What day is this? Putting two days together.

This is my blog, there are no rules. I can write when I feel like it. Yesterday I just didn't feel like it. So today's post will be about yesterday's visit to Arches, and today's visit to Canyonland. Then the last of the pictures will be combined both day's pics of plants and what I've learned.

We woke up early to get to the park early before it was to get to the predicted temperature, which was in the 100's. We were there before anyone was at the gate to look at our Park card, and before the visitor's center was open. It looked like several people had the same plans. After previewing the map with the road routes, and the trails, we decided to start at the double arches.

To the left of the double arches was what I think called Elephant arch.

This was another arch that we could hike up to. I petered out. You see, I got too hot the day before, I didn't drink enough water. Today I drank and drank and drank, and I took it real easy. I wasn't feeling well from the heat.

The dead wood here is cooler than driftwood.

We got in the car and I said I wanted to stop where there were the "fins" of rock.

I think they called this Park Place?

This is the side of a fin

They are like big rock walls.

I thought they were fascinating.

This is a closeup of the above picture

The fin

The closeup.

We went back to the RV and I drank and drank more water and rested. It was 108 degrees. That was pretty much my yesterday. My brain didn't even want to think.

Today we went to Canyonlands. WOW. Richard had never been there. We discussed what it was like when he was in these areas way back in the late 70's. He had been to Arches and had never been to Delicate Arch. That is the famous one you see everywhere in pictures and is on their license plates. We found out that it was way too long of a hike for this temperature. He had never been to Canyonlands. We figured it was probably because maybe back then the only way to come in was in a 4x4 vehicle. Now there are paved roads and lots of trails. There is a trail/road that goes around the park that takes 2 days to go on. I'm not sure of the details. If you want to know, look it up. But this place was HUGE. The Grand Canyon is deeper, but Canyonlands is miles and miles wider.

This is just a view going in.

I really like this picture. The haze is from the Brian Head fire that is now 10,000 acres. I estimate it is about 100 miles or more away, but living in Alaska, I know how smoke can come in.

We found a trail to take. Richard's first comment was that this looks like a real trail. Every other trail we've been on in any park was always paved. This hike was .8 m one way to Upheaval Dome.

Hiking with Richard

When he goes, he charges ahead, especially if it is up hill. He said when he worked for JPL back in the 70's he would be the one to carry the water up the hills because he could do it so fast. He hates going downhill. I am the opposite. I huff and puff slowly up the hill. I also didn't want to get overheated like I did a few days ago, so I went slow. I did some research on my blood pressure medicine. I am taking 3. One of them is a diuretic. That is supposed to take water out of your body. I wonder if it makes me lose moisture more than usual. I've googled it, but I haven't found any major warnings with the medicines. I read in one place that it is a possibility, but it didn't give big warnings. So I take my chances, and I take a lot of water now. This may have been our last big hike in the desert. Big hike? Only 2 miles? By the time we were done it was 93 degrees and I thought it would be in the 80's.

So with the little hiking experience I've had I noticed at the top of this rock this cute pile. Obviously man made.

They were everywhere. I've seen them in other places, too, and just thought people like to make cool piles of rocks for fun. Sometimes maybe I look at things from an artistic standpoint instead of practical. I know you are all reading this and saying those are cairns. Thank you, Richard for straightening me out. I think that pile is still cool enough for a picture!

Here is a panorama of the Upheaval Dome

They really aren't sure how this was made. One thought is it was made from a big meteor. Another thought is from salt underneath pushing up the rocks.

We decided to hike over to the other lookout that is in the middle of this picture.

This is my best picture of looking down

So off we went to the 2nd lookout on the trail marked with cairns. Well, I just got a little ways when I pooped out. I apologized to Richard. I know he really likes these hikes. He said he was really glad that we have done what we have done. He thought that the dogs would be with us into every park and that he wouldn't be able to do any hikes because the dogs aren't allowed on the trails. The only exception was Yosemite. With this heat, it was far better for the doggies to stay in the RV in the air conditioning and I just give them more attention in the evenings. They are still having a better summer than they would have in Fairbanks.

I really love the perspective of this arch. It could be me standing on a hill looking way down to an arch, or it could be what it really is. A very tiny arch that is only about 2 inches length at the hold. I climbed under a rock to take the picture. Let me know what you think of this picture. Were you fooled?

Here are part of the steps on the trail

Here are more steps on the trail. A cairn on top.

At last I can see the parking lot! I drank more water, and a power drink. I had tried one before and thought it tasted awful! Come to find out that if you are very, very thirsty it tastes great! I felt much better today.