to austin, part 2

Day 3
The third leg of our trip took us through southern Utah. For the most part, this was a very boring place - deserts as far as the eye could see, some were red, some were green. The green parts were perplexing, perhaps copper was to blame?

More exciting than random green rocks was Arches National Park. Big red rocks, 120 degree heat, and oddly dressed tourists, what's not to like?

Here's Emily enjoying some rare shade beneath the twin arches. Assorted Europeans can be seen in the background.

Twin arches. I was curious about how these giant rocks came to stick up from the surrounding desert. Not one to simply read the plaques posted all over the park, I looked it up on my phone. These rocks were once at the bottom at the bottom of an inland sea, which is why they have such lovely sedimentary layers. Supposedly, this part of north America had been slowly stretched upward and outward over the last 60 million years or so. The huge expanses of flatness were once cracks between the rocks. Over the millenia, they grew wider and wider until there became the majority of the landscape. Fascinating.

The majestic phallic rocks of arches park.

Emily attempts to blend in with the locals.

Tourists walk in single file, even when no path is specified.

Lastly, a delightful Indian village / gas station just outside Arches. So many opportunities for cultural exploration!

to austin, part 1

I went on a road trip to Austin TX a few weeks back. Emily was moving down there for grad school, so I tagged along as her co-pilot. It was a great trip! Emily planned ahead so we could stop at a fun tourist attraction half way through each day, and sleep in a different state each night.

Day 1
We headed due east to Pullman WA, to visit Caitlin and Chris, who had just moved there. Their house is so cute! I don't know what it looked like before they moved in, but they did a great job fixing it up!
After Caitlin and Chris's place, we went south through Idaho toward Ontario OR. We learned that Highway 95, while beautiful, is not a fast way to get anywhere. But if you're up for a long, scenic drive through low mountains and winding river valleys, I would highly recommend it.
Day 2
From Oregon, we went south into Utah. The drive was not nearly as pretty as Highway 95 was, but Salt Lake City made up for that. It was so clean and green, it was hard to believe we were in the middle of the desert. We spend most of our time there wandering around the Temple Square, Mormon headquarters. Of coarse, it was even cleaner and greener than the rest of the city. Beautiful buildings and meticulous landscaping. Here's my favorite temple on the square:
On the way out of the Temple Square, I spotted this spotty moss flower bed. What a cute idea! I love moss. If I ever have a yard of my own, I'm going to rip up the grass and grow moss instead.
Tune in next time for Arches Park in southern Utah!