Moab, Utah and Arches National Park

This is "Toot" who was in the Rodeo Parade in downtown Moab.

This was a very cool place to eat (both figuratively and physically) with the cool mist covering the patio perimeter.

In Arches National Park, this sandstone structure is called, "The Three Gossips".

Can anyone doubt why Angela is concerned about falling rocks?

This is one of 2,000 arches in the park.  This one is entitled, "The Delicate Arch".

We climbed in this area called "Garden of Eden".  The problem is not climbing up but getting down!

The enormity of even a smaller sandstone structure just boggles the mind.  "Rita, is that you?"

Two "real" climbers put us to shame.  More power to them!

Another of the arches called "Windows".













     We spent our day in the town of Moab, at Arches National Park and relaxing at the ranch. We ate breakfast  at "Peace Tree", a cool restaurant that sprayed a cool mist around the perimeter of the patio onto the sidewalk.   We continued being healthy and got juiced up with a Sweet Garden juice drink of veggies.  When the wind blew, you got a quick mist shower which was welcomed because it was a dry hot place.  Rita has enjoyed the arid heat more that Angela.  Angela had nosebleeds 3 days in a row due to the dry air.   Sometimes we forget we have been in the desert for over a week.  While eating breakfast, the Rodeo Parade came down Main Street.  Rita especially enjoyed "Little Toot", Smokey the Bear, and the little boys who scooped poop after the parade with shovels bigger than they were.
     We headed to Arches National Park (did Angela mention she was able to purchase a Senior Lifetime Pass to the National Parks last week for $10?).  Probably this was the first time she was happy to use her senior privilege.   We were amazed by the sandstone formations but they were not quite as spectacular as Bryce and Zion.   Most of the formations are made of soft red sandstone deposited over 150 million years ago.  Our first stop was at "Park Avenue",  which is a geological landscape that looks like a city street.   We passed the petrified sand dunes, stopped at the "Garden of Eden" for our little climb and met 2 women from Germany on vacation, and took pictures of "Windows". It continues to amaze us how many German and Swiss people we have met along the way.  It was a great but hot morning in the park.  We decided to stop at a Bakery and Bistro for lunch.   I was in the restroom for 3 minutes and Rita had struck up a conversation with a teacher from Iowa.  She certainly has the knack for getting to know people in every state we've visited.  Getting to talk with so many people has made our journey much more fun.
     We headed back to the Red Cliff Lodge and relaxed at the ranch.  We visited the Castle Creek Winery from the ranch vineyards and partook of the complimentary wine tasting.  Angela bought a bottle of white because of the cowgirl label.  Rita was a bit more discerning and decided not to purchase any of the reds.  Angela talked with a nice couple from England (teachers) who were on a retirement vacation.  The man thought it funny that Americans put alcoholic beverages in brown paper bags.  We also checked out the museum at the lodge which was full of movie posters, a video and displays about all the movies that have been made in the area.  We learned that Rio Grande which we mentioned earlier was actually filmed on the ranch!  A few of the other movies made in the area included,  The Greatest Story Ever Told (1964), Raiders of the Lost Ark,  Back To the Future, Austin  Powers, Thelma and Louise and many more.  They even had the dummy of Thelma that went over  the cliff in the car at the end of the movie.  That was fun!  When we return home, Rita plans to watch every John Ford western that was made there.
     Sitting on our back patio in the afternoon, there was a constant flow of rafts and kayaks on their tours down the Colorado River.  Rita saw one kayak that looked like a floating "Animal House".  She hopes they made it to their destination in one piece!      
      Later that evening we headed back to Moab to see a real rodeo!  Rita saw "Toot" and Smokey!  The cowboy riders looked as though they were going to be jerked in half and the ropers were fast and strong.  They had something called Mutton Bustin' where 6 and 7-year olds laid on top of 100 lb. sheep and rode until they were thrown off.  It was a funny sight to see some hanging on for dear life and others barely making it out of the corral.  We certainly mixed with the locals that night!  Our drive back to the ranch in the dark was less frightening because we could see no rocks higher than our car most of the time.  We ended the long day on the patio watching the stars again.  We have never seen that many stars in the sky.  It was spectacular!  Colorado is our next stop.