove another hundred miles to the campground. I pitched the tent but, but slept inside the car on the driver's seat. All the bad thoughts kept bothering me. I think early morning I dozed off! I didn't see that truck again!

Little Colorado- Dry riverbed seen from US Route-64

When I felt too hot and suffocating inside the car I woke up. While having coffee I started rethinking about the incident the day before ... what were my mistakes before I started my trip? Did I unknowingly annoy the person in the truck? what could have I done to be safe?

- I drove alone on a lonely desert road with nobody knowing where I was.

- I filled the gas in a lonely gas station where someone could have seen me all alone.

- I didn't look for help, neither at the viewpoint nor at the Jacob Lake Inn.

- I could have stayed for a night at Jacob Lake Inn which I didn't!

Well, I didn't offend anyone and I do not use offensive language too. I was lucky enough my car didn't give up on me in that desert. Nature is beautiful, nature is dangerous too! So are humans- good and bad. Whether it is a trip deep into the great Sahara Desert, or a short ride in deserts of Arizona or Utah ... you got to be prepared for the worst! Deserts have extreme weather conditions and lonely places are haven for obscene minds. Be safe!

Do you have suggestions on what to do in such situations?

Note: Other destinations in this roadtrip- Grand Canyon NP, Antelope Slot Canyon, Wupatki Ruins and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments, Horseshoe Bend, Bryce Canyon NP and Zion NP, Angels Landing hike, Zion Subway hike.

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This post is linked to Our World Tuesday and Nature Notes.

If you want pictures please ask me :)
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Scrapbook- A Travel Blog by Kusum Sanu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.