Tuesday, May 24, 2011

From Bloomfield NM to Moab, Utah Today

Today it was Auntie Violet's turn to hit the road. We covered some of the same territory we had gone on with the Toad yesterday, then turning off onto Hwy 491 after we left Shiprock. This huge hill called the Hogback, comes up very quickly as you head onto the Navajo Nation.



We were heading for Moab, Utah and it truly was an amazing drive. The road was two-lane almost all the way and not terribly winding. It was in pretty good shape and the traffic was not very heavy.

The colors along with the eroded fanciful shapes are amazing --


We were traveling most of the day across the Colorado Plateau, with altitudes of 6500 to 7000 feet. And yet, these cliffs and spires stick up above the mesa.



We did see a bit of farmland, especially after we left Colorado and crossed into Utah.


Doesn't this one look like a giant man-made sculpture?



The colors got even more vivid as we headed into the Canyonlands --

Reds and pinks, whites and yellows --


This incredible red was at the only Rest Area on the whole drive. The bluffs dwarf the trucks and Auntie Violet.




This is the scenery at the OK RV Park and Canyonlands Stables where we will be staying for a few days while we check out Arches National Park.




We chased overcast skies and rain storms all the way north today. The roads were often wet from fairly heavy rain and I think the water made the color of the cliffs even darker. It will be interesting to see what they look like in the sunshine.


1 comment:

  1. Moab, Utah is one of my top 5 favorite places on earth. Bill and I hoped to make it there on our way out of Seattle but didn't because of the snow in November. We will get back there someday. Enjoy the beautiful color. The oranges and reds are so striking against the blues of the sky. Also PLEASE use your sun screen! You will burn in minutes out there.

    ReplyDelete