The drive to Arches led through every kind of rocky terrain imaginable, and believe me, I didn’t think that more variety was possible. We saw what looked like acid pocked rocks, ones that seemed to rise out of dirt like buried cities, those whose striations appeared raked across the surface by giant claws, rocks that rose like monuments and spires, and yet others whose great triangular fingers reaching down to meld with earth. Colors faded from pastel to grey, as if leeched from the landscape, then rose again in a rich variety of tans and oranges. I couldn’t help but be impressed by the unending stream of colors, swells and depressions that sculpt a landscape…I fall a little in love with the idea of geology - who knew it could be so breathtaking. I remember thinking in High School how boring rocks and geology were. If only they took us on field trips. Seeing it in person is fascinating; to be able to decipher these bands of color and folds of rock. Like learning the code to a different language, only it opens up a world of ancient history, different eras of existence carved into the exposed rock face. To be able to run fingers up the rough surface of a butte and know you are brushing against thousands or millions of years, and the key to understanding different eras of existence. I used to think geology wasn’t creative, but to be able to envision and understand so much history…to recreate it from color and texture and the infintisimal variety of erosion… geologists deserve their due.
We stopped in the tiny town called Hanksville for lunch. Supposedly the buffalo roam around there, but we didn’t see any. We did eat some kickass food, including a piece of homemade cherry pie for dessert.
I fell asleep for twenty minutes of the drive, and told Derek to put on The Cure. Not because I had forbidden him to or anything, but because I knew he probably wasn’t playing them out of respect for me. I’m cool with The Cure, I just may have OD’d a bit when Derek used to play them every day, afternoon and night for months when their new album came out. He was happy to put them on, and I told him not to be afraid for my sake. A little nap in exchange for The Cure, now that is compromise. We’re becoming such a good team!
We debated whether to go directly to Arches or to our hotel first. Derek had reserved a room at an Inn that was highly recommended. We had decided to take it easy because we were both so tired, but the sky was blue and the sun was shining, the first time in several days, and we couldn’t turn away from the opportunity to at least drive through the park.
Arches is so named for the sandstone on salt beds that first form long thin slabs of rock (called fins) that sometimes break at the center, leaving long bridges of stone (or arches) behind. There are over two thousand in the park, though the number is always in flux, as wind and water continue to erode and break long established arches, even as it creates new ones. An engineer could not have constructed some of these to be more beautiful, or majestic. We saw several scenic overlooks, and hiked the 1.5 miles to Delicate Arch, whose 33 foot span and 45 foot high dimensions are breathtaking enough, but become doubly appealing coupled with the sandstone bowl it sits upon, backed by the La Sal mountains. We took our time photographing the arch from every angle. Perhaps we should have stayed at Delicate Arch for sunset, our original plan, but we arrived earlier than anticipated, and had another 45 minute wait. We decided to try to reach another good spot for sunset, to maximize what we could see in a day. We ran like maniacs the 1.5 miles back to the car, and then chased the sun by driving to a higher elevation, finally stopping to take sunset photos of the Garden of Eden, an outlook to a series of hoodoos and orange rocks. Derek teased me that I must be in better shape than I always complained, since we’d made such good time on our race back. Sometimes I’m lit by the photo bug, and I’m oblivious to my screaming muscles or such necessities as breathing. Other times I feel so lazy. It’s like I have the photo angel on one shoulder (who I always picture as a miniature of my former professor David Rees, leaning over with a fanny pack and smiling kindly – saying to me Leah, you should really go make some pictures, the moment may not come again) and on the other shoulder I have me, laying down, in black leather, heavy eyeliner, ripped stockings and smoking cigarettes, in a husky smokers voice saying – Come onnnn…. You’ve done enough. Just sit this one out, you deserve it). Well, this time my DR angel and our running paid off, because the sun lit the Garden of Eden on fire for the occasion.
We didn’t arrive at our really cush hotel until past 9pm. They took pity on us and fed us dinner, though we were the last customers. Then we retreated to our cabin suite where we soaked our aching bones in a whirlpool tub. So much for a relaxing day, but Delicate Arch, the sunset, and the soak made everything worth it.
Derek’s beard is still attached, and for those who requested, I’ll make sure to post updated pictures soon.
2. Delicate Arch through the view of another arch
3. Delicate Arch
4. The hike back to the car
5. Garden of Eden at sunset
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