A CHALLENGE FOR NO OTHER WOMAN

 

100 DAYS

20,598 MILES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 4, 2005

Canyonlands National Park

Moab, Utah

 

 

Though not nearly as large, Canyonlands National Park was every bit as beautiful as the Grand Canyon. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canyonlands National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buck Canyon Overlook

There is a narrow gravel road that runs along the edge of this canyon.  I will have to go back someday and take that road, but I do think I will take 4 wheels for that one and not 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View from the Grand View Point Overlook.  Below the Green River and the Colorado River join.  The explorer Powell once floated the river below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 4, 2005

Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah

 

A one-way, 9 mile road wound through the natural bridges made by wind and water erosion.  The white stone is actually sandstone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Moki Dugway Road.  There is a single lane gravel road built into the side of this canyon with an 1,100 foot drop from the top of the plateau to the valley floor.  The view from the top was unbelievable, the view on the descent was breath taking.

 

The Moki Dugway was a short cut from Natural Bridges to Mexican Hat, Utah, our destination for the night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the bottom of the Moki Dugway we took a couple minutes to compose ourselves before traveling on, on Highway 261.  If you look very hard at this wall you still cannot see the road carved into the side of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another view of the plateau and canyon wall we had just traveled down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the bottom of the Moki Dugway, was a 17 mile gravel road through the Valley of the Gods.  We started over the road right at sunset.  We were alone on the road, as if just set aside for us as a gift.  This was a land before time, an Eden of sorts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The road through the Valley of the Gods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Valley of the Gods

 

The sun was sinking behind the cliff behind us and strong afternoon orange sun shown on the red outcroppings in front of us.  It was like riding through orange marmalade colored light. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While some areas were already in shade, others were lit up with the orange rays of the setting sun.  Way off in the distance the rays shown like beacons, casting an eerie glow over the grasslands and the red mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 4, 2005

Valley of the Gods

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We stopped our bikes, turned off the engines, and listened to the wind blowing over the canyons and rocks.  This is the same wind that continues shaping the red landscape before us and has done so for millions of years.  It was singing an ageless aria.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two of us, all alone on this piece of earth, and all alone in this moment in time, with just the wind for our music and the silence for our symphony, hearts and souls joined as one, watched as the sun set and set the sky on fire with magenta, red and orange.