Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Canyonlands/Arches

The 500Jerk family recently returned from an action-packed rafting vacation way west, in Moab, Utah, where we also visited Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Utah's rugged, dry terrain is very different from lush East Tennessee. And July in Moab is . . . pretty hot. Actually, at a routine daytime high of 106, it's about twenty degrees hotter than hot.

But grand and beautiful and old. You can see the red bones of the earth in Moab, Utah.


Time is measured in rock layers.

And the disintegrating rocks resemble great, slow creatures.

Is this one winking at me? The 500Jerk family walked the rim of Canyonlands' Island in the Sky. That's quite a drop to the canyon floor from up there.



And we visited famous Mesa Arch, where we oh-so-carefully peered over the edge to the stomach-churning drop below. Some crazed tourists actually got up on top of Mesa Arch to have pictures taken. The 500Jerk family engaged in none such nonsense.

Despite the heat, we found comfortable places to play and rest. Look, a rock imp!

A Tennessee gal!

Cheetah man!

Altogether a magical place.

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