Roadtrip Day 7 (Arches National Park 1)

Hmmm. Back to the roadtrip. Ok, so I admit that at the time I am writing this that my memory is pretty fuzzy about certain specifics. It took a lot of driving to out of Colorado, and I almost made it the day before. I had passed all the famous ski-towns in Colorado on my way west, and I spent the night in (I think) Grand Junction, CO. If there are casinos in Grand Junction, then that's where I stayed the night.

So then the next day (the this post is dated for) I woke up and drove into Arches National Park in Utah (National Park Service code: ARCH). I ended up spending the second half of this day checking out the sites of the park and taking pictures. I think I got some really great photos. I should note that during my time in the desert, the entire west coast was under a heat wave, but I didn't know that. All I knew was that I was in the desert and it was really really fucking hot. Like 110F+.

It was so bright that many times what I was looking at in person looked a little washed out of color. I was wearing sunglasses most of the time as well. So some of the pictures actually turned out better than I expected because the colors are more intense than I could see from certain perspectives. Also, apparently a lot of rock formations looks like peoples' naughty bits. It's not my fault. They just do. So if you're looking through the set (linked through the inset picture) and you keep seeing rocks in the shape of penises, vulvae, or breasts, you're completely normal. Or at least I'd like to think so. I can't be sure which pictures you're examining.

Sunset is the best time to get pictures of Delicate Arch (the famous one, inset), so I fast-hiked my way up there beneath the rapidly setting sun to try and get a few pictures. Mission accomplished. I started the hike down, thankfully at a bit of a slower pace this time, and it was dark (with not much moonlight as you can tell by one of the pictures) by the time I got back to my truck. 

Just south of the park is Moab, Utah, where I spent the night after traipsing around taking pictures of rock formations. It was actually pretty late by the time I got into town, so I picked up some canned goods from the market for a later dinner.

I didn't quite get enough of Arches, and wanted to do some more hiking, so I planned to go back in the morning.