Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Scenic Rocky Tour

With Jim leading and driving, Karen and Wandrin Lloyd were given a tour of Canyonlands country. Fantastic rock scenery that could be found on many post cards. However, seeing it in a 180 degree three dimensional view with sun and wind, the senses are subject to overload. "Wow" is the word I used way too often as I marveled at the scenic vistas. The only thing I can provide here is a two dimensional photo. The reader will have to imagine the other sensations of being there.

Moab's red rock scenery has been used for movies and commercials for decades. The Moab tourist center internet site identifies many of those Moab movie locations. A gallery of locally made movies can be found at a museum at Red Cliffs Ranch.

This photo is the location on the Colorado River used for the scene as Thelma and Louise drove over the edge of the canyon to end the movie.


Continuing along the canyon edge, a jet boat was spotted in the distance on the Colorado River.


Soon we were traveling in Canyonlands on unpaved bumpy one lane trails/roads with pull outs.


Stopping to take photos at many points along the route, there was scenery. Also photo ops of local flora sending down deep roots to survive on very little moisture.





As our tour climbed from the river, we followed the Shafer trail. It truly was a trail at one time as a rancher moved cattle from summer pastures atop the canyon edge to the winter pasture and warmth closer to the river. The trail has been widened to accommodate vehicles wider than a cow. Today the trail is bumpy and one lane with wider spots suitable for pullouts. The road is best for high clearance vehicles with a good suspension.

Looking back after a beautiful and scenic rocky tour.


The story of my life -- a wandering path.


5 comments:

  1. gorgeous...we will be there in the fall....Jil

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  2. Bobbie and I use to bike up that switchback trail... in younger days gone by (sigh).
    Nice images.

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  3. Hey Wandrin,

    It's great to see pictures of the Shafer Trail...

    I've driven this path in my VW Herbie Bug from 1963 in 2011.

    Air-cooled regards,
    Domi on Herbie's World Tour

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  4. WOW.......You really lucked out. What an awesome adventure. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed the pics. Mary Ann

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  5. Somehow when I look at these fantastic pics I can imagine it all covered over with water eons ago, something about the fluidity of all the formations...and in the present, at 360 degrees the view would be breathtaking indeed. The feeling of time passed and of a much larger scale of creation than my own fills these pics. Like walking on a planet not our own. Thanks so much for sharing them.

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