More Monuments

Did a poor job selecting photos in previous post...

Monument Valley

  Fair warning, the images you are about to see you have seen before. No, these will not be pictures from the internet or some other public source. They are all pictures from my camera. The trouble is that what I photographed you have seen before. That is if you have seen any westerns, watched many modern movies, or even watched a commercial or two. a lot of them happened here.


  Enjoy.

I see a hand reaching for the heavens. You?

 To our readers, it has been a memorable trip so far. A couple more weeks and it is over. Funny, in our working days we NEVER took a two week vacation...


 Life is good!



carpe diem

Utah

 We entered Utah on April 12th and will exit it on May 1st. During that time we traversed the southeast third of the state. Of Utah's 5 National parks, we visited four. Utah is a beautiful state and the terrain can change quickly. To be sure there is plenty more of Utah left for us to explore, and we plan to do just that. But this was a good start to be sure. While weather forced us to miss Cedar Breaks, our hearts are not saddened nor is the trip a failure. We did the best we could. One of our goals was to not rush through madly, but not to sit idly someplace just killing time. We did pretty well allocating time for various stops. Some could have used a day more, some a day or so less.


  In visiting this area we learned about the Colorado plateau and how it was lifted. This lifting set in motion the creation of the canyons and vistas one see's today.

Colorado plateau

   Utah is so very different than Texas, some good ways some not to my liking. But that is good as if it was the same, why make the drive?

  We have learned many things on this trip, with more to go. Ever heard of Cyptobiotic soil? I have now and know of it's importance. Have added to our knowledge of the Ancestral Puebloans and other ancient peoples. We are getting a little long in the tooth, but not too old to learn and to appreciate. As we visit Monument Valley and the Navajo Nation my thoughts will include the works of Tony Hillerman. Now deceased, Tony wrote books centered around a character that was part of the Navajo Tribal Police. I have read all his books but am reading one again on this trip. He always includes reference to Navajo legend and beliefs. Many of our stops thus far have ties to those legends, including the Grand Canyon.

  We have been enjoying the rebroadcast of Ken Burn's movie, "National Parks, Americas best idea". Having been enjoying our nations parks, we are most thankful for the work to create and protect them. So much was destroyed and lost by greed. Going all the way back to Buffalo Gap in Texas, the museum there reminded us of the buffalo slaughter. That upset Mary to the point she mentioned it many times. Ken Burns movie, while celebrating our parks, also shows how greed nearly cost us many parks. Those that forget the past are doomed to repeat it.


  Trivia question for you: remember the scene in Forest Gump where he quits running? That was shot facing south bound on 163 between Mexican Hat and Monument Valley. Told Mary she was in the same park as Tom Hanks as Forest in Savannah Georgia, now on same road as another scene. As close as she will ever get to Tom Hanks.


 More from Monument Valley later

Natural Bridges

 Dark sky      check
Thunder        check
Lightening    check
Rain              nope!
How about snow/sleet/ice instead? Ah, life at 7000ft elevation. It moved just west of us after pelting us a bit.

 Did you figure out the difference between arch and bridge? Bridge caused by water of creek/river. Arch by wind and does not span water. Bridge may not be now spanning water but was caused by water flow.

Our friend to the north

Maggie's magnets

  Tomorrow we move to the Navajo Nation for two days. We will be on the border of Utah and Arizona so our time in Utah is coming to and end. More on that in the next post.

Museums

 Sorry,no photos today. If you know us, you know we love museums. Not just walk in look around for a few minutes and leave. We walk in and READ ALL the placards. If you go to a museum with us,bring your lunch.

  Two museums to tell you about today. Yeah, I know you will probably never go in them in your lifetime. But at least I told you about them. In Moab check out their museum. Follow this link to see MORE. A small, home style place with a LOT of information to absorb. The other museum is actually a state park and is located in Blanding Utah. The website can be found HERE. This museum has an extensive collection of Ancestral Pueblo artifacts.

  We have found some great, interesting and informing museums in small towns. Look around good people, there is a ton of information to be learned. Tentative plans call for us going to Washington D.C. next year, spending a month doing NOTHING but visiting all the different Smithsonian Institution museums. We are that addicted to museums.


 Some of my readers have requested more close ups of Mary, and farther away for me. What's with that? But I will try and oblige and keep them G rated.


  Home work assignment for you. Tomorrow we visit Natural Bridges National Monument. Your assignment is to understand the difference between a bridge and a arch.

Arches photos

Arches and Canyon lands

 The weather prognosticator had predicted high winds for Saturday. By golly they got it right. Not wanting to be sandblasted at the park, we thought winery and museum were better choices. The winery was 14 miles out a winding road on the banks of the Colorado. We had just arrived when the power went out. The musem was in the lower level so now that attraction was removed. Many movies, or parts of movies have been filmed on this ranch. From John Wayne's "Comenchero'" to the car over the cliff scene in "Thelma and Louise". Oh well, buy some wine and head back to Moab. It was then we discovered power was out through out the valley. Power was restored about four hour's later, in time for a stroll down main street. Also seemed a good time to feed Mary some enchiladas covered in green sauce, one of her favorites.


  That brings us to Sunday and a return to Arches. A nice hike to see a couple more arches then on to Canyon lands. A great day to be in either location. Monday and Tuesday will be devoted to downtown and another museum plus housekeeping.  Fun fact about Utah: hard liqour stores are run by state and can be few and far between. Beer bought in grocery store is 3.2%, takes a lot to get you going. Certain stores can sell regular beer. Drinks in restaurants are metered. No matter how big the glass, you are getting 1.5oz of liqour, no more.



 Todays photos and more fun facts.

pretty thin, better hurry to see it.

stark contrast

guide for our hike!

Be sure and click so you can read, explains a lot!

watch that next step!!

more to come.




carpe diem

Arches

  In our travel across New Mexico, Arizona and now Utah, we have seen a fair amount of eroded sandstone. The various layers have different names and composition. But it is all sedementary rock, primarily sand. That being said, how can it look so different?

  When we started, I promised you 13 national parks/monuments. One got scratched because Mary is happier when she is not car sick, I am not real smart but I am learning.

Grand Canyon  check
Vermillion Cliffs   check
Zion   check
Bryce Canyon   check
Grand Staircase Escalante   check
Capitol Reef   check
Arches   check

 More to come in the following weeks but a good start for sure. All these special places feature marvelous views of eroded sandstone. My geologist friend Ron will have a heart attack hearing me say that, but for us lay people it is close enough of a descrption. The forces of water and wind have chewed away at these layers creating all this natural beauty. While they share some common elements, they vary greatly. I can tell you the terrain of Arches is nothing like the others. Add in a back drop of snow covered mountains and you have breath taking vistas.

  High winds are forecast for tomorrow, in fact they have already picked up. That might delay our return to Arches and our visit to Canyon lands. Those six days will come in handy. Rest assured we have wineries, museums and quaint downtown area to keep us busy.

  Todays photographic effort follows. I heve become increasingly dissatisfied with my lenses. Too much zoom or not enough, kind of like Goldie locks....I try my best but fail to capture the views I long to share.

And in my ongoing tribute to the CCC's

Moab

 We have relocated to Moab where we will be for 6 nights. May not be long enough. Moab is the best point to visit both Arches and Canyon lands national parks. This is a busy, hopping little town with a lot of visitors. Big spot for hiking, biking,off road vehicles and boat trips down the Colorado. Now add in the tame stuff we like to do and the schedule gets busy. Stay tuned as the budget may take a whipping here. After eating thru our budget last fall we have been far more conservative this trip.


  Leaving Torrey we followed 24 along the Freemont river thru the canyon, then north across barren plains till we reached I-70. Utah is a vast empty land in this part of the state. You can change terrain from desert to canyons to pine forested mountains, all within a hundred miles. Amazing how sandstone can erode so differently from location to location.


  A view of our overnight location. The picture shows it empty, they are full with no vacancy now.

  Views from our campsite, from red cliffs to snow covered peaks. Such is Utah.

 Fun and food in Moab, soon come!

Capitol Reef

  Alright, be honest on this. Before this blog had you ever heard of Capitol Reef NP? I had not before researching for this trip. It has been a National Park since 1971, guess I need to pay attention. We learned a lot about what makes this place special and about Fruita.


  What makes Capitol Reef special is how it was formed. Geologically it is known as a waterpock fold or monocline. Basically the only one around. The Freemont river has cut the canyon thru the area. The smart people say that the oldest, or bottom layer of this canyon, is the same as one near the top of the Grand Canyon. I will trust their assesment. It is a ruggedly beautiful area. Like the other parks, and non parks we have been thru, the display of colors and features change with the light.


 Fruita was settled by Mormon's in the 1800's. The river made for a perfect place for orchards. Mainly apple, peach, apricot and pear. After building some irragation canals these orchards provided for their livelihoods. There are also pictographs from the Freemont people, predecessor of Hopi and other native Indians.


 A few photos of our day at Capitol Reef NP.

Mary was less than happy about me being on ledge

pictographs

Have enjoyed Torrey after our blood pressure came down from the drive. Tomorrow it is on to Moab where we will be for 6 nights.

carpe diem