The State of Colorado is visually incredibly diverse from one end of the state to the other. We began on the east side of the state with gently-rolling, mostly barren hills. After a stop in Denver, we moved to the giant, snow-capped Rocky Mountains. As we traveled through Colorado to Utah yesterday, we passed through the Vail Valley and a couple other valleys to the east of it that were miles and miles of quarter mile wide valley cut by the River through the mountain. Then we followed the Colorado River through the Glenwood Canyon where there was only enough room at the base of the canyon for the Colorado River, the railroad track and the highway. The canyon walls must have been a quarter mile high in spots, and the river was full and raging. Every time we went around another corner, all I could do is say “wow”. After the Canyon, the terrain got flatter, the valley between the mountains got wider, and the Colorado River got slower and wider.
About twenty miles before the Utah border: desolation. The desert. Fenced cattle feeding grounds (but no cows) as far as the eye can see, which is a long ways in parts of Utah.
We were headed for Arches National Park. After a quick stop at the edge of an unfenced cattle field for Will to add to the cow droppings, we entered another canyon made by the Colorado River that was narrower and taller and redder than Glenwood Canyon. It was a warm sunny day, and we were thinking of taking a camping spot at one of the self serve camp grounds along the River when the wind kicked up. It must have been blowing 60 mph. As we passed camp grounds by the edge of the River, the tents looked like they were staked to the top of a truck driving down the highway. We decided not to stop there. I held tight to the steering wheel to keep us from being blown into the River. As we passed signs that warned us to “watch for falling rock” and saw gigantic boulders perched above our heads, Alex asked “what do you think makes the rocks fall?” Amy answered (correctly, I think) “wind and rain”. It began to rain.
The sun was not out, so there were no shadows, but I felt like I was driving through the valley of the shadow of death. I know I am a whimp, but there seem to be so many things out here that can kill you. Bears, mountain lions, scorpions, black widows, rattle snakes, tree branches, falling rocks, flash floods. This is the wild west.
So, we decided to stay at a motel. This morning for breakfast, Amy got to introduce me to a family tradition of hers: pancakes and sausages cooked by electric frying pan in a motel room. I was proud to be initiated.
After repacking in the rain – which required a completely different packing strategy than the usual strategy for traveling – we went to Arches park. Unbelievable rock formations. When we passed the rock formation called “parade of elephants”, Alex asked if someone had carved it. I answered that it was formed by water covering the land, but that God may have had elephants in mind.
Will pushed us to go up to arch after arch. He wanted to climb, a lot. Matt looked up at a rock formation and said his favorite word (next to “snack”): “toot toot”. I looked up, and saw the shape of a train engine. There is something for everyone at Arches.
As we left the park, trying to decide where to camp for the night, standing in sunny 75 degree weather, we asked the ranger for the latest on the weather. She said winds and maybe rain. I asked if the wind was going to be as high as last night. She said it might be a bit worse. We decided not to camp near Arches. As we left town, we saw the storm system approaching from the north. We got on the highway and headed west.
We ended up in Green River, Utah, at a state campground with tall trees, grassy sites, cement parking pads, and both grills and fire pits for $16 a night. We need to find more places like this along the way.
Tomorrow, off to Bryce Canyon.
