U is for...

...Utah.  Where Wonderful Guy and I just spent a long weekend seeing some of the natural wonders in the eastern part of that state.

We had some great weather for it, considering where we hail from, there were record setting cold temperatures and snow the weekend previous.  Snow one weekend, sunburned forehead the next!

Of course, had we stayed home?  Same weather.  Whatever...

Back to the National Parks of Utah.  Or the two we spent time at this trip, Arches and Canyonlands, one day at each, hiking some of the shorter hikes to see some of the better things to see.

Like Turret Arch.

Like Double Arch.

Like Delicate Arch.

Us and forty gazillion other people that were in Moab for a race the next day, we found out.  Still great stuff to see, though.

Arches gets alot more traffic, according to Ranger Liza, than Canyonlands, and Sunday at Canyonlands was quiet and serene and almost mystical.

What a breathtaking place.  Only a National Park since 1964, used for pasture and grazing at the turn of the century, and uranium mining until the early sixties.  The desert still bears the scars from each.  It is a slow heal for the terrain.

So glad we are saving it.  It deserves it.

So sorry I surprised you with the guest blogger, Dearest Sister, while visiting these spectacular sites.  Perhaps it was taking the easy way out (not cheating! I had a cold!), but I did have to convince Eldest Daughter to do it.