I've calculated that, by the time we've finished this drive, and have returned to Kitchener, we will have travelled the equivalent to one quarter the circumference of the globe.
And I suspect we'll be feeling every inch of it.
The past few days have been worth it, though. We spent the past three days in Colorado, starting with a two-night stay in Pueblo. We ventured behind the front range mountains and visited the Great Sand Dunes. Altitude sickness affected us more than we would have suspected, however, so we weren't up to sledding down them. But we did see mountains, spectacular scenery, and met up with two of Erin's friends online. We returned home tracked by a thunderhead that produced a wonderful show.
Then, yesterday, we struck out for Grand Junction, Colorado, following US-50 through some of the more rugged territory of the state. We crossed the continental divide at Monarch Pass, and took a tram to the summit, 12,000 feet above sea level. The sun was bright, the sky was clear, and we could see over 150 miles. We pushed through canyons that were jaw-dropping. Vivian, who often tries to be too cool for things, was impressed enough to say, "what is it like for the people who live here? Who look out on this stuff and think it's normal!"
The trees started to run out as we approched Grand Junction, and passed through what must have been honest desert, but we're not sure. The sun had set and it was getting dark.
The difference between Utah and Colorado is night and day, but it is no less impressive. First, driving out on I-70, the state makes it perfectly clear that it would kill us if it wanted to. Yellow sand and rock stretched as far as the eye could see. Exits advised "NO SERVICES" (then why put the exits there, then?). That spooked us enough to fill up the tank about as often as we saw a gas station. We stopped at a gas station convenience store that had been carved into a rock outcrop. We had mediocre burgers at a dry, desolate location. All-in-all, Utah looked grim. But we drove down UT-24 to UT-12, which is consistently ranked as one of the most scenic drives in the world. They're not kidding.
We stopped to dip our toes at Capitol Reef near the Harrison Bridge. We went over, around and through some spectacular badlands, as well as other places that were green oases. And we arrived at Bryce Canyon National Park as the sun was setting.
I didn't know what to expect here, but this national park is a forested area that overlooks the start of some of the most spectacular badlands in the world. You hike up to an observation post with no idea about what to expect. The result takes your breath away and makes you reassess your place in the Universe.
We are now in southwestern Utah at a Rodeway Motel that's not attached to any city, so far as I can tell.We finished the day looking up at the stars in an almost dark sky. Unfortunately, the light from the inn's sign from two miles away was enough to cause some light pollution, but we were still able to see an unusually bright Mars and the sweep of the Milky Way.
Tomorrow, we head to Flagstaff, Arizona, by way of the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Fresno beckons in two days.
I will make photos available on Flickr when I have more time.
