Tag: retired life
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A geologic wrinkle in time
Capitol Reef National Park was established to preserve the geologic features of an area created 65 million years ago. Known as the Waterpocket Fold, this giant wrinkle in the Earth’s crust extends almost 100 miles. Ongoing erosion has created the park as we know it today. The wind picked up and the landscape began…
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Goblins haunt ancient sea
Weather was changing and the Moab report was threatening snow showers. Gusty winds were also predicted so we packed up and headed west. It was time to get home…but not right away! There was still more to see!! Goblin Valley State Park, in Utah, has been on my list of “must see” attractions since we…
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Dead Horse Point State Park comes to life
We arrived in Moab, Utah yesterday, after a hair-raising drive across the snowy mountain passes of Colorado. Our trip has been pretty low key so far. We've seen a lot and done a lot, but evenings have been quiet and relaxing. Moab attracts a different crowd than we've previously seen. We had no idea this…
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We blow into Aztec
Aztec Ruins National Monument In northwestern New Mexico provides a trip back in time, but don't let the name fool you. When discovered by Anglo settlers, they mistakenly believed these ruins were built by the Aztecs of central Mexico. In fact, these ruins are what remain of the community built from the late 1000s to…
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Apache Nugget saves the day
The weather report called for high winds today and boy were they ever! We drove north from Santa Fe, cutting west on scenic Highway 96 towards Highway 550, which would take us into Colorado. The gusts blew anything and everything that wasn't nailed down…including us. A veil of dust covered the landscape, creating a…
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Canyon de Chelly National Monument
This is what we hoped to see, however we had no idea how spectacular the remains of these ancient dwellings would be. Below, The White House is the only site that visitors can access without a guide. There is a two and a half mile trail from the rim to the valley floor…but more about…
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Monument Valley provides iconic views
We took a short side trip yesterday as we continued across Arizona. Anyone who has ever watched a western will recognize the soaring buttes and mesas of Monument Valley. This landscape has provided a backdrop for movies, TV shows and commercials since the 1930s. The valley is situated on Navajo Reservation land so access is…
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Utah has us seeing red
We figured we'd zip through Zion National Park quickly today since we had spent time camping here not long after we'd married. After thirty years, our memories are obviously failing us. Neither Reg nor I had any recollection of the sights we saw today…beautiful soaring red cliffs around every bend of the road. It was…
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A whole lotta nothing
Not exactly nothing, but there is a reason Highway 50 across Nevada is called “The Loneliest Road.” You'll want to keep an eye on your gas gauge. Pit stops are few and far between. The drive across Nevada is at a deceptively high elevation. According to the World Atlas, Nevada is the most mountainous state…
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