Day 11 - Canyonlands, Moab, Salt Lake City

Everything is covered in a film of red dirt.

Had a beautiful night star gazing in my tent in the Needles Campground in Canyonlands National Park, but decided to wake up with the sun and see how the light would cast the canyon walls.  Early morning light is one of the most inspiring times of the day for me, because the low angled light seems to show everything in a warm tone.

Not to mention it is a great time to stretch, breathe, and set the tone for the day.

I've been feeling so inspired by the landscape that I started producing a small series of long horizontal pen and ink drawings.  I see these, or at least some of them, being highlighted with color.

I packed everything up, reorganized my studio on wheels a little bit, and pointed it towards Moab.  Of course I stopped in the office and paid first!  The woman running the campsite was very friendly, and the location is incredible.  I would highly recommend staying here if you're looking to get out and see some incredible land formations.

Moab instantly stole my heart.  You drive into a small town, which is basically one strip, situated in the basin of red walls.  I parked in town, hopped on my bike, and headed towards The Arches, which are only a few miles outside of downtown Moab.  Now, seeing as I don't have my mountain bike with me, and my knee isn't exactly cleared for maneuvering down rock faces, I had to be a bit more choosy with my route that normal.  So, you tell me:

Which route looks more fun below - Left or Right?

Whatever you do, don't tell my surgeon.

Moab and The Arches were fantastic.  Again, a brilliant deep red color that echoes through the landscape and everyone/everything in it.  However, once you leave it... it's more flat, desert.

Not to mention, the temperature was a balmy 100 degrees fahrenheit.  Needless to say, by the time I was entering Salt Lake City, I smelled like a bed of roses.

I managed to find a small swimming hold off the Big Cottonwood Pass called Hidden Falls.  Unfortunately, a particular family was conducting their family photo-shoot at the same time.  Hopefully they didn't mind my fragrant intrusion.

On the way back to my car I came across an old mine shaft in the side of the rock as well.  Since someone had so generously left their pillow there, I thought about staying right there.

As to not give my parents heart attacks, I did not sleep in an abandoned mine shaft in the middle of a canyon, but continued into Salt Lake City.  I pedaled around downtown until the sun began to set.  There was even an outdoor, beach volleyball tournament going on.  I watched the 8 foot tall amazonian women play doubles for a short while in envy before continuing on.

Called it a night after a rooftop sunset gawk, and prepped for the next days journey out to Lucin, Utah.  Can you guess why I'm going there?

Day 10 - Arizona to Utah

I could count the number of cars I saw during a 3 hour portion of this drive on one hand.

But that wasn't until after seeing the Grand Canyon.  Holy crater in the earth, but holy tourists as well.

Woke up early and drove out of Flagstaff Arizona straight to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

It's pretty breathtaking when you think about how large this canyon is, especially in relation to your own body.  I loved the ways in which the hues of the canyon walls would seem to change depending on where you were and how the sun was hitting the faces.

Although in your mind you know the rock is a deep red and/or a vibrant white, it appears to have purples, maroons, and greens all interwoven.  I can't imagine what the first impression was from someone coming upon the Grand Canyon for the first time.  This combination of colors and scale would just be unimaginable.

 After a few hours of touring the canyon, and right about the time where tour buses filled the roads, I exited through the East exit and headed towards Canyonlands, Utah.  I thought New Mexico was like driving on Mars... well I must retract that statement.  Driving through Utah is like driving on Mars.

However, the terrain did show signs of life every so often.  Stunning landscape changes and incredible cloud formations.

I managed to pull into my campsite at Canyonlands just in time for sunset.  I was sure that I arrived for the most beautiful light... I would realize in the morning that Sunrise is a very impressionable time to see the area as well.

I pulled into The Needles campsite, which was empty, to a sign on the door saying pay in the morning, and to please be honest.  I liked it already.

I decided to hike around the rock formation behind my tent site to see if I could capture the last remaining slivers of light for the night.

Not only was it a crystal clear evening to see the brick red canyon walls and crisp blue sky, but the night was full of plenty of stars as well.  I was also serenaded to sleep by a pack of coyotes - how lovely.  For the record, I woke up every few hours with the fear a coyote wanted to cuddle inside my tent or eat my face for dinner.  Looking on the bright side - I got to watch the big dipper pass over my tent.

Goodnight, Moon.