Driving over the mountains to Moab, Utah, I noticed some bright yellow aspens.
Moab was very busy and most campgrounds were full. I arrived at this BLM first-come, first-serve campground at 9:30 in the morning and took the only site available for 5 days. The campground remained full for my entire stay.
This is the Moab Fault where a dramatic break in the earth's surface occurred amount 6 million years ago. After the rock layers shifted, the east wall of the canyon ended up more than 2,600 feet below the west wall seen across the road. Thistle and I rode up the east wall to drive through Arches National Park.
As soon as you get to the top, you begin to see large red rock formations.
Entering an area called Park Avenue.
Baby Arch
Fallen Arches...It is believed that there were once two arches here, from Sheep Rock on the right, to the rock wall with the baby arch, and a supporting column in the middle down to the small hump.
Dogs aren't allowed on any trails, so we drove out to the viewpoint for Delicate Arch. You can see all the people out there on the trail, awaiting their turn for photos.
It had been fully my intention to come back to Arches without Thistle and hike the trails, but my time got filled with other activities, and I never made it back. My car decided to choose this moment to warn me I needed an oil change! It probably could have waited a bit longer, but I decided to take care of it right away, and we left.
Apparently, Delicate Arch inspired dramatic poses or dancing.
So I spent a day in Moab, taking care of business and some TLC for the car. I got the oil change and then a car wash. Also went to a laundromat and a Verizon Store where I bought a new Jetpack for internet connection. That all took up a day.
The next day, I took Thistle again to visit nearby Canyonlands National Park...the northern entrance. Once again, Thistle was not allowed on any trails, so this was a tour of the overlooks.
The road in was almost as scenic as the park itself.
Our first stop was for a view of the Monitor and Merrimac Buttes, named after the Civil War ironclad battleships of the same names.
A study of contrasts.
This view of Shafer Canyon is across from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center.
You can see the dirt road known as Shafer Trail Road which can be driven with a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
Me at Shafer Canyon Overlook.
A tour vehicle on Shafer Trail.
Another overlook of Shafer Canyon.
A bystander took this pregnant pose picture. The wind was blowing my clothes.
Green River Overlook was nice.
There is a campground beside this overlook. It was full too.
Close up of the green space next to the river.
Orange Cliffs overlook
The LaSal Mountains in the distance.
The LaSal Mountains rise well over a mile above the surrounding desert. They were formed 25 to 40 million years ago, having been forced up through overlying sedimentary rocks by forces deep within the earth's crust.
This picture is of the Colorado River which flows by the campground I where I was staying. There is a nice paved bike/hike trail that follows the river quite a ways. It made a good place to walk Thistle.
My next adventure was a horseback ride in this awesome landscape. The ride was from Hauer Ranch which is located next to the Colorado River down this dirt road.
The ranch has some unique housing for rent, including this "Rock House."
An old wagon
This is Alice, my ride for the day.
Alice is an old horse who doesn't like to go very fast. I'm sure they thought we would make a good match, lol.
Onion Creek flows into the Colorado River behind us.
The formation ahead is called Fisher Tower.
Crossing the highway through an underpass.
You can see the LaSal Mountains again way in the background. Our guide says they have snow on top most of the year...into late July.
Passing some rock formations.
Let's go, Alice...catch up!
Alice and me, with a view of Castle Rock in the background.
Fisher Tower
Starting back to the ranch by a different route.
One more look at the Rock House...pretty neat.
There's still a lot to see and do in this area, so I'm sure I'll come back this way my next time in the West.
