Yesterday we stayed overnight in Green River, Wyoming. Today we woke up in Green River, Utah. Same name, two different states. What they have in common is that they both sit next to the same Green River (ta-dah!). Our trip is taking us on a snaking path from California through Utah to Wyoming to Colorado to New Mexico, back to Colorado and then back into Utah before dropping down into Arizona to Nevada and finally back to California. The only town we will pass through twice is Durango, Colorado. The first time we drop into it from the north and turn east, to Denver. The second time is when heading north from Santa Fe - when we reach Durango on that occasion we head west, toward Mesa Verde National Monument on October 17.
We got an early start at 8:35am today. Our first stop after breakfast - Arches National Park.
The little "back road" to the Arches entrance. Four lane road - they are ready for prime time! Thankfully, we are here at the right time of year.
Some right time of year! So this is where all of the people are, lined up at the Arches entrance waiting to get in. We figure they all came from Moab to the south. It's only 9:40 a.m., so lots of early birds.
Getting the lay of the land once we reached the visitor center.
Why drive through the park when there's an arch inside?
View of what's to come seen from inside the visitor center.
We found so much that was photogenic in Arches and the othet two parks that we finally just had to go with the flow and not shoot everything in sight. The panoramas in every direction were almost overwhelming.
It's evident that we were favored with yet more impeccable weather.
Almost across the road from the entrance to Arches is the north entrance to Canyonlands. Unlike Arches, where the the entrance station for taking payment is right off the main road, this one is many miles from the main road. There were only two vehicles ahead of us when we got there. We pay nothing to enter National parks and monuments thanks to our "Get In Free" pass courtesy of Uncle Sam. Take what you can get.
Striking a pose at one of the many overlooks.
The Mesa arch view after a trek from its overlook trailhead.
These steps were a portion of the trek.
This was supposed to be a romantic scene but instead looks like two people sagging against each other - or is Pam trying to push Norm off the edge?
To reach this monument we had to drive two hours from Canyonlands, east out of Utah and into (of course) Colorado. A stunning 26 mile loop. We reached the entrance at 4:15 p.m. An interesting play of shadows on the rock structures, different than high noon.
At Canyonlands and here, we were back to having few other people around.
The whole point of this photo was to highlight the dramatic vertical rock needle in the background, between us. Something seems to have gotten lost in the execution. Pay no attention to the shadow of an Iphone and piece of selfie stick on Norm's shirt - now that your attention has been drawn to it.
Vogue - strike a pose!
A fitting end to a rocky day - a canyon in a canyon, as the sign and actual view illustrate. Sort of like pigs in a blanket, or a turducken minus the "tur".
We drove 358 miles today.
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