Canyonlands

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Canyonlands
When I left the motel this morning I wasn't feeling much excitement for Canyonlands. I only decided to go because it was en-route to Arches National Park from Monument valley. I figured I'd just drive in, take a picture and then leave. Well, today has been one of the most spectacular of my life. I know that nobody has heard of Canyonlands. I know it's not as big as the Grand Canyon or as arch-ish as arches or as Monumenty and Monument valley but I don't think I scraped my jaw off the floor once in the several hours I spent there. I chose to go to the southern part of the park first as I'd read online that it was quieter. Being a Saturday on a state holiday weekend it seemed like it was my best bet for peace and quiet. The Rangers at the visitor centre looked delighted that someone had actually arrived in their small corner of Utah and were so full of advice. First question "do you have a proper vehicle? And by that I mean a four wheel drive?" "Yes." "Good. Now, are you also fairly athletic?" "Urm, yes?" "Good, I got just the places!"He then gets out a map and a highlighter and starts furiously scribbling all over it telling me to go to this place then that place and then over there later. Apparently that part of the park isn't as popular as it doesn't have the giant views that the north of the park has.The first hike he sent me on had warnings about how strenuous it was even though it was a relatively short distance. About 5 minutes into the walk I found my first petroglyphs. They were two human - ish figures painted onto the inside of a cave using a red paint of some sort. It's weird to think how long they've been there and all the generations that have passed since.On the other side of the cave was a series of ladders leading up to the rocks above. After a climb and a scramble I found myself totally alone with a 360 view of the park. Mountains, desert, grasslands and crazy rock formations surrounded me. I took a few pictures then found the highest point I could, took off my rucksack and just sat down thinking about how the hell I would ever be able to explain all this to anyone. I think perhaps Yosemite is more breathtaking but it was so full of people. Here I was on top of the world totally alone with nowhere I had to rush off to, nobody who needed my time, no deadlines or commitments it was perfection. A few weeks ago in San Fransisco (can't believe that was a few weeks ago!) we went into a hippy shop (I think I mentioned if before) the lady in there told me that I was on my goddess journey. I smiled politely and didn't think any more of it until today. I know I have travelled on my own many times, but something about this time feels different. Good different, but different non the less. I started to think maybe that lady was right.. Maybe this is when things start to change? I mean I can feel my body changing... I almost lost my trousers the other day! So maybe my outlook is changing too? I don't know... But it's all very exciting! Once I'd torn myself away from my little corner of the wilderness, I drove down anothe dirt track to the start of my next hike. There was one other car in the car park and I headed out laden with enough water to sink a camel! I couldn't find the trail and was starting to worry a little bit that I was about to be eaten by mountain lions when I noticed loads of little piles of stones. All in a line... All pointing out the trail! It was HOT. Relentless, coming at you from all sides hot. I'd walked about 50 minutes and I could feel the salt crystals growing in my hair and face getting red. Not much after that I bumped into a couple with their grown up son. The woman looked exhausted and was scrunched up next to a tree trying to find a little shade. They asked me how far to the car park and when I said it wasn't too far, they offered me some of their water to take with me. They told me to be exceptionally careful because it just gets hotter and steeper they also asked me if the Rangers knew where I was hiking, which of course they did! I only lasted about another 45 minutes before I realised that I was getting a bit of a headache. I guzzled a load of water and headed back to get cool and hydrated. I had done quite a bit of research into heat exhaustion and dehydration before I came out here. There are signs everywhere in the parks warning of the dangers of the crazy high temperatures. My car told me it was 114 degrees. (I think that's around 46 in Celsius) I wish that we had bought a bigger cooler because I was all for getting in it to cool off! The headache went really quickly after a quart of Gatorade so I guess it was because of all the salt I lost. Back in the car I drove to newspaper rock to see the AMAZING petroglyphs that are painted on the side of a cliff face there. They are just incredibly cool. Apparently this part of the world is littered with ancient cave art. Once I'd ogled long enough I drove back down the road that I came in on and even though I thought it was pretty special on the way in... It was just something mind blowing on the way out. The colours and the shapes... It was just mesmerising. It was also handy that nobody knows about it because I just kept stopping in the middle of the road and taking pictures!! I headed north to Moab, my base for two days, had a drink and headed back out to the north of Canyonlands (you can't go south to north in the park because of the canyons) the views here were spectacular (and yes I know I have used that word a lot today) the sun was setting and everything was red and seemed to glow. There were lots of people here though, mostly French people too. I actually heard a woman say to her daughter how sad it was that I was by myself and maybe I had been jilted at the alter. I turned around and said, in French, that it was an amazing adventure and that I loved to travel alone. I don't think I have ever seen a grown woman blush as fast in my life. I made myself chuckle... Oh no! Maybe I have been alone to long?! By 8ish I was ready for home but on my way back passed the turn off for dead horse point state park. I don't know why it is named that and I didn't see any dead horses but once I got to the very end of the road and looked out over Canyonlands, I just forgot to ask! I took some beautiful pictures from up there before I just had to call it a day. I am exhausted and ready for a sweet sweet sleep!

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