Tuesday August 11, Moab UT

This morning as I write up yesterdays blog, I am surrounded by the majestic red sandstone of the canyon that we are parked in beside the Colorado River. The sun is just hitting the tops, a stark contrast to the clear blue sky. At 7am it is already 22 degrees, starting to warm up quickly, no doubt another hot one like yesterdays 43 degrees.

Yesterday as we left Mesa Verde we looked out north across the plains and they were so hazy from the fires burning in the forest to our East. This is a summer happening in these areas where the humidity is so low, and everything is tinder dry.

We stopped in Cortez for a few bits and pieces then North through the Utah border to Monitcello and a lunch break in the info centres carpark, the town was just about closed down as motor scrapers were ripping up and reforming the main roads.

Just as Andy had mentioned, a bit further north we came over a summit of a hill, and spread in front of us was the start of this amazing, surreal landscape of red wind-carved sandstone and washed out canyons. So often I have seen photographs of this area but actually being here is just fantastic. The camera was working overtime as we travelled through miles of this scenery before arriving in Moab….yes Richard, it is as you described it!

The heat at the gas station as we fuelled up was unreal, it was the hottest part of the afternoon. No point in trying to do much, so visited the cool air-conditioned information centre. We had planned to stay in the camp at Arches National Park but were unaware of the popularity of it…by 9.30am is was full, people wait for the park office to open at 7.30am so that they can secure a site for the night! The thought of staying in a hot campground in town didn’t seem very appealing so we drove about 6 miles out of town following the Colorado River through a canyon and found a campsite beside the river…in a designated area. The grandeur is breathtaking.

The heat is something that we need to work around at this time of the year and decided that Arches National Park would be good to tour through this evening, also much better for photography. After a rest and plenty of cold drinks we drove back into town, the park is just a few miles north. The drive through to the end of the park is over 20 miles, but it took ages as we stopped to check out all the lookout points of some of the most amazing scenery I have ever seen. Ian was very patient, I just needed to capture everything!!! The sun was getting low as we arrived at the end point, Devils Garden.

It had cooled a bit so we packed some water and walked several miles out to see the Double Arch. As the sun set on our return trip the sandstone just glowed and the sky turned a rich colour, a photographer in Paradise!

Arrived back at camp at 9.30, feeling quite tired but elated from a great day. A welcome drink and a late dinner sitting outside in the balmy evening.