by Karen on September 30, 2011
in Travel
We visited the Windows area of Arches National Park and enjoyed it. We visited this area some years back with our girls. (this is scheduled I wrote it up on the 28th)
Trail going to one of the windows
In the arch – really pretty
A short walk over to the other one.
We climbed up into the middle of this one just as we did 20 years ago. Couldn’t get a good photo – but as you can see when you are in this one you can see through to the other one.
There are three arches in this small area. The one on the left is from the first photo I showed. The second arch from the third photo is across from these two.
I have gotten 45 of these Kansas Dugout blocks hand pieced. Now I wonder if I can get some more of them done on the second half of the trip!
by Karen on September 30, 2011
in Travel
But when taking so many photos it is very difficult!!! I am at the point where I don’t remember what we did yesterday(the 27th) and what we saw! These red rocks are all running together 
I love this rock in Arches – It is called “The Three Gossips” as soon as I heard that name I laughed and immediately thought of my sisters and I – there are 4 of us girls but 3 of us born straight in a row and then my little sister at the end of the dozen children When any of us get together we are talking all at once – usually it is just 3 of us at a time but sometimes 4. Mike says it drives him nuts because we all talk at once but yet we follow the whole conversation.
We took a 2 mile hike yesterday that was very easy compared to some of the trails we have been on – this one is called “Park Avenue” the trail is in a wash – flash flood terrain – but as it is totally dry and no rain in sight perfectly safe to walk.
Another lizard – they sure move fast and you see a lot of them if you are watching for them.
Another view
Interesting the way the rock has the swirl marks from water when it has rushed through for years.
Some of the wash out areas still have water from when it rained here several weeks ago.
As you get to the end of Park Avenue the trail changes a little and is sandier and less rock
I love how this tree formed an Arch – and arch in Arches National Park – appropriate!
A very neat twist on a dead tree
This is being scheduled to post on 9/30/11 as I do not think we will have internet then – could be wrong – we are moving from Moab, Utah tomorrow on the 29th and start moving closer to the Grand Canyon and will be out of touch for several days I think.
by Karen on September 29, 2011
in Travel
I took so many photos – it is hard to go through them trying to decide what to put on the blog.
This is the half way point – the scene overlooking the park
And another view
This is overlooking the scene below, the plants look so tiny from up here
Plants tend to grow wherever a little clump of dirt gathers.
Two pools of water that gathered from water the week before we arrived – I’m surprised it hasn’t evaporated away yet.
an overlook – beautiful
I grab shade where I can find it!!! These final 3 photos are from a different day – from the Canyonlands Rim Trail taken on the 26th – Mike gave them to me from his camera.
Gazing over the edge of the Rim Trail – this area that I am standing on is thick and I don’t think it will crumble away anytime soon. I am not afraid of heights and love climbing over these rocky kinds of trails. — Now water on the other hand! I don’t swim and do not like water on my face unless I put it there! I do not do small boats well and will not get in a raft – terrified of them.
I swear I don’t believe I was that close to the edge! I was at least a foot away 
I walk very cautiously to about a foot from the edge – Mikes camera is just so good that he caught me just as I was turning away. I go very slowly – really.
Now if I was a really strong physical person I just might try out rock climbing (with ropes) but I’m not – look at those skinny arms – no strength what so ever! And limber no way – bad hips and knees 
and I’m getting too old for that kind of stuff!
by Karen on September 29, 2011
in Travel
We went to the lower section of Canyonlands yesterday (26th) we had never been to this section before which is actually called “The Needles” We took a delightful trail which took us close to 3 hours to complete, it was 2.4 miles long. It was not as steep as that trail we took in Arches the first day we were here but it was a good hike. The heat on the last 30 minutes or so was a killer!! So glad to have my hat and sunscreen. And of course never forget your water and snacks!! We each had two bottles of water with us and used them.
The rocks are shaped a bit differently. The color a bit different (not so red in places)
A lizard – we have seen a lot of these – they are small only about 3 inches in length – maybe 5 inches including the tail.
This is the trail we were on – we didn’t see any bighorn sheep though.
A pretty area – love how these rocks are so layered looking.
The trail goes along this ledge for a short distance – wider than it looks in this photo
The Needles
A lot of the trail goes across rock like this there were plenty of cairn markers so you could not get lost.
We have mainly been seeing prickly pear cactus and we were surprised to see some small barrel cactus – a nice change!
One of the very nice things about this part of the park is that it does not get near the amount of visitors as the other section and Arches and so it was so quite! When on this trail we barely saw anyone else. I will continue on this section in the next post.
by Karen on September 28, 2011
in Travel
Wow so many photos to go through. The rim trail is so pretty. We took the trail about 4 years ago and enjoyed it so much we did it again.
Looking out at just some of the view.
Getting close to the end of the trail
A bridge of sorts
Another balanced rock of sorts
Looking out at the end
Mike looking at scenery
Next post will be of the south Canyonlands part of the park that we drove to on the 26th. We had never been in this part of the park and took a wonderful 2 1/2 miles trail there. That will be for the next 2 or 3 posts I’m sure – I can’t fit it all in in one post.
by Karen on September 28, 2011
in Travel
We took the Grandview Point Rim Trail. I mentioned in the previous post that it is a 2 mile round trip. A very pretty hike – but if you are afraid of heights you might be able to do it and you might not! It depends on if you want to peak over the edges like I do! You can stay well away from the edges.
The beginning of the trail
Looking back at Mike
the trail is plenty wide in places
This little twisted tree is barely a foot tall!! But look at that trunk – I wonder how old the tree is, growing very near the edge of the rim.
Looking over the edge – and no I did not stand on that rock!! 
looks like it could topple at any time.
Some of the trail carved into the cliff side.
Another twisted tree but a bigger one this time.
Grabbing some shade while I can!
Too many photos to put them all in one post – this trail will be continued!
by Karen on September 27, 2011
in Travel
EDITED: Well I managed to find a place today (the 27th) to get my hair cut after a morning of hikes back up in the Arches. We were coming back through town around 1:30 and saw two shops on the same block – I told Mike I would run in one and see if they could fit me in for a hair cut and if they couldn’t I would try the other – the first shop worked out fine – the bangs are too short but other than that I have the same hair cut I normally wore before I thought I wanted to grow my hair out the last six months!! 
Canyonlands National Park is divided up in sections with the entrances many miles apart. To get to the north section yesterday (the 25th) we drove past the entrance to Arches some miles down the road before we turned west and finally got to the park.
The plant life is so pretty – at first a lot of people might not even notice the variety – but once you start looking you see a lot.
Pretty white flowers of some sort. I got some of the seed pods from some of these plants as these are from right before you get to national park land.
A fern like plant that has flowers on it in the spring
Prickly Pear Cactus
Little Yucca plants
I think I counted 10 different plants growing in this small area on the rim trail
A pretty blue bird a jay of some type I’m sure posed prettily while we ate lunch. This bush was right in back of our picnic table.
by Karen on September 27, 2011
in Travel
I forgot to post a photo of the quilt shop I visited in Moab I believe – a small building but nice fabric inside.
After my visit to the quilt shop on the 24th we wandered around town, had lunch out, wandered the shops and then we drover to the edge of town on the north side where the Colorado River is. A nice bridge crossing the river for people walking and people riding bikes. We even saw some rock climbers again.
One sees sunflowers all over the place in this country – most seem to get about 4 feet tall but I have seen some smaller and some taller. I have collected dried heads of the flowers in public land areas to bring home with me to plant. I do this when we travel – sometimes the flowers grow and some times they don’t – wish me luck on these sunflowers.
Wind sculptures on the side of one of the gift shops – it wasn’t windy but when there is a breeze they spin.
The bridge going across the river.
The bridge is nice and wide for people and bikes to share.
The river looking off to the west.
This river is quite dirty looking compared to the mountain rivers that I normally show photos of but yet in it’s own way it is pretty too.
First a question – when you are traveling how do you decide where to get your hair cut!! I was going to grow my hair out – I really thought I wanted to do this. I have been letting it grow for the past six months and getting it trimmed now and then to get rid of dry edges and trying to grow it the same length all over – but I am not happy with it. My hair is very fine and I don’t care for it long. I go through this each time in the past 10 years that I thought I wanted it long again. It has finally been long enough the past 3 weeks to twist it up slightly and put a clasp in it to hold it off my neck but I have been having problems with hair breaking off and it just doesn’t look really healthy if you know what I mean. It is time for a cut – it always looks much healthier when it is short. So the dilemma – how to choose some one to cut my hair in a town I am not familiar with. Do I just bite the bullet and randomly choose or do any of you have a good way you do it?
Yes we are still seeing some mountains too. So much desert and red rock. The other day though we took a drive that started out going through more desert but ended up in the La Sal Mountain Range that is east of Moab. Very pretty!
An indication of what part of the road is like – coming from one direction the arrow is one way the other is the opposite – hairpin curve
Trees!! I mean ones that aren’t 4 feet tall and twisted from the wind and short because of little rain. They looked so pretty!!
Pine trees of regular height
Fall color
Looking at the color and the mountains
Then it was back to the desert.
by Karen on September 26, 2011
in Travel
Before I even get into any more of the great places and rock formations we have seen I want to mention that Chris at Dye Candy is having a giveaway. She makes the most wonderful hand dyed fabric and jewelry. Drop on by her site and see what she has – also while I am talking fabric you might want to run on over to Judy at Patchwork Times and see what everyone is working on this Monday – I have been extremely lazy in the sewing/quilting department and have nothing to show this week – maybe next week I will! For my link on Judy’s site I stuck in a photo of some fabric that I got awhile back and I’m wondering what I will be making with it.
Now back to Utah and Arches National Park. This is the sign at the Balanced Rock that gives you the make up of the rock.
This is one side of the rock – how that doesn’t topple over is beyond me – I think if they ever have any size of an earthquake here they will loose some great treasures.
and around to another side – looks a bit different
All of these rocks have names – but I don’t remember half of them! I’m just putting on here some of the rather interesting looking ones out of the many photos that I have taken.
These are quite narrow at the top.
The whole formation of the one preceding
This is the beginning of the trail going to Landscape Arch.
Another hole in a wall
Today (Sunday) we drove over to Canyonlands National Park this park is kind of divided into 3 sections with 2 of them easy to get to. We covered part of one section today and we are driving over to the other one tomorrow. It takes about an hour drive tomorrow to just get to the entrance so we will be bringing a picnic lunch with us again as we did today. We took a 2 hour hike today – 2 miles – amazing how long it takes to walk a mile when you constantly stopping to take photos and look at scenery. I am caught up on my photos from Arches I think – so I will start on more places soon.
