10/09-10/10 Moab, UT (Arches NP)

Sunday, I got to Moab and checked into the nicest Motel 6 I've ever stayed at.  The first thing on my agenda was to feed.  I wasn't really sure what I wanted so I went with my "go-to" food which is almost always Mexican.  Man, I miss Senor Tequila...'Chelle, I'm almost counting down the days!  I took it easy for the night and looked forward to the next day.

Monday, I got up early and it was cold outside!  I went to McDonalds for my free breakfast sandwich I "won" from a Monopoly piece, hit Dollar General for some "supplies" (food, blanket, towel, etc), and decided to go back to the hotel and eat, hoping that by the time I ventured back out it had warmed up a bit. I finally got to the park just before 10 a.m. and planned to leave around 1 p.m.  I ended up not leaving till 5.  I actually would've (and should've) stayed the night so I could've been out there a bit longer, but after exploring a while I needed to get going since I had a 4-5 hour drive to Page, AZ.  I knew my hotel sold out last night, so I figured it did again and would have to leave anyway.  Before I post the pictures, I've just got to say how impressive Arches National Park is.  It's so amazing how these formations came to be.  A geologist (is that the right "ist"?) can explain to me all day long how it happened, but it's still mind blowing.

I added to the rock art  :) 

This kid and his dad(?) were at the visitor's center cooking on a tiny cooking...thing.  They seemed to be "roughing it."  I thought he was cute by the motorcycle playing in the dirt.

Mother nature must have a sense of Freudian humor.

jump jump!

I took this for Mom and Aunt Jenny. 

I'm always so awkward.

I desperately wanted to climb up to that smaller hole. 

This was a 3 mile (RT) hike, and it's not an easy one!  But it was worth it.

This was my hiking buddy, John.  At the half way point, I took a break and about the time I got up to continue to the Arch, John was walking by.  He is 81 years old and getting around better than me!  In this picture, he was showing me his GPS gadget.

That's me on the left.

I narrowed down the number of pictures as best as I could.  No number of pictures can ever capture the awesomeness of this place.  I absolutely want to come back here.  I have to thank Amanda at A Dangerous Business (the link takes you to her trip to Arches) for the idea to go here.  She is also the reason I went to Antelope Canyon (next destination).  So, THANK YOU, Amanda!  If you ever want to go to this National Park, go during cooler months!  I can't stress this enough.  It go up to maybe 70...the temperature was cool, but the sun was beaming bright making it slightly warm.  I don't know how anyone makes it during the summer months.

On to Page, AZ, I go!