Showing posts with label Utah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Utah. Show all posts

Friday, July 22, 2011

Sand, Stone, and Ice Cream

Today was another transition day but unfortunately I don’t have anything nearly as profound to say as I did on Monday.

This morning, after learning that the hotel laundry room was finally operational again, I managed to do all my laundry before the 11am checkout time, before hitting the road and getting myself out of Utah. The goal was to get myself to Page, AZ, which would be my launching point for my day at the Grand Canyon, but of course I had to take the scenic route. This time it was US 191 to US 163 through the Navajo Nation and Monument Valley. You’ve heard of Monument Valley, even if you think you haven’t. When you think of images of the Southwest, you think of Monument Valley. If you watch Doctor Who, or any number of other shows and movies, you’ve seen Monument Valley. And if you haven’t done any of that, take a look at this picture and you’ll have seen Monument Valley:

Thursday, July 21, 2011

A Wilderness of Rock

After an excursion into Canyonlands National Park, I’m happy to report that I did not get trapped in a canyon under a boulder and I did not have to cut off my own arm with a dull pocketknife.

Canyonlands feels more desert-y than even Arches did. I’m not sure why, though. I think it was actually a few degrees cooler today but I drank far more water, even without a hike on the same scale as Delicate Arch. Maybe it’s because this place is absolutely positively the complete center of the middle of nowhere.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

We Don’t Need No Stinking Arches

My father is a hero. When my computer crapped out on Friday night, he offered to send me the spare that used to belong to my sister. Not just send it, he offered to overnight it! So it’s thanks to him that I can recount to you my enthralling tale of my day at Arches National Park.
Double Arch. Look familiar?
It should, if you've seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The Pain Is Miles and Miles Behind Her

On an otherwise relatively uneventful day spent driving from Bryce Canyon through Capitol Reef National Park and into Moab, I received a piece of news I’d been waiting to hear for years. Bringing tears to my eyes, it was one of those moments I’ll always remember where I was when I first heard it.

Monday, July 18, 2011

A Hell of a Place to Lose a Cow

I come to you tonight from Campsite 277 in the Sunset Campground at Bryce Canyon National Park. I arrived bright and early to ensure that I’d be able to find a vacant site. I chose the first one I saw, but after driving the one-way campground loop road back out to the main park road, I realized that I could have chosen any number of sites. Kids, let that be a lesson – get to Bryce Canyon by 9am and the campsites will be ripe for the picking.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Because Mukuntuweap Was Too Hard to Pronounce

…Congress decided to change its name when making it into a national park. It was then that Mukuntuweap National Monument was renamed Zion. This morning, when the automated info-voice on the park shuttle bus explained that Zion was a Hebrew word meaning “refuge,” suddenly this park became my people’s park. If not for the Jews, Zion would still be Mukuntuweap. Also, it was at that moment that the park and I developed a little inside joke, since anyone who’s ever spent time with Israelis can tell you that it’s “tzion” that means refuge. “Zion” is a part of the male anatomy.

Friday, July 15, 2011

“Now THIS is Colorado!”

Thus announced one of the many county welcome signs I passed today. And it was right. Today’s’ vistas were exactly what I had imagined when I first pictured Colorado. Either my teachers or the media have done an excellent job telling me what to expect from the state.