Day 3 Part 1: Arches National Park

When I drove down to Moab on US191, there is a few turns as you drive through the mountains that are part of the Arches National Park system, but at one point I took a turn, looked up at the startling canyon walls and saw a big recreational vehicle(RV) sliding up the side of the wall and I gasped.

Entrance road

I realized that to enter the park, you had to drive up on the side of the mountain! But I had gotten lucky that the hotel I had booked was literally 5 minutes away from the main park entrance. So on day 3, I steeled myself to drive the sheer cliff walls! (dramatic music)

Park Ave

Let me preface that I am deathly afraid of heights and even the hint of an edge of open space leaves me pale. If you go to google maps and look at the road that runs through the park, you’ll see it looks like a series of switchbacks, it looks like a cool road to drive if you like to drive on curves. I like to drive on curves but when you hit a curve and it suddenly looks like it’s about to take you over the edge, I get twitchy. My palms were actually sweating so much I noticed how slippery my steering wheel had gotten. I would have loved to shown photos, but I was clutching the wheel with both hands tightly and refused to go anywhere near the edge. It’s a failing of mine but I’m working on it.

Twisting roads

Arches National Park, by national parks standards isn’t very big, 76k acres vs 761k acres for Yosemite National Park. So you can take the drive through the park and finish it in one day. I took the drive, following the speed limit which was generous considering the road wound through the varied environments of the park. 

Unfortunately, there were aspects of the park that I couldn’t explore because of time constraints. The drive to Lake Powell in Arizona was a long drive; it took me fully 12hrs for the round-trip drive. So I didn’t set my alarm the night before. Then when I woke, I lingered in bed and barely got myself out of the room.

Upper Delicate Arch  Viewpoint - you can climb up there

So when I finally decided to go to Arches, it was 11am already. So my day began at almost noon and the sun was high and hot against the sky when I started at the first stop and went hiking. The ‘hiking’ was really just a walk, but because of the altitude and my inability to think at such high altitudes (ok, I was so excited about the place, I’d leave my car and start walking without bringing water-big no no), I was sweaty, panting and in pain and only went as far as I could go to get a good shot with my zoom lens.  I shorted myself some incredible views because I was unprepared.

Three Gossips, Sheep Rock & Tower of Babel

But then again, my best adventures are based on my inability to think ahead of time. Que sera sera, what will be will be. Some days I think I’ll be famous for being the idiot who had to tweet SOS because I went and did something stupid, but after the SOS there would be an LOL, because that’s basically what I do. I do something stupid then laugh because despite my stupidity, I’m still ok.

A view from the road

I’ve driven through quite a bit of the US, but I’d never been in Utah where if you have an ATV or a horse and want to go off roading or horseback riding through the back country, you are more than welcome.


That is fantastic and the song “Don’t Fence Me In” just absolutely rang through my head.  I like that unfettered feeling. Of course, other states may have the same policy and I’m only hearing about Utah’s because I actually stopped and talked to the locals.

Balanced Rock

I do have to note that considering how small the park it, it was incredible how the vistas change from almost one turn to the next. After the harrowing climb on the entrance road, you reach a plateau that looks like you’re driving on a flat plain. There were still instances of the odd rock formations because of the erosive damage of time and water, but then there are also fossilized sand dunes. You can drive through the park and be dazzled by the bright redness of some of the rocks then turn a corner and be blinded by the white blazing sun against the petrified sand dunes that look like were captured in mid wave.

I was surprised to learn that the park is open 24hrs a day but the visitor center has fluctuating hours depending on the time of year and I’m assuming, when sundown actually occurs. I stopped at the parking lot but there were so many people milling about, I decided to see the center after wards. I never did.

Fiery Furnace - you need a guide to hike there!

Instead I spent my time assiduously visiting or stopping at all the recommended stops and did some other stops because something caught my eye. It was perfect because even though it was a Sunday, the park wasn’t as crowded as other national parks I’ve been in. I was able to get to a parking spot, jump out(my film SLR hanging around my neck, a digital camera banging in my pocket and two cell phones on my hip), practically run to a spot, position myself, click click ok, one more for good luck, click, then back to the car before the air conditioned air faded to hot.

The tight entrance to Sand Dune Arch

It’s a really good reason why I travel alone, I’d have to stop and take a picture of my traveling companion if I had one. I don’t take a picture of myself! Although since my phone has a front facing camera, I’ve had some interesting results when I’ve tried to take my photo by myself, such as I look cross-eyed in most of them. So dear reader, you’ll have to forgive me my vanity because I’m not posting those photos.

The sun was relentless

Arches National Park is only one of several that are in such close proximity to each other that a week in Moab would have been much better than the one day I scheduled. As I type, I realized I shorted myself having only ONE full day scheduled for Moab.

Day 1 I drove down from Salt Lake City, finally arriving late afternoon, just in time to check in, eat dinner and pass out.

Day 2 had me driving from Moab all the way to Lake Powell, Arizona, which turned into a 12hr day on the road.

Thus Day 3, I lolled about in my room wasting my morning.

So I rushed through Arches National Park, but you couldn’t tell by the amount of photos I took.

I’ll definitely have to come back again.

It pays to keep your eyes open, stop and climb a rock.

Weekend in Utah - Day 2: The Impossible Tourist

Do not attempt - I'm  a professional.

I think I’ll start calling myself the impossible tourist; it fits on so many levels. Mostly because when I tell people I’m going somewhere, whether by plane, train or automobile, most times I’m traveling alone. I think the main reason is that most people lose their minds when they travel with me. But most people tell me how they could never travel alone the way I do. I know there are other solitary travelers, I’m not alone in that. Because there’s always ‘that guy’ or ‘that girl’, so that’s me.

Random road rock

The hard part of traveling alone isn’t the non-social aspect of it; it’s the inability to do it all. I’d like to be able to drive AND take pictures at the same time. But 1) it’s really not safe, 2) I only have two hands 3) I only have one set of eyes.

Wilson's Arch - just south of Moab, UT

But again, being the impossible tourist would explain some of the photos that I downloaded, they came out looking like crap. When you try to shoot out of your windshield, the autofocus focuses on the glass.

You really have to stop and take the picture.

Just to the right side, there's one of the widened shoulders

Thanks to the state of Utah, who conveniently put turn offs along the side of the road of US 163 Scenic Drive, look it up on Google, that’s what it’s called, a scenic drive. Just when you turn a curve and see another fantastic rock, there’s a widening of the shoulder, there’s no sign or any indication that you can pull over, and you just do. Just make sure your car can take it, it’s all just gravel and rock and not much else.

If you Google images of “monument valley” you see that stretch of road that seems to run straight into those three towers. Technically that isn’t Monument Valley, Monument Valley is what you’re actually driving in. I think these are called The Mittens.

The only pix I found of the perfect Mittens stop

But if you’re going to go there, see it east to west first, that’s THE money maker shot. There’s a specific spot and you’ll know it when you get there, simply because every few feet there are the convenient photo ops areas.

I drove up on it and had to stop when a group of German tourists were lying in the middle of the road. How did I know they were Germans? I stopped and talked with them. But since they occupied that first spot, I drove down a bit more and found an even better stop.

So I copied the Germans and sat my butt down in the middle of the highway and when a car full of Asians stopped, they followed suit. It didn’t take long before we’re a bunch of grinning idiots lolling about in the middle of the Navajo country taking pictures of a ribbon of road. When you’re on the ground, it’s actually difficult to decide what’s more of important, the mountains or the road.

The Mittens from one of those random side road stops

Instead of turning to Monument Valley road to get to the actually national park, I continued on US163 which made my GPS snippy. She often sounds like my 8^th grade algebra teacher, “Turn at the corner!”

Lone Rock Beach, that's the 'Lone Rock'

It was only a few miles that I found myself in Arizona. My final destination was going to be Lone Rock Beach at Wahweap Bay on Lake Powell, by Page, Arizona, but Lone Rock Beach is in Utah. It was easy, US 163 to US 160 to US 98 to US 89 to Lone Rock Road. 

Wahweap Bay

Never heard of it before? Neither had I, but it’s where in the episode “The Impossible Astronaut” that Doctor Who is killed. Don’t ask, I seem to be making a habit of visiting movie/TV location sets.

The Mittens from the west, there are two 'stops' at the right

Afterwards, I simply turned around and retraced my steps and looked at the same thing, but from a different angle. It makes a huge difference. Things you see as you head west are different from the things you see as you head east. Especially when as you head west, you have the sun at you back and as you head back east, you still get the sun at your back!

Looking out my car window

Those estimated times you get from Google or from your GPS don’t take into account, bathroom/snack/gas/photo op stops. But then again, those are the reasons you take a road trip, for all the stops in between point A to point B.

Just remember, wherever you’re going, stop and enjoy the moments.

Weekend in Utah Day 1

Chicago has mountains of steel and canyons of concrete, you can spend eight hours driving around in Chicago and you’d never end up in the same place. But then it would just be another Saturday.

I started my weekend early, my weekend started on Thursday night. Unfortunately, it didn't end until the wee hours of Friday morning. Chicago to Salt Lake City was a CRJ 700, a two by two small plane that closely resembled a large private plane. Luckily, it was probably one of the smoothest take offs I've ever had. The landing approach was just as smooth, but the touch down was a bit awkward. Other than that, it wasn't the nerve wracking experience I thought it would be. 

So now I’m in Utah. I got a car, bought a Styrofoam cooler, loaded it with ice, water and my ubiquitous Coke Zero then I headed for the mountains. I have a destination as much as I have hotel reservations, but I have no timetables, except to stop where I want to stop, do what I want to do, because it’s my time to let my inner cowboy roll. I may not have an organic horse, but I got horsepower. 

My hotel last night had great black out drapes, so I burnt my eyes when I peeked out and the morning was bright, clear and blue. The sky isn't the usual deep blue of a winter's day, instead it was a pastel blue, a reluctant morning.

Abandoned building.

But I thought it was only fair before I left Salt Lake City to visit the Salt Lake. So I hopped on I80 and headed west. When I turned my head and saw what looked like salt flats and people in the middle of it sitting on lawn chairs, I looked for the next exit. It's Hwy 202 and the corner of Temple Frontage road was this huge, seemingly abandoned building with the entrance locked. 

So I turned and headed down the frontage road to find the people on the lawn chairs. They were in lawn chair flying radio controlled airplanes. 

Don't fence me in!

I didn't drive the entire length of the road but when I saw a spot I did a perfect 3pt turn and parked on the side of the road. There were opening in the wire fence, a path leading into the salt flats and big wide open sky. Who could say no to that?

Wide open skies.

Not a mirage

Just off the photo - I won't invade someone's privacy by taking their photo without permission - are the people on the lawn chairs enjoying the big open sky with a dive bombing plane!

This photo looks like it's a mirage as if the mountains in the distance seem to float off in the air. The sky was hazy, but it made for a great effect.

Rolling mountains

The mountains by Salt Lake seemed to lean into the highway, as if they were threatening the traffic.

Lean on me

It wasn't long before I headed back east on I80 to catch US6 and headed south. It felt like it took me an hour to cross through the greater SLC metro area, it was probably all the construction. Then suddenly, the suburbs gave way to the open road and it actually took me by surprise, especially some of the more random sights.

I looked and had the urge to yell "Hi Ho Silver!"

I didn't realize until later that I had captured this couple watching the same train I was looking at.

Rest area - looking northeast

Just before exit 182 on US6 is a very quick sign for a rest area, don't miss it. Stop at the rest area, it's totally worth it.

Rest area - looking south.

Imagine being in a covered wagon and seeing this?

Rest area - looking east

This is on US191, there's a dirt road that goes into that. 

I imagined the Navajo nation standing on those ridges and wonder how they felt staring at the great open divide.

Why I love road trips

This is one of those moments when a photograph just can't capture the awesome vista when the open road truly beckons.

Mackinaw City, Michigan

If you like to travel to out of the way places, side roads and discover something new for yourself, consider coming up to Mackinaw City in the winter. If you don’t like crowds, this is the time to come. Just because it’s frigid outside, the heaters work well. The majority of the hotels are closed during this time, but there are still a few open.

The last time I was here, I stayed at the Comfort Inn, paid extra for the lakefront view. So I wanted the same thing. Unfortunately the Comfort Inn is closed. I wanted the Clarion Suites, they were closed, so I was sent to the Hamilton Inn.

It’s comfortable and the heat is amazing, when I came in this afternoon after running around in the cold, the warmth was palpable and welcome. They don’t heat the hallway though; I thought I saw my breath this morning.

I got a free breakfast buffet, the sausage was overcooked and hard, the eggs were powdery and the best thing was the waffles, which I had to make for myself. The two 12yo kids who were making their waffles before me didn’t make a mess, I the adult, made a mess. I recount this tale of making a mess because the woman who was working the breakfast this morning was surly and uncommunicative. I don’t know if I’ll be back tomorrow. I’m afraid to see her again.

After October, Mackinaw City is a virtual ghost town. Hotels, restaurants and activities are closed for the season. The restaurants in walking distance are closed and uninviting. There are a few open, a pizza joint and Burger King. So rather than enjoy some fine dining, I sit in my room eating sandwiches and cup o noodle soups. But it’s all worth it in my mind. The drive is long; the air is dry and frigid. The streets are empty like a post-apocalyptic story. Yet, there are a few hardy souls who venture here, I’m one.

It’s just curious to drive through streets that I remember being full of people walking along the sidewalk and traffic jamming the small two lane Huron Street, where most of the hotels hug the shore of Lake Huron.

There was a small little park that gave me a great view of the Mackinac Bridge.  Although I couldn’t drive my car in, I parked just inside the driveway, out of traffic and slogged through the snow in my sneakers. I enjoyed tracking my solitary footsteps through a dusting of snow into a park clearly marked closed.

There is a dignity to the trees in winter. Stark and empty, they stand against the iron sky like an argument that won’t die. I know in the summer, with their branches full of leaves, they will have an entirely different look, softer, warmer, and more inviting. But today, it is December, the off-season, the tourists are gone, but the trees remain.

The views are just as beautiful in the winter as they are in the summer and spring. I’ve tried before to come during the Fall and bask in the colors. But for me, Fall was always a hit and miss situation. I either come too early or I come too late.

I decided to make the shots black and white, just because the starkness of the season leant itself well to black and white. 

Western view of McGulpin's Point

There is this hidden little place, the main area is Central Ave, follow that all the way west until you deadend at Wilderness Park Drive. Make a right turn and follow it to McGulpin’s Point Lighthouse. There was a sign that if you called a certain phone number you could get a self-guided phone tour about the lighthouse. I was too cold to push the buttons on my phone. I think the caretaker lived next door to the historical lighthouse, because I saw a couple pull up, took one look at me and continued into the house next to the lighthouse. But I wasn’t sure if I had just driven up into their back yard.

Mackinac Bridge view from McGulpin's Point

The one thing that I like about this area is that at a certain point you are at the meeting place of Lakes Huron and Michigan. They meet under the magnificent Mackinac Bridge. Yet, who decided years ago, “This one we’ll call Huron over there is Michigan”?

Before you leave, make sure you take the unpaved road to McGulpin’s Point, it’s a 10% downgrade, but my sedan took it easily. It was too cold for me to walk down; there was plenty of room for my lone car at the point. It’s a bit off the beaten spot so maybe it’s just a locals area.

But you get a magnificent view of both Michigan and Huron as well as the Mackinac Bridge. Don’t miss it. The best part of the point is that if I didn’t want to leave my car, I could sit and take photographs in the comfort of heated seats.

Then when you leave follow Wilderness Park Road all the way until you dead end at Trail End Road, make a right turn and directly ahead is an unmarked park, I didn’t see a sign, but I didn’t see any gate or chain, so I drove in. When I saw the public restroom, locked for the season, I assumed this was a public area. Most of the areas around the coast are private homes.

This was a lovely but "no-bodyguards-swim-at-your-own-risk" area. This was a more challenging area since I had to leave the car to walk to the beach. It was worth it. I’m rarely concerned about traipsing around on my own, you can’t imagine the treasures I’ve found.