Just inside Canyonland is a sign that would have caused the ole sphincter to pucker a bit, if we had been in the RV. Eight per cent grades with twenty mph curves at the bottom are not a great deal of fun.
Approaching Moab, Pat sighted an interesting monolith that unfortunaely was in an area where we couldn't pull over.
Busy taking photos on the run, Pat noticed an opening which looked like a cave and zoomed in for a closeup. We were going back to check on this place but somehow never got back to this interesting bit of geology. We would like to know if it was naturally occuring, perhaps a mine shaft or a dug out Indian dwelling, or just an indentation in the rock wall with good shadow detail.
At times like this, I really admire the skill of photographers like Ansel Adams who toured the West with large view cameras and took outstanding photos which capture the majesty of the Western mountains. Seeing a monolith like the one below and being able to appreciate it's size and total awesomeness is one thing, but capturing it in a photo is something else entirely. Take my word for it. This Mountain standing alone, in the distance, was huge and dominated the space we were viewing. The size, the colors, the depth, the hypnotizing magic of holding the viewers attention made one feel insignificant. It wasn't just us, but every car that rounded the curve and saw this ... this...place!
Just as you get accustomed to one showy natural feature, a pair get your attention.
This place with it's mountains and valleys just will not give up. As an alive being would do, it captures your attention and then makes you wonder about all of the forces that are shaping this land. The carving of rock over millions of years with water, wind and quake has made a truly unique environment which again reminds us how insignificant and weak man is.
As we were getting accustomed to the shapes, size and colors of these rocks our minds shifted to a much more fun game. Like kids laying on a blanket, looking up at the sky and making images out of clouds, our minds shifted into the same gear. Were these carved by some ancient Greek or Roman or by the forces of nature?
Mother Nature wasn't finished with us yet. How about some scallops carved by a curvaceous river?
Just as you have adapted to the mountains, up jumps some knarled old trees which just beg to be photographed since they to are part of this mysterious land.
The chipmunks here are different in coloration than the ones at home, but their antics are pretty much the same.
I just can't get away from sixth graders!
Around every corner awaits another awe inspiring site. Whether looking up from the bottom or looking down from the top, the scale of this place is just mind boggling.
Man's effort to make a guardrail out of stacked timbers is insignificant albeit thrifty.
The final question left unanswered at Canyonland is how can these huge rocks remain balanced? How can they be carved out by wind and water yet stay in equilibrium with the forces of gravity.
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