Moab and Canyonlands

The town of Moab, at the east of Utah's red rock country, has a surprising amount of charm and things to do, so we decided to stay another day.

It's right next to both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Canyonlands gets short shrift because it is next to Arches, but is quite spectacular.

You saw Thelma and Louise drive off the cliff (damn, now I've spoiled it for you) in Canyonlands. It has three sections, though we only made our way into one.

In Moab we also arranged some white water rafting on the Colorado. Rafting is a strange mixture of serenity punctuated with adrenaline. The rapids were only class 2-3 at this time of year. The Colorado is opaque in this entire section. Our river guide was a young woman with strong arms. (She would have won the challenge on the TV show "survivor".) Most of the other tourists were Europeans. I practiced my French.

Once again in Canyonlands our GPS let us find a campsite off the main road. If you try to camp late, it's hard to get spots in the parks themselves, even in the off season.

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A fascinating cloud at sunset

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Sliver of light on the canyon tops

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An Arch to be along the Colorado

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Another view of the canyon and Candlestick.

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The uranium miner's road descends at the "neck" in the Canyonlands. Other photographers await that sunset shot.

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Our rafting partners and guide enjoy the day. She got to do all the rowing.

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Come on in, the water's fine

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I take a swim in the Colorado during a calm part of our whitewater trip

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After our rafting trip

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An incoming side canyon

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Candlestick Butte

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The Canyonlands. It's sunrise and the light is in the wrong direction, but they go on forever

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On the way up to Canyonlands National Park

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Buttes along the Colorado

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K. enjoying the river

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Final light at the Shafer canyon at the Neck

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K. photographs the Canyonlands

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