Monday, May 27, 2019 Move to Fruita (Grand Junction), Co

Today we finally hit Colorado, the focus of our travels this summer. We didn't leave early since our drive was a modest 153.6 miles (93,176.7 total) and with only a few exceptions it was reasonably level. The only trouble spot was the drive through Moab. It was jammed with traffic, and of course, that was when we realized it was Memorial Day weekend. Being retired we always seem to forget about high traffic days until we find ourselves crawling through someplace that would normally be a breeze. I guess it's all part of the adventure and it really only delayed us by about 30 minutes, or so.

Just north of Moab, we saw the line of people trying to get into Arches National Park. There were two lines and it continued far to the right. It was a long wait but I'm sure they will find it was their Worth their while. It is such a fantastic place even with the crowds.

The geology along our drive was fascinating and Joani snapped more than a hundred pictures while we were zipping along the highway. Below is a sampling of the varied landscape we traveled today.

I think we both were expecting something with a little more pizzazz welcoming us to the state of Colorado.

Nineteen miles inside the state line we exited the freeway in Fruita, CO, where we stayed at Monument RV Park. The area has an affinity for dinosaurs so we saw references everywhere. Across the street from our park was a dinosaur museum (that we never had the chance to visit) and the picture below was painted on a grain elevator nearby.

Sunday, May 26, 2019 Drive to Needles Overlook at Canyonlands National Park, UT

After we returned from Monument Valley we realized this was our last day to sight-see, the following day was moving-day and we would be heading to Grand Junction, CO. So we got back into the car and headed for the Needles Overlook outside Canyonlands National Park. 

The beehive-shaped rock below was our landmark for exiting Highway 191 for the 37-mile drive into Canyonlands Needles District on 211, but we blew right past it this time and traveled another 7 miles to Needles Overlook Road (133). 22 miles later we were above Canyonlands looking down at an unforgettable vista.

There was so little traffic we were able to stop pretty much anywhere along the road to view the snow-capped beauty of the La Sal Mountains to the east.

We didn't visit the overlook on our last visit (10/26/2014) and really had no idea what to expect. The pathways and overlooks were beyond my imagination. We spent more than an hour looking in every direction at the breathtaking views.

Nature created a topiary of a svelte figure holding up a globe!

Ok, I'm fascinated by lichen.

This was my favorite, shaped like paisley.

To the left in the picture below was the very recognizable North Six-shooter peak dramatically lit by the low angle of the sun.

We didn't wait for sunset because I did not want to dodge any nocturnal creatures on the highway after dark and it had been a very long day already. Joani caught the sun streaming through the clouds below and we headed home.

Sunday, May 26, 2019 Monument Valley Drive, Mexican Hat, UT

I kept thinking our trip from Page, AZ, to Montecello, UT, should have included the stretch of highway (163) through Monument Valley. I decided against it since it was not recommended for 18 wheelers. Joani heard enough regret in my whining that she said "let's just take a little drive today and see what we missed." It's always great when our thinking is in sync.

I think the pictures below captured most of the color we saw on our foray into the valley. The desert was nicely in bloom due to recent rains and the clouds were trying to add some drama to our pictures.

When approaching these hills on UT 163, first they take your breath away...

...and then you ask "can that be real?"  We caught our first glimpse of them on October 29 of 2014 when we came down the Moki Dugway (UT 261) after doing Natural Bridges National Monument and Muley Point to view the "Goosenecks" created by the San Juan River.

Raplee Anticline is a fold in the Earth's surface that exposes 300 million years of geology.

To view Mexican Hat Rock turn east off  UT 163 onto Sjc Rd 2161 just 1.5 miles south of UT 261. It is visible from UT 163, but still easy to miss.

Can you see the hiker standing under Mexican Hat on the left-hand side?

Painted by the natural minerals in the rocks, the hills around Mexican Hat look like abstract art. Known locally as the "Navajo Rug" or "Indian Blanket," the anticline's upfolded and twisted layers of sandstone resemble a rich native tapestry.

The gray limestone of the Paradox Formation is the remnant of a shallow sea environment. The red Halgaito shale is river deposit from an ancient river.

After crossing this bridge in Mexican Hat, Utah, on highway 163, we were glad we didn't take this route with our motorhome last Friday (5/24/2019), it was very narrow.  160 was the better highway for peace of mind, in our opinion.

We finally reached the iconic rock formations that made Monument Valley famous. As we approached, the definition and color just continued to become richer.

It looks like a lonely road, but what you don't see...

...are the hoards of people standing in the road trying to get the same iconic shot with little regard for the cars coming at top speed. (Yes, I'm standing in the middle of the road to get this shot while David grumbles at me.)

From this angle, this looks like one cohesive formation...

 ...but a little further down the road, this same formation takes on a very different appearance. (I see a chicken in the center.)

 Further still and different lighting gives the same feature brighter appearance.

I liked the picture below to give the proper perspective. Of course, at this point, we were still maybe five miles from the nearest approach.

We stopped again on our way home noticing a completely different look due to shifting cloud cover.

Google's satellite view of this area is revealing.

When we passed Comb Ridge Anticline this morning it was completely in shadow, but on our return home, it was aglow.  Next visit to Utah will require a closer look.

It was a long drive to Monument Valley and back, but it was certainly well worth the time. Next time we might have to stay a little closer so we have the opportunity to see the rock formations in some different light - say at sunrise or sunset, for example.