There are so many alternate titles for this post. We covered a lot of ground today. We got up, got coffee...
...to UT 191 south in Arches National Park. The West is spread out. Moving from one destination to another this morning took several hours. We took so many photos today and my brain is stuffed full from taking in the enormity of what we saw today. Here's just a few of the drive to Arches, specifically, Delicate Arch.
Around every turn was something different. Really. I could post one hundred photos and they would all be completely different. The human eye and the way the brain processes visual stimulus is magical. I can turn my head a fraction of an inch and see something that catches my eye, take a sweeping look, and process what I see. There is no photo that can capture that experience. The sheer size of all these geologic features is something else that can't be described with words that make you feel the way being among these gigantic formations makes you feel. When I'm at home, sitting on my couch, solving all the NYT puzzles, I am queen of my castle. Being in a place that almost overwhelms the senses makes me feel small...in the best way. When processing sights, sounds (or lack of sounds) and smells of that are novel and coming fast and furious, it leaves little room for anything else. Peace, gratitude, and a feeling that there is something greater (for me it is my God) push out the mundanity of everyday life. Wonder.
Our afternoon destination was Delicate Arch. In 2007, when we came to Arches the first time, I was six years away from a knee replacement that was already badly needed and had a fairly sedentary lifestyle because of it. I did not even attempt the moderate to strenuous 3-mile hike.
This year was different!
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| The beginning--can you see those people way up there? |
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| Close to the top of the first big climb |
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| Keep going! |
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| Keep going! |
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| Passing on the left! |
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| Not far! |
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| This was the last stretch. |
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| I was willing to go a little farther than Tim...that's a story for another day. |
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| On the way back down... We left Delicate Arch and drove to the end of the loop, taking lots more photos along the way.     From there, we drove to Dead Horse Point State Park. The Colorado River seems to be everywhere. This canyon is smaller than the Grand Canyon but every bit as cool.          We ended the day driving Potash Rd., an easy ride along the Colorado River.     We eked out the last bit of daylight in this canyon, then headed to dinner. We were hankering for pizza last night but didn't want to wait on hour for a table in Telluride. I'm glad we waited.     Tim finished his pizza. Half of mine is sitting in the hotel fridge. It might make a nice addition to coffee for breakfast tomorrow. :) I'm too tired to proofread. Sorry in advance for the mistakes! |
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