September 16, 2007

September 16, 2007

This morning we drove the ten-mile Scenic drive of Capitol Reef National Park. The route follows the line of red cliffs southeast. Along the way we stopped at Capitol Gorge, a steep narrow canyon that cuts thru the cliff wall. We walk down the gorge for an hour admiring the sheer red cliffs. Water unbelievably cut this passageway. Although dry now, regular flash floods ate away the sandstone. Apparently weakened sandstone cleaves off rock outcrops cleanly leaving sheer cliffs behind.

We exit the park east on Rt. 24 thru another water-carved passageway. There is a pullout for some Indian petroglyphs. The pictures carved in the walls are of alien-looking humans. Apparently the Indians here, like in Peru, were also visited by ancient astronauts from outer space.

Once out of the park the cliffs don’t disappear, they just turn color. East of the park the cliffs are an ugly brown and gray color. The whole area looks very industrial and man-made. It is so ugly and drab I find it fascinating. Aimee and apparently everyone else don’t though. If this area had any kind of appealing color, it would be a national park and somebody beside me would be stopping to take a photo.

We take Rt. 24 north and Interstate 70 east thru very desolate and mostly flat country. East of Green River, UT we head south on a busy secondary road to Arches National Park. We find ourselves suddenly back in red cliff country. At the visitor center we find, of course, even though a Sunday night, the campground is full. Shouldn’t all these tourists be home with their kids? We drive a few miles further south to Moab, UT where we spend the evening in a nearly full private park.