This posting will be more pictorial than editorial, to save time for readers.
So here are some photos of the dramatic trip from Monument Valley, UT, to Moab, UT.
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We drove through the town of Mexican Hat (named for the rock formation above--see
the sombrero?), and passed the RV place we originally were going to stay.
Thank goodness we changed our plans!! It was a DUMP. |
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| No overcrowding here! |
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| Nice hairpin turns! |
Before leaving for Moab we found out that I had forgotten to change some dates on our reservations, so we had to find a new RV campground. We decided on Spanish Trails, which was perfectly fine.
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| The view from our Moab RV campground -- not too shabby. |
We ventured up a steep, winding, potholed road one night to dine at Sunset Grill on the edge of a cliff overlooking Moab. Good food, good time! This is just the partial view from our table.
An oddity from the restaurant --big-ass bronze boots. Why? Why ask why?
Red Hoodoos
Of course, the important part of this leg of the trip was Arches National Park. We took a very cool hike there and were amazed at the rock formations and views all around us.
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NO DOGS ALLOWED ON THE TRAILS. As you can see by the tiny face peeking
out of Beau's backpack, the rules did not apply to US. Buddy was SO good. |
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| Dave and Beau scope out the trail. |
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| No, that is not one of us climbing this hoodoo (hoodoos are the spires formed by rocks as they break down). |
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| Beau points out a hoodoo that looks like an Easter Island head. |
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| Buddy takes it all in. |
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| Our pals. |
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| "The Gossips" |
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| Dave and I are about to climb to the middle of the arch in the background.... |
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| Ta-dah, I am Rocky!! (That's a pun.) The climb was a big deal for me, a walk in the park for Dave. |
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| The victorious canyoneers, post-climb. |
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| Dave and Joyce are tiny figures on this hillside, between the two arches. |
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| Joyce on top of the world! |
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| In front of Balanced Rock. |
Canyonlands, by Boat
Finally, a few shots from our jet boat tour of Canyonlands.
This ride was on the Colorado River, which our guide Rory (below) told us had risen a FOOT since the night before. The current is fierce, and the muddy river meanders swiftly through the canyon, cutting deeper into the stone year after year.
Some shots taken from the boat:
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| Beau enjoyed the ride, "flying" off the stern of the jet boat. |
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| Joyce picks up petrified wood on a side trip made from our boat. I may have this wrong, but I think our guide Rory said it was likely more than 1,000,000 years old...?? |
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| Jug Handle Arch. |
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| Can you guess what this stone formation is called? "NIXON." |
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| Ancient Indian petroglyphs on the walls of the canyon. |
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| Another rock climber. |
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Sitting in the back of the boat was hell on my sinuses, still healing from surgery.
What a dumb thing to have done! |
I had used my little Kodak digital camera so much during this trip it finally gave up the ghost and died. Had to invest in a new, pricier Fuji while in Moab. I think the old camera took nicer photos -- but I am still learning how to use this thing.
We are now in Bryce Canyon, where the air is REALLY thin -- and I almost died during a huge hiking trek. Photos next time.
Tanks, Panky
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