A colorfull Collared Lizard at Petrified Forest National Park, AZ
Archive | July, 2012
The Map is not the Terrain
The Four Corners Marker, where Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico meet
There isn’t anything special here, at least as far as the eye can see. There are no natural boundaries or landmarks. No buildings or structures of note. Even the surrounding scenery is unremarkable. Only a small plaque identifies the significance of this particular point.
As with many silly things in American life, this one started with an act of Congress. Read More…
Morning in Monument Valley
The rising sun illuminates Monument Valley formations
In some respects, we were incredibly lucky. True, two of our three days in Utah’s Monument Valley were completely blown away by dust storms. And on our fourth day those same gusty winds threatened to force us off the road as we tried to escape the wicked weather. But that second day, the day we arranged an off road tour of the Valley? That day was perfect.
We arose well before sunup to get the first tour of the morning. Our only complaint is that we didn’t get up even earlier. We couldn’t have known that this would be our only clear day in the Valley, and our only chance to photograph the monuments as they emerged from night’s inky blackness into beautiful blue silhouettes of dawn.
We saw them briefly in that light as we pulled into our appointed pick-up spot but had no time for photos. Our jeep was waiting and a bit impatiently too.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Mummy Cave Ruins, Canyon de Chelly, AZ
After a couple of days at the breathtakingly large Grand Canyon, we were ready for something smaller and more intimate. If visiting the Grand is like going to a huge metropolis (complete with teeming sidewalks), Canyon de Chelly (“Canyon d’SHAY”) feels more like a quaint town. It is so cozy that you can explore the entire area in a single active day.
You access the bulk of Canyon de Chelly via two scenic drives along the North and South rims. You can visit all ten overlooks in about four hours. Budget more time if you want to while away an afternoon basking in the beautiful canyon scenery.
Still Giving Kicks, that Old Route 66
A 1931 Studebaker honors a section of old Route 66, Petrified Forest National Park, AZ
The automobile had so dramatically changed the American way of life that the country’s first paved highway became synonymous with opportunity, adventure and exploration. More than just a road, Route 66 became a part of American culture, spawning hit songs and even a television series.
Connecting Chicago with Los Angeles, the “Main Street of America,” as 66 was once known, served as a major artery for westward migration. Later, its path through Arizona’s Painted Desert and near Grand Canyon established it as a thoroughfare for vacationers. Without the benefit of today’s highway speeds a trip along its 2,448 miles, from the Heartland to the Coast, might have taken a week or more.
Route 66 has since been replaced with a more efficient interstate highway system. But many communities preserved portions of the route as scenic byways or to serve local traffic. In other places, the road is gone but tributes remain – like this 1931 Studebaker that pays homage to the section of road that traversed an area we know today as Petrified Forest National Park.
Meet Brian and Shannon
Fulltime wanderers since 2010, Brian & Shannon are traveling the world on a quest to see everything there is to see . . . at least once.
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