Ghost of Goldwater: Arches National Park

Monday, July 13, 2009

Arches National Park

Spent most of Saturday in Arches National Park, about an hour south of Green River. The wind and water (this was the bottom of an ocean a few million years ago...) have combined to create some really great stone architecture, including the arches that have given the park its name. Be warned: there is no food or gas to be had in the park and only one place with water apart from the visitor center. Bring plenty to drink, it's HOT out there.

On the way out I picked up a hitch hiker (my American friends apparently think this is tantamount to writing your own death sentence), a Swiss girl who was traveling the US for three months (envy, envy), mainly on Greyhound as she was too young for most car rental companies to accept her. She was from Lausanne (meaning a quasi-frog) and studying to become a physical therapist. She just wanted a ride to the park, but when we got there the campgrounds were full, so she tagged along in the car with me instead and proved jolly good company.

Later on we had lunch in Moab, and we agreed that only in America could a pizza 30 cm (12 inches) in diameter be labeled "small". Bonus points for the fantastic drinking water, Moab has bottle water quality in their taps, the lucky devils. When we got back to Green River my Swiss buddy caught a Greyhound in the direction of Jackson as she was heading for Yellowstone (more envy). Good luck kid, be safe and have fun!

I'll let the pictures do the talking now, you can find the complete set here (all 144 photos!).

There is nothing, I repeat nothing Freudian about these.

Is this the face of a serial killer, someone who would pick up innocent hitch hikers and dispose of them in the desert? It is? Oh. Uhm.

Is this the face of a serial killer who would hitch a ride and then dispose of the driver in the desert? Nah.

Balancing rock.

Holes in the wall.

Arches.

This one is known as Delicate Arch. The last pic was taken by my Swiss friend who was considerably more fit than me and thus able to walk all the way up and take the shot with my cam, bless her.