Zona

I-70, originally uploaded by Dan Lilly.

up at 5AM and on the road. Helper, thru Price, Sunnyside, and I spotted this view while driving I-70. I had to take an exit that leads to ranches and then walk about a mile to get power lines and a fence out of the frame. Picked up some interesting rocks.

Back in the car and exit south on 191 toward Moab. Some red rock outcroppings get me to take a dirt road and a short hike. Those photos didn't turn out like I thought.

Stop for lunch in Moab. Bad mexican food and a customer who got snooty with the waitress because she found out the hard way that green chile has meat. The customer failed to tell the waitress that she was a vegetarian and blamed the non-mind reading waitress.

Back on the road and a relatively unproductive stop at a red rock surrounded rest area followed by perfect timing at Wilson Arch. At first I was pissed with the ropes dangling from the arch bit soon realized that climbers descending made for more interesting photos.

Down thru Blanding and I wanted to stop and ask people if they knew where I could buy some Indian artifacts. A year or so ago the Feds busted a ring of grave robbing illegal artifacts dealers in Blanding. Grave robbing artifact hunting is pretty low but it is legal on private land, and illegal on federal land. Two of those arrested committed suicide. One was a popular community doctor and of course everyone blamed the feds for him doing the hose in the tail pipe thing. I like to attribute it to messing with the wrong spirits.

A stop and another short hike to see the Anazazi ruins at Butler Wash.

Then on to Natural Bridges National Monument and $6 to drive the loop and see three natural bridges.

Then on the road again through beautiful red rock and beige sandstone. Over the Colorado river and through the most scenic part of the trip through miles of red rock cliffs north of Lake Powell. Alas the sun had gone down but now I have an excuse to go back. Into Hanksville at dark. Up the highway to I-70, back through Price and home just before midnight.

What a day

// posted by sinner @ 1:29 PM