Famtripper.com takes a Harley Davidson motorcycle trek of the old west with Trailz Motorcycle Tours and contributor Chris Maida. He rides his Harley to the old Tucson Movie Studio and kicks up some dirt on his way to the Bisbee Grand Hotel. Don't forget to watch the video trailer of Easy Rider staring Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda. 

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Even though there are currently two inches of snow sitting on my balcony and I’ve had to clean off the boat multiple times, I’m in an extremely good mood.

I was disappointed yesterday by my late arrival in Flagstaff, but today more than made up for it. Not only did I get to hike Monument Valley and take in the incredible views, I also got to finish said hike in a snowstorm.

While being caught in bad weather doesn’t usually do it for me, there’s something to be said for the sense of peace and quiet that comes over an area as a snowstorm approaches. A light dusting began to fall and I walked through the valley, watching the red clay slowly turn white, the green of the snakegrass beginning to stand out (then it got a little more intense and I had to retreat to the hotel).

I’m staying at The View (which lives up to its name). My balcony faces the valley and the monuments – it’s a spectacular thing to see. I unfortunately only got to experience it for a short time – the fog has pretty much taken care of that now.

That’s all right – I can see and appreciate the potential, the beauty behind the design. It’s a comfortable place with lots of good photography (of Monument Valley) and a nice lobby fireplace.

Here are some photos. Can you see the face in the first one? 

I had a great day of hiking before the snow rolled in, and now things should get interesting (full story to come on Monument Valley and the View Hotel). 

I had one goal today: Make it to Sedona before sunset. 

Fail.

I passed through Flagstaff with about an hour until twilight, but the clouds and mountains had other plans, ushering in the darkness before its time. Boat in tow, I retreated to Flagstaff where I'm holding up for the night. 

Nothing special - just a cheap room to catch some sleep - tomorrow I check out Monument Valley and The View Hotel.

Here are some photos of the drive - it truly was beautiful, the green hills of California giving way to the brown, rocky mountains (which are snow covered in Flagstaff). 

Even though the dark sky ruined my chance to see and photograph the rock structures in Sedona, it did create an awfully nice sunset. The clouds were all over the place, some streaking and others glowing. 

That's right - across the country I go. I'm departing from Santa Barbara on Sunday morning, Philadelphia being my final destination.

I've spent the past two and a half years soaking up the sun and the sand here in California, but now it's time to move on, to explore the other parts of the country. 

I'm going to take the southern route (I'm towing my boat), and I hope to hit Roswell, San Antonio, Austin, Alabama. That's my best guess on the drive - but it's always subject to change once I get on the road.

The only thing I know for sure is that on Sunday night I'll be stopping somewhere near Flagstaff, and on Monday I'll hike Monument Valley and stay the night at The View Hotel: http://www.monumentvalleyview.com.

It looks absolutely stunning, so much different than any other part of the country in terms of its scenery. Fingers crossed for a clear day in the desert. 

Someone asked me today if I was ready to leave, and my indifference sort of surprised me. It's weird: As a travel writer, I'm used to moving on. Right now it just feels like the end of any other trip - a sense of sadness for what has passed and excitement for the next thing to come.

Looking at these photos helps to deal with the aforementioned sadness. I can't imagine how big those rock structures are when you're standing next to them.

Follow along with my journey - I'll be writing from the road!