The sun beats down and the orange formations stand there defiant. It’s hot and dry, and at first one may think it’s all just a pile of rocks. But take a closer look and there is more to discover. While Arches is best known for the natural arches found there (hence the name), I think […]
Summer
Monument Valley
Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation Reservation is what many consider to be quintessential America. The road that leads into the sunset will also lead you to your dreams of freedom. Called Tse’Bii’Ndzisgaii or, loosely translated, the place where streaks go around in the rocks, in the Navajo language, this is one of the most […]
Antelope Slot Canyons
I clearly remember seeing a photo of Antelope Canyon the first time. It was that first time it appeared in the National Geographic magazine, and I was blown away. How was it possible that the shapes of the rocks and the colors flowed together, formed flames, looked so strong and soft at the same time? […]
Grand Canyon
As I stand at the south rim of the Grand Canyon watching the sun set 30 years after I last stood there, I ask myself if it has changed. Has it gotten smaller? Is the canyon not as deep or as wide as it once was? Three days later, after walking the entire Rim Trail, […]
Seeing America Slowly
Many years ago when I was maybe 8 years old, my parents picked up a stack of pamphlets at a travel fair and among those where a bunch praising Amtrak‘s trains. Most of the pamphlets ended their lives by being cut up by my sister and me and used in scrapbooks. I remember pouring over […]