White Sands

It's more than just a missile test range...

Wave after wave of snow white gypsum sands to wander around. It's way more fun than it sounds.

Main Street America

I returned to civilization with an overnight stay in Durango, CO, thanks to Henderson ex-pat Walt Dear.  Most definitely one of the cutest downtowns I have been in on this trip.  And probably the most functioning as well.  This downtown must be what they all used to be like.  Every storefront occupied, lots of shoppers.  The bookstore on Main was amazing, and there were so many good places to eat I had a hard time deciding what to do for dinner. 

I was enjoying Durango so much, I thought I might stick around for an extra night or two, but I woke up to these angry grey clouds.  So then the choice became leave or stay for a week until the snow is gone.  Me and cold weather don't get along so well, so I headed out. It was kind of sad to leave after such a short time.  It felt like a place I would enjoy spending time in.

It's also pretty clear that the small business owners in town have a good sense of humor.  Just a couple of examples...

Big. Like, really big

This area of Utah is filled with larger than life formations, they might as well just make the whole bottom half of the state a national park.  If for no other reason than the clean, clear air.  I felt like my lungs were getting cleaned out.  They say that the visibility is better in Capitol Reef NP than anywhere else in the country.  Funny enough, they used the Ohio Valley as a comparison to make that point, and I had always thought of our air as not being so bad.  Live and learn, I suppose.

Jacob's Chair.

Seriously, how does this happen?

Back to Utah...

Strange bedfellows...

On my first night back in Utah, I stayed in a cute little campground in a tiny, tiny roadside town.  There was only 1 church (Mormon) and no gas stations.  I set up my tent in an apple orchard and woke up to the these guys as my neighbors.  Who keeps a donkey, a horse and a llama? And why?

From there I headed out Bryce Canyon.  I had been told by several people that Bryce Canyon & the Grand Canyon are the same, and not to bother going to both.  I guess it's a good thing that I didn't believe them because the two are totally and completely different.  They aren't even formed in the same way.  Bryce is beautiful and different, but nowhere near as grand.  I think I'm a grand canyon girl.

I have noticed these man made rock pillars in parks across the country. I'm not sure what the point of them is, they're just set up randomly right off the beaten path.  In Bryce, a whole city had been created. They seem to fit better here than in most places because they actually resemble the natural formations.