2010 Summer Trip, part 2

Day two we rushed off to Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Arches National Parks, all of which are beautiful (sorry, overused word regarding scenery, but necessary). We got out of the car all three places and hiked around a bit -- nothing strenuous -- just enough to snap some amateur photos and be on our way. But there's lots to do -- camping, mountain biking, hiking, etc. Both the landscapes and skyscapes were incredible! Of course, the pamphlets they give you at the park entrances are full of "science falsely so called", with their claims of billions and billions of years... looking at this stuff it is so obvious that water designed it fast and furiously. If you've ever built a complicated sand castle and then watched the tide come in on it, you've seen this on a comparatively microscopic scale. God's artistry is beyond anything we can imagine, and yet here he shows us his handiwork plainly! Anyone know how to do one of those collages, where, when you mouse over a photo, you can see the larger version of it? I'd love for you to see some of the detail! (It would help if I took better photos!)

We did the world's fastest tour though these parks and enjoyed the entire drive to our next motel, which was in Moab, Utah, the mountain biking Mecca of the USA.  My husband cried, as we had no bicycle along.   The motels even have bike washes for your mountain biking convenience.  That area is another playground, with 4x rentals, kayaking, hiking, cycling, river fun, just everything.  And all gorgeous, too!

Here's Bryce Canyon. We were there early in the morning, and it was surprising how many other people were, too. There are lots and lots of neat hiking trails through the hoodoos. (Those are those orange spire-looking things.) I imagine they are rather spooky-looking at night, in the light of a full moon. Doesn't "hoodoo" sound kind of spooky? See the teeny tiny crowd at the lookout?

Just above center in the photo below, there are three hikers waaaaay down there on the trail. It's really hard to get a good perspective of how high up this is!

The rest of these photos were taken at Arches NP's.

Balancing Rock.  See the size of this thing?  Look for the people on the lower right.

My family at Arches.

The famous Delicate Arch, waaay out there.  Lots of people made the hike (they are too small to see), but we weren't equipped for it.  Too bad.

And I just like this one because Amy appears to be Photoshopped in. :D

He putteth forth his hand upon the rock;

he overturneth the mountains by the roots.

He cutteth out rivers among the rocks;

and his eye seeth every precious thing.

Job 28:9,10

To be cont'd.