Where in the World Are You, Eli Ellison?

Travel Blog  •  World Hum  •  10.03.07 | 5:03 PM ET

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The subject of our latest nearly up-to-the-minute interview with a traveler somewhere in the world: writer and prolific World Hum commenter Eli Ellison. His response landed in our inbox today.

Where in the world are you?

I’m at the not quite four-diamond Four Seasons Motel in Kanab, Utah, a small Mormon ranching town and roadside motel mecca in the southwest corner of the state. This is prime Utah canyon country, so naturally the place is a magnet for European tourists, who arrive nightly by the busload.

What are you doing there?

I’m on assignment, updating a Southwest guide map, writing articles, taking a few days off to explore Grand Staircase-Escalante and Vermillion Cliffs national monuments. These are two of the so-called “Bill Clinton land-grab” monuments, established in 1996. The pro-mining locals were none too happy. In fact, when the deal went down, Bill was burned in effigy on the streets of downtown Kanab. It’s safe to say they won’t be voting for Hillary.

What do you see around you?

Paint peeling off my motel room walls, a flowery bedspread, a tall wicker headboard, an old “M*A*S*H” episode on a fuzzy, 1970s vintage TV. Out the window, I’m watching the rising sun light up the red rock cliffs surrounding town.

Got a pic?

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What did you have for dinner last night and where?

I feasted on chicken fried steak at the MD Ranch Cookhouse in Monticello, Utah. Tasty gravy. The meat was suspect. Live dining room entertainment was provided by vocalist/acoustic guitarist/cover artist Lonesome Buffalo. His Neil Young medley was going okay until he flipped the switch on a cheesy bass/drum synthesizer for “Old Man.” Behind me, a booth full of camouflage-clad hunters began heckling. Fearing for his life, Buffalo followed with “Okie from Muskogee.”

What are you listening to these days?

Road trips require a steady diet of Dylan, so I’m listening to Bob mix tapes. Yes, you read that right: tapes. My truck has a cassette deck. Don’t own an iPod. But I’ve been listening to CDs on my portable player. Jazz and blues compilations, Joni Mitchell’s new Starbucks enviro-rant album, Kenny Rogers’ greatest hits. Say what you will about The Gambler, but you must admit “Coward of the County” is one of the great songs.

What are you reading?

The Navajo Times, paper of record on the nearby Navajo Indian Reservation. I read a good story about a new 2008 calendar featuring pictures of Navajo biker mamas posing on their hogs. I’ve ordered a copy for everyone on my Christmas list. As for books, I just finished “Post Office” by Bukowski. Depressing. Hilarious. Loved it. Currently, I’m struggling through a research book: “The Colorado Plateau—A Geologic History.” Boring, I know.

What did you experience in the last 24 hours that you’d recommend?

An amazing area called Valley of the Gods. The brochure describes it as a “miniature version of Monument Valley,” which sums things up perfectly. A 17-mile dirt road winds past impressive isolated buttes and mesas straight out of a John Ford western. Best of all, I had the place mostly to myself. A far cry from the crowds you’ll find at the famous valley farther south.

Where in the world are you headed next?

Home to Southern California. I’ve been on the road for 17 days, exploring Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and now Utah. This is the last stop. That is, unless my truck decides it needs to rest in Las Vegas for a few hours on the drive home.

Tags: Where in the World Are You, News and Briefs


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