mobilene Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 Berwyn, I would very much enjoy reading any material you are willing to share, and I am sure many others here would be eager to see it as well! jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mga707 Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 I am not exactly sure of where I am or what I am doing, but I came across Dave's post in this form regarding my father, Dolph Andrus, of Monumental Highway fame. I have a copy of the original log of the 1917 Maxwell trip, plus a lot of small pictures. I also did make an attempt to find the rock wall carving "Monumental Highway" and enlisted the aid of Arizona Highway Department who sent me a 1912 Arizona Map with where they thought the carving might be. It is located near the border between the Hopi and Navajo regions, and we were advised not to stray off of the main dirt roads. It is logged in as being 6.2 miles from the Redlake Trading Post, before the left fork that leads to Blue Canyon. I hope someone can locate the carving, if it still exists. Wow, this really makes me want to ditch work, get in the car and head due north across my state to my beloved Navajo/Hopiland! Getting out my Benchmark "Arizona road and Recreaction Atlas", and using your location as described above, it appears that said carving should be visible from Indian Route 7, a mere 6.2 miles or so from US 160. Route 7 is indeed one of the "main dirt roads" in the area. Of course, one of the charms of Navajo/Hopiland is that such "Indian Routes" are rarely, if ever, signed, and one must use ones own judgement and map skills when coming to the proverbial "fork in the road" to ascertain which fork to take! I would not imagine that this carving would be that hard at all to locate, given a vehicle with decent ground clearance and good (dry) weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keep the Show on the Road! Posted May 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 Wow, this really makes me want to ditch work, get in the car and head due north across my state to my beloved Navajo/Hopiland! Getting out my Benchmark "Arizona road and Recreaction Atlas", and using your location as described above, it appears that said carving should be visible from Indian Route 7, a mere 6.2 miles or so from US 160. Route 7 is indeed one of the "main dirt roads" in the area. Of course, one of the charms of Navajo/Hopiland is that such "Indian Routes" are rarely, if ever, signed, and one must use ones own judgement and map skills when coming to the proverbial "fork in the road" to ascertain which fork to take! I would not imagine that this carving would be that hard at all to locate, given a vehicle with decent ground clearance and good (dry) weather. mga707, You or Ara are the closest to that area. I hope one of you can work with Berwyn to explore his father's road legacy a bit. Right now Ara has a medical issue that will keep him teathered for a few days, but I sure hope somone in this group makes the effort. This story should be good enough for American Road to give it some attension as well. How often do you get this kind of first hand history, adventure, and road story combined? I have no pull myself, but some solid reports from you or Ara might get noticed. Just a wishful thought! And if we do make an effort, keep me posted....I would like to be a part of the "action." Besides, I am interested in Dolph's experiences. You kind of get to know a man when you are on the road with him, even in a story. Dave Keep the Show on the Road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennyG Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 I am not exactly sure of where I am or what I am doing... I think you're becoming a forum celebrity and you're definitely whetting several appetites. Welcome to the forum. It's goint to be most interesting to see where your input leads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemerchef Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 This is just too good... I think how about we organize a little group and take on this route? Right now we are a bit north of it all, health problems being solved, but how about in the fall... meet in Bliff maybe? We can then put this mystery... to rest. How exciting and unique it would be to document it all... Be well... Ara & Spirit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mga707 Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 (edited) This is just too good... I think how about we organize a little group and take on this route? Right now we are a bit north of it all, health problems being solved, but how about in the fall... meet in Bliff maybe? We can then put this mystery... to rest. How exciting and unique it would be to document it all... Be well... Ara & Spirit The fall would be the best time to go, weatherwise. From mid-Sept to mid-Nov weather is usually just about perfect. From about the end of June/first of July until mid-Sept you run into the monsoon season issue, and all travel on unpaved rez roads should be done in the AM. They can become mudbogs very quickly if a summer afternoon thunderstorm dumps on them! Edited May 26, 2009 by mga707 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemerchef Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 The fall would be the best time to go, weatherwise. From mid-Sept to mid-Nov weather is usually just about perfect. From about the end of June/first of July until mid-Sept you run into the monsoon season issue, and all travel on unpaved rez roads should be done in the AM. They can become mudbogs very quickly if a summer afternoon thunderstorm dumps on them! For sure. We got caught coming out of Toroweap in the rain. I am good Friend with Kalachi now!!! Must stop and that is about it... I wold be game for a get together and with different vehicles re-create the route. The hack will go just about anywhere. David? Tie to come south soon my Friend!!! Ara & Spirit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keep the Show on the Road! Posted May 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 For sure. We got caught coming out of Toroweap in the rain. I am good Friend with Kalachi now!!! Must stop and that is about it... I wold be game for a get together and with different vehicles re-create the route. The hack will go just about anywhere. David? Tie to come south soon my Friend!!! Ara & Spirit Ara, A hookup with you, Spirit, mga707, and anyone else from this fine crew would be great. I have a basket load of life events bouncing around this year, which doesn’t prevent travel, but makes it difficult to plan ahead. I sort of grab time when it opens up. I would certainly try to be in. This opportunity is so rich, I hope this group will work with Berwyn to capture the story of his father’s adventures and hopefully the carving. Dolph was out there more than the article describes, or the carving wouldn’t be there. He was only 27 at the time, just a young guy in a big land. I really hope the crew at American Road see the possibilities in a story here. These first hand accounts are rare, and this one has all the trimmings. Dave Keep the Show on the Road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemerchef Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 David... I know it is easy for me to write this... Sometimes one needs to set aside all and take the plundge for such a Journey I hope will come through. I hope I am not intruding in your own path... it is not my intent... just caring and saying. Once in a Lifetime chance, and yes, we could make a real story out of it... I can take the photos!!!... hey, I can even cook!!! I also have connections in that area. Be well... Ara & Spirit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berwyn Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 I have scanned some pictures of Dolph Andrus and the Maxwell on the Monumental Highway in 1917, and will try and post a couple of them to see if these are of any interest to you followers of the Monumental Highway. I also have scanned Dad's story behind the story, but I am not sure how that will post on this site. Here goes a try for a picture and a text page: Sorry that did not work, the file was too large. so I will just type in a section for a teaser and find out how to do the pictures and text better: "We drove from Organ Rock to Laguna Creek without any difficulty at all. We had been informed that Zahn Brothers had taken a car over this part of the road the year before. At Laguna Creek, near Kayenta, our team gave us our last help before returning to Bluff. Our scout on horseback also left us. Dr. Hopkins started asking for aid for our Highway Project at Kayenta. They gave him the cold shoulder. . . . The first day after leaving Kayenta we drove the magnificent distance of 52 miles to Red Lake Trading Post. Early the next morning before Dr. Hopkins was awake, I got out a hammer and chisel and carved the words MONUMENTAL HIGHWAY on the face of a cliff near our camp. When he saw my work he took the hammer and chisel and posed as if he were doing the carving and had me take a picture of him." Note by Berwyn: I believe that to be the picture on the cover of "Good Roads Automobilist" Vol. VIII, No. 1, January 1918 It looks like a large enough rock to still be there, and I hope someone can find it. I would think that some of the locals who trade at Red Lake Post would know of it, but I did not get any takers when I stopped there, and was not able to locate it on my own. Just a side note of interest on small world. Today we spent time at the cemetery with the daughter of Hugh Hyde, leaving some flowers at his grave in Salt Lake City. He was the boy that met my father with a team to pull the Maxwell back up Comb Ridge after the first exploring trip with the Maxwell from Bluff. My wife went all through school with her and we made the connection while Hugh was still alive and I got to visit with him several times before he passed away at 101. MONUMENTAL HIGHWAY has been a great journey. It is great to see how many of you have found this after all these years, and how I stumbled into your world through Google. Thanks, Berwyn Andrus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keep the Show on the Road! Posted June 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 I have scanned some pictures of Dolph Andrus and the Maxwell on the Monumental Highway in 1917, and will try and post a couple of them to see if these are of any interest to you followers of the Monumental Highway. I also have scanned Dad's story behind the story, but I am not sure how that will post on this site. Here goes a try for a picture and a text page: Sorry that did not work, the file was too large. so I will just type in a section for a teaser and find out how to do the pictures and text better: "We drove from Organ Rock to Laguna Creek without any difficulty at all. We had been informed that Zahn Brothers had taken a car over this part of the road the year before. At Laguna Creek, near Kayenta, our team gave us our last help before returning to Bluff. Our scout on horseback also left us. Dr. Hopkins started asking for aid for our Highway Project at Kayenta. They gave him the cold shoulder. . . . The first day after leaving Kayenta we drove the magnificent distance of 52 miles to Red Lake Trading Post. Early the next morning before Dr. Hopkins was awake, I got out a hammer and chisel and carved the words MONUMENTAL HIGHWAY on the face of a cliff near our camp. When he saw my work he took the hammer and chisel and posed as if he were doing the carving and had me take a picture of him." Note by Berwyn: I believe that to be the picture on the cover of "Good Roads Automobilist" Vol. VIII, No. 1, January 1918 It looks like a large enough rock to still be there, and I hope someone can find it. I would think that some of the locals who trade at Red Lake Post would know of it, but I did not get any takers when I stopped there, and was not able to locate it on my own. Just a side note of interest on small world. Today we spent time at the cemetery with the daughter of Hugh Hyde, leaving some flowers at his grave in Salt Lake City. He was the boy that met my father with a team to pull the Maxwell back up Comb Ridge after the first exploring trip with the Maxwell from Bluff. My wife went all through school with her and we made the connection while Hugh was still alive and I got to visit with him several times before he passed away at 101. MONUMENTAL HIGHWAY has been a great journey. It is great to see how many of you have found this after all these years, and how I stumbled into your world through Google. Thanks, Berwyn Andrus Berwyn, Thanks so much for this! My daughter's situation has stabalized for now, so I can get back to your father's story. Do I have your permission to post the pages you sent me via e-mail? If so I will do that. I have posted the cover photo from Good Roads Automobilist below. Dave Keep the Show on the Road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keep the Show on the Road! Posted June 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 Berwyn has sent me two terrific pictures and I can’t wait to share them. I hope he will add details in a subsequent post, but in many ways the photos speak for themselves. It is amazing to see the original blazing of the Monumental Highway first hand, and to be able to connect the photos and the story. I confess I am awed! I hope Becky and Thomas are watching this unfold. This is a first class treasure! What a story! Thanks a thousand times, Berwyn….and Dolph! Dave Keep the Show on the Road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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