Utah's very grand canyon

The dullness that seemed to surround my head yesterday had turned into a very real threat of migraine by early this morning. Tal humored me by going to breakfast alone, letting me sleep (although it was a travel day and packing was required). The coffee and toast with peanut butter he brought back to the room for me nearly reduced me to tears. A few minutes of extra sleep, several Aleve and that breakfast was enough to get me out the door, on -- and to the back of -- the bus.

Our move to the back? Here's the drill. The people on the door side of the coach move back two seats every morning; the people on the driver's side move forward two; those having reached the front or the back moved across the aisle. And, today Tal and I reached the back. What an unexpected treat. It's quiet; there's less sway; the leg room is fabulous (something about more people weight in the front to offset the engine in the back). Anyway, a travel pillow from Chrystal's magic bag of tricks, Tal's shoulder, a seat that reclined ... take that you headache. It was a low day for me physically, but what a wonderful travel day it was, our stops varied and many -- and all interesting.

First, back across Capitol Reef on Utah Highway 24 and last glimpses of yesterday's sights, including "The Castle" in this image I made yesterday from the Visitor Center ...













Then, on to Hanksville for a rest stop at Hollow Mountain, a gas station blasted into the side of a really big rock. A "not to miss," for certain! To give the settlement its due, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid had a hideout near Hanksville and presently evidence of dinosaurs is being excavated from the Hanksville-Burpee Quarry (which, understandably, we did not visit, this being a geology tour).

How in my 57 years have I missed knowing about John Wesley Powell, the Union Civil War veteran who was the first to explore the Green and Colorado Rivers in 1869? Must have been asleep at the switch lots more than I realized. After visiting the John Wesley Powell River Museum in Green River UT -- with an extensive book store; exhibits of archival photographs, historic boats, Powell's further career, the area's history; and a thrilling film about Powell's first expedition, "Journey into the Great Unknown," I know about him now. The stop in Green River also included lunch at a very pretty river-side restaurant. Getting to it added to the charm for me, requiring as it did taking the sidewalk under the bridge.

The high point of my day, but not our last stop, was Utah's own very grand canyon Dead Horse Point State Park, adjacent to Canyonlands National Park. From the overlook's 2000-foot vantage point on the sheer-sided mesa cliff one can see evidence of 10 million years of erosion, the Colorado a powerful force. The weather was simply perfect for being there. But, no more words. Just look ...








Remember the last scene in "Thelma and Louise." Dead Horse Point would be the spot.

Before turning to Moab and our lodging for the next two nights, we made a stop at Canyonlands National Park to see the Mesa Arch, and the needles and spires beyond. It provided another incredible view, this one through the arch itself.

Finally, the hotel in Moab. We were all on our own for dinner. Tal and I and a new friend simply walked across the street to Jeffrey's Steakhouse, having energy for no more than that. It was a quiet and intimate place for a lovely dinner which also afforded us an early evening.

Bridge vs arch

After reporting endlessly on the weather through the early days of this trip, I am happy to write that today's dawn brought with it blue sky and sun. Several of us were out before breakfast to record the occasion, this being the view from the back of the hotel.


We spent the entire day at Capitol Reef National Park, a few of the predominant features being the Fremont River, which flows unimpeded through the park, a green swath through a rocky landscape; giant domes of Navajo sandstone, one of them reminiscent of the dome on the US Capitol building; nearly impassable rocky cliffs -- somewhat like reefs -- along a giant crease in the earth's crust, called Waterpocket Fold, caused by a collision of the North American and Pacific plates some 70 million years ago; petroglyphs of the Fremont people. For all the legendary beauty of Zion and Bryce, I have to say there is something about Capitol Reef that I especially like. Admittedly, the welcome sunshine might play a part ...

An honest-to-goodness hike was the major activity of the morning, a rather strenuous two-mile round trip to Hickman Bridge, a remote and stunning location (and difficult to photograph). Many of our group made it. Others decided after the first long pull to turn back. Still others stayed with the coach, taking shorter walks, even helping Geri wash the bus! And, we have been left with an assignment: Despite its name, is the Hickman Bridge a bridge or is it an arch?

Our lunch time was spent in the Fruita section of the park in a luscious, although stealthily muddy, picnic area right by the Fremont and next to an apple orchard, sadly done for the season. We were sort of hoping for apples to augment the contents of our bags.

This cottonwood was one of two giants shading the picnic area; I wish I could see these trees again in a couple of weeks, their leaves a signature golden yellow.

Before returning to Torrey, the hotel, dinner and an evening lecture, we walked along the pathway under the petroglyphs. They are high on the cliffs and difficult to see, but spotting one is a pleasure.

Sadly, this is my best effort. More sad, is the ongoing erosion that caused the "M" to fall away from the face of the cliff, sending much of the art onto the pile of rubble below. Look closely. There's a line of human-looking figures to the right of the "M" and something that resembles a horse or large animal to the left of it.