On the way to Moab: Colorado National
Monument. South of Grand
Junction the cliffs of Grand Mesa rise above the Colorado River. This is the
Colorado National Monument. The steep drive to the top, and winding rim road, reveals
its canyons and colorful, banded pinnacles. The road is sometimes cut into the cliff
wall and our vision takes flight over the rim into the sculpted valleys for a
raven’s eye view. Many viewpoints provide places to stop and appreciate the beauty
of color and form that define these canyons. The 23-mile scenic drive is also a
popular bicycle route and there are numerous trails of the rim. It’s on our
bucket list of places to return to for some exciting biking and hiking.
Moab. In Moab we
visit friends, Kim and Lisa and find they have adventures planned for us. On
our 1st day we go to see the numerous petrographs on the canyon
walls along the Colorado River south of Moab. The cliff face is covered with
them showing that this was quite a gathering place for the early people.
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| Bowtie Arch |
Bowtie Arch and Corona Arch. The 2nd
day we hike to Bowtie and Corona Arch. This is an easy, fun hike and Corona
Arch is truly magnificent.
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| Corona Arch |
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| A climb to the top. |
Rappelling in Arches. Later that afternoon we go rappelling in Arches National Monument.
We’re looking forward to this! On the route to the top is a 300 hundred foot
scramble up a rubble-filled crack in the cliff face. Once up we’re on top of
the world and the cliffs of Arches plunge to unseen depths.
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| A view from the top. |
We linger on top a while, munching snacks, lost in the view
and warmth of the rock. The tops of the cliffs are rounded and sculpted by wind
and water, light and shadow. A soft breeze brushes the sandstone and our faces.
Just being here is part of the experience. And now off to have some fun.
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| Jim, Jackie, Lisa & Kim. A portrait at the top before the drop. |
We’ve rappelled on two of our Grand Canyon hikes but that
was over 20 years ago. Our friends’ equipment is so much better than the sparse
gear we took back then. Lisa and Kim’s’ attention to detail and excellent
instructions inspire confidence. Heights make me uncomfortable but I’m not a
bit nervous here. On the decent we have three short rappels, which gave us time
to practice before a final rappel down an 80ft cliff.
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| A little practice on the 1st rappel. |
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| On to the next rappel. |
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| Jim on the 3rd rappel. |
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| Jackie on the last rappel of the day. |
Although we’ve climbed up here together, we go over the edge
alone, each of us launching ourselves into our own thrilling moments of decent.
What
a fine day.
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| Ready for take off. Kim & Jim in the font seat. |
A flight over Canyon Lands. The 3rd day our friends take us flying over Canyon
Lands in their plane. Kim flies for Redtail Aviation during
the summer tourist season and is an excellent guide. He knows the country and takes us on a tour
of the diverse landscapes of Canyon Lands. It’s amazing from the air.
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| Canyon Lands, Island in the Sky. |
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| Canyon Lands, The Needles. |
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| Flying over the White Rim, Canyon Lands. |
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| Great road biking on Moab's paved bike lanes. |
Bicycling in Moab. Moab also offers some great road biking as well as mountain
biking. A paved bike path that parallels Highway 191 takes us from Moab to
the entry to Canyon Lands Island in the sky. We decide to spend a few nights
there to experience Canyon Lands from the ground.
Our next report comes from the Island in the Sky. ‘Till
then.
Jackie
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