Day 22: Moab, UT (Arches National Park)
Sunday, November 8th - So nice to get up and take our time... we rented a Jeep Rubicon until Monday morning. We headed to Arches National Park about 11am. The Park is amazing, although Mom and I had been a couple of times, Drew had not... and we were still awe struck by the landscape... it's spectacular!
Upon entering the Park, we first viewed the Courthouse Towers and Three Gossips then on to the Petrified Dunes. Around every corner there is something to see... new shapes, colors, heights. A short hike was required for the best view of the South and North Window arches. Maye was reluctent to walk the uneven, steep trail... even though she had her new hiking boots. *Note: I have to preface this that they were not exactly new... after I bought them on line and took them to her, she walked around her Keys home in her shorts and hiking boots anticipating the trip... what a cute sight! Maye did very well on this hike... no problem... and of course still had plenty of oxygen to talk to all the other people on the trail and at the arches. Mom stayed in the jeep while Drew and I ran up to the Cove of Caves and Double Arch. We then drove by the Balanced Rock and Elephant Butte on our way to Delicate Arch. We didn't opt for the longest trail but Mom still hiked a half mile on a rocky, uphill climb along a ridge to the Upper Viewpoint. She was really proud of herself. Back in the car to drive the rest of the Park by the Firery Furnace, and the Skyline, Sand Dune and Broken Arches. We also drove through the campground and agreed that we would love to come back to spend a few more days and hike to the arches that you can only get to by bike or foot and go 4-wheeling on the designated trails.
We also wanted to make the trip over to Dead Horse Point State Park about 30 miles NW of Arches and we had just enough daylight to get there and back. The actual point towers 2,000 feet above the Colorado River and has breathtaking panoramic views of Canyonlands pinnacles and buttes. The legend has it that the point was used as a corral for wild mustangs roaming the mesa. Cowboys rounded up the horses, herded them across the narrow neck of land which is only 30 yards wide creating a natural corral. From the point, you can also view 8,000 feet of geologic layers that reveal 300 million years of history and layers... from the Honaker Trail Formatiion to Navajo and Entrada Sandstone. The pictures just don't show the elevation, colors and strata... it's awesome.
Got back to Moab, such a cool little town, at about 6pm and thought it would fun to stop at the Moab Brewery to taste the locally brewed beer and have an appetizer. We just had to try the sampler plate which included 13 beers, 12 of their regular brew and 1 seasonal. Drew liked the Porcupine Pilsner, Mom liked the Scorpian Pale Ale and I liked the Deadhorse Ale... they were all good.
We headed back to the KeyZRV and made sausage & onion Boboli wheat pizza. Two points to make... Mom's bump on her forehead and bruise on her cheek is almost gone... lots of warm compresses helped. It's also been really fun to watch Mom eat well on this trip... her appetite has been great... eating good sized portions and sometimes seconds. Drew says she's eating like a champ. She has been more active and doing more things during the day... so maybe that has increased her appetite. It's also nice when someone else is cooking for you... food tastes so much better!
*** So many great pictures... it was hard to post only these!
Photos: Mom & Brigit in the morning; Entering Arches National Park; 3 Gossips; Balancing Rock & the Rubicon; Petrified Dunes and the LaSal Mountains; the walk to North and South Window arches; Cora holding up an arch; Double Arch; rock climbers; Delicate Arch and the hike down; Arches scenic view; Dead Horse Point; Sampler beers at Moab Brewery
No comments:
Post a Comment