Moab - Canyonlands and Arches parks

Saturday (5/4) started out as a beautiful day. Look at the blue sky in the trees. Moab is full of the mountain biker vibe. There are heavily tattooed people, hiking boots and technical fabrics everywhere. This is the Slick Rock Cafe, complete with a yellow devil dog on the sign. We decided to drive out to look for the Bar M mountain bike trail head.

This is the view from the trail head. Look at the clouds forming over the hills. Within minutes of taking this picture, the most amazing thunderstorm rolled in. I thought they were major in North Carolina, but this was MAJOR.


Driving back into Moab the rain was sheeting sideways, it was hailing. It was pretty impressive.


Same day! The T-storm moved out and the day became nice. We drove out to the Island in the Sky part of Canyonlands. I have to say, that this is the most amazing place we have been on the continent. Click on the photos, I left some of them large so you could see detail.
Those are the La Sal mountains in the background.



I took this at the Grand Overlook.



Zillions of years ago, this was a flat plane of sedimentary rock layers. Over the zillion years, water and wind have made it into this.



There was a one mile walk around the rim of the canyon. Unlike so many parks on the east coast, there are zippity doo-dah guard rails. A person could walk up to the edge and fling themselves into oblivion if they were so inclined.



This is another view point. Click on this one, it's really good.



This is the salt upthrust. The gray thing in the middle is salt. It's not known why it upthrust.


Sunday - we went mountain biking on the Bar M trail. People leave their dogs tied under their trucks with water bowls. It's better than having them die in the car, but he looked so forlorn.


Jim riding up slickrock. I don't know why they call it slick, it's actually bumpy.


Today, we went back to the Arches National Park. It, too, is an amazing place, but I think Canyonlands is more amazing.
This is Delicate Arch.


This is the trail up to Delicate Arch. No guard rails!


Petroglyphs from the 1600s.

Skyline Arch.

Tunnel Arch.


Pine Tree Arch.


More scenery.

Tomorrow we're up to do a mountain bike tour up on the Klondike Bluffs. We're renting full suspension bikes, it should be interesting.

PBS is running a really good series called "We Shall Remain", about the fate of the Native Americans at the hands of the Europeans. It's heartbreaking, but well worth watching. It's been interesting to watch since we've been around the reservations lately. Look for it.