Quote of the Day

Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes.
- Henry David Thoreau

Quote of the Day

The worth of a State, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it.
- John Stuart Mill

Valley of Fire

The Valley of Fire area is a state park in Nevada, just outside that cesspool of sin and filth, Las Vegas. It has some nice desert areas and lots of reddish sand and weird rocks and even some injun cliff paintings.

There were some nice, lazily wandering roads out there.


This area was deemed by Albie as perfect for a fashion shoot. I think she meant "shoot" as in taking pictures, but I can't be sure.


There were lots of these metallic lids spread around the desert. I have no idea what they were for; electricity persnaps? Having seen Lost, Court and I came up with several alternative explanations.


Sands; lots and lots of sands, wheeeee! Actually, it was only an inch deep if that in most places, then hard rock beneath. Boooooooooo!


Wind and water carve out some pretty insane rock formations given a few million years to do their work.




Horsies! Pwetty horsies!


Two people being chased by robots with square heads. At least that's MY interpretation of it.

Quote of the Day

When one has been threatened with a great injustice, one accepts a smaller as a favor.
- Jane Welsh Carlyle

Return to Bryce Canyon

This is Bryce Canyon National Park, one of the most stunning natural wonders this lovely planet has to offer. We drove up there and knowing what was waiting, I drove all the way out to Rainbow Point (18 km into the park) before stopping. It worked well; Albie and Court were absofuckinlutely stunned at the views. Sadly, most of the day turned out pretty gloomy so they both agreed they needed to return in the summer.

I didn't take all that many pictures this time around, but you can see'em all here.

From Rainbow Point, it seems like you can see forever.


You also get a good overview of some of the crazy rock formations.


I don't know if this was the same bird who bullied me to give it an apricot in 2011. This one fixed me with a determined look until I shared my lemon flavored chips. They went down well.


Rocks. Crazy rocks.


I came up with the name Troll City for this area.


The sun came out for a ten minute period towards the end of our stay.


Surely, there must be worse places than Bryce at sunset.

Quote of the Day

The best career advice given to the young is: Find out what you like best and get someone to pay you for doing it.
- Katherine Whitehorn

Return to Red Canyon

After Zion, we drove up to the neat little part of Dixie National Forest known as Red Canyon. It's a small taste of the wonder that is Bryce Canyon.

It was strange to see this beautiful landscape with snow.


Lots and lots of snow.

Quote of the Day

A scholar knows no boredom.
- Jean Paul Richter

Return to Zion

I visited Zion National Park in Utah in 2011, so I won't go into detail about this year's visit, except to say that it definitely looks better in fall than in midwinter. Albie and Court seemed to like it though. The only pics I've deemed worthy of keeping are the ones I took of two bucks who were wandering around just outside the innermost parking lot of the river valley.

At first they were grazing peacefully. People were taking pictures like crazy all around, but they couldn't be arsed.


Then they got into a tangle.


Nothing too violent, just some pushing and shoving.


I'm not sure if this one was the winner or if the other one just got bored and walked away.


But this pretty much sums up what they thought of us.

Quote of the Day

The Christian god can be easily pictured as virtually the same as the many ancient gods of past civilizations. The Christian god is a three headed monster; cruel, vengeful and capricious. If one wishes to know more of this raging, three headed beast-like god, one only needs to look at the caliber of the people who say they serve him. They are always of two classes: fools and hypocrites.
- Thomas Jefferson

Quote of the Day

"All I've ever wanted was an honest week's pay for an honest day's work."
- Steve Martin in "Sgt.Bilko"

Quote of the Day

Never compromise, not even in the face of Armageddon.
- Rorschach, "Watchmen"

LeFevre Overlook

Some pics from an overlook in northern Arizona, gazing into southern Utah.

This is from House Rock overlook, where you can look out onto a huge plain.


This is from LeFevre overlook. The far off hills had a Mordor like quality.


Again, with a huge plain.


It was getting darker by the minute.

Quote of the Day

Old age is not so bad when you consider the alternatives.
- Maurice Chevalier

Cliff Dwellers

The Cliff Dwellers is a minor attraction in northern Arizona, along the Alternative US-89. It was originally built by former Ziegfeld dancer Blanche Russell in 1927, when her car broke down here. She found the place so nice she decided to take up residence and today one can drive all the way up to the "buildings" and gawp at one's own leisure.

All pics.

Half rock, half primitive stone house.


Insanely shaped rock.


I think the low building was a shitter.

Navaho Bridge

Navaho Bridge was the first bridge to cross the Colorado River in Arizona when it was opened in 1929. Today you can walk across it while traffic is wooshing by on the more modern bridge, which was opened in 1995.

Approaching from the south.


Nice surroundings.


The Colorado river flowing lazy beneath us.


A glimpse of the new bridge.


No, I didn't walk the full length of it; none of us could be bothered. Besides, it was cold and I had to pee.

Deer at Grand Canyon

While driving out of the Grand Canyon Village area, we happened upon a very cute thing. A doe and three little bambies were walking around without a care in the world. Naturally, we got up our cameras and fired off some shots.



In this pic it looks like one of the bambies has its head stuck up the doe's ass.


They were very cute.


This little fella was busy scratching hisself.


So cute.

Quote of the Day

I'm 43 today.

My opinions may have changed, but not the fact that I am right.
- Ashleigh Brilliant

Return to the Grand Canyon

On the evening of Dec 26, we packed our bags and headed for Flagstaff. We didn't make it till after midnight, but the general mood was good. The next morning we drove through a wooded area up to Grand Canyon, which I last visited in 2009.

This time we went and saw stuff we didn't see in 2009, on account of the whole area being only open to shuttle bus traffic back then. Meaning we'd have to fraternize with plebeians, and we just don't DO that sort of thing.

All pics here.

Last time, we went in July. This time was December, so much colder although also much sunnier and much less people.


My new camera allowed for better focus at long distances.


Have I mentioned that I like dead trees?


Way down there you can see the Colorado river, which over millions of years has created this wonderful landscape.

Quote of the Day

Politics, when I am in it, makes me sick.
- Edward de Bono