Mesmerising Utah

We (Tex;Leroy and myself ) had flown into Salt Lake City before . It was freezing then , 4 months later it was nearly 40 Celsius . The contrast was extraordinary. I had been watching the weather forecast with interest . An unprecedented hot spell had hit the upper Midwest . By the time we arrive we are a mercifully at the end of it , but geez it’s still brutally hot . When we leave the air conditioned sanctuary of the airport and enter the car park the kids scurry to our rental car demanding I start the car immediately so as we can get the air pumping . 4 months earlier it was a winter wonderland. A city hemmed in by mountains covered in snow , pine trees dusted white , chalets , chairlifts …..beautiful . Just what you imagined . This time it was a more industrial / agricultural feel , scotched harsh by a fierce sun . Things would change . Emma had us travelling 3 and a half hours to Moab , from Salt Lake City . The first 2 and half hours were pretty unremarkable . It was pleasant enough with mountains slowly fading on our left , drifting into rural middle America . Eventually we descend into a valley and then slowly climb again .The road started to undulate , pushing into a landscape of ridges , red rocky embankments , cliffs , drops and sweeping bends . Canyons , carved faces of red granite , distant shapes and monoliths started to appear . Shit , it looks like we ate driving to Mars .

Wow and wow again . The landscape coming into Moab can not be under hyped and this was only a small taste of what is to come . It was like the ranges had been mined , open cut style with layers , but this had been curated by Mother Nature over god knows how many thousands of years . We pass by Canyonland on the way into Moab . Emma tells me that this is a place we will be visiting tomorrow . I can’t wait . The last few miles before reaching Moab is dissected by a highway cut through massive red rising rock and gorge on either side . Everything feels big , like prehistoric big . It’s a theme that will continue throughout the next few days .

The mighty Colorado river in Moab that eventually carves its way through the Grand Canyon .

Moab sits on the Colorado river . Yep that’s the same Colorado river that runs through the Grand Canyon . Moab is essentially a tourist town that works off 3 magnificent natural wonders of the US ; Arches National Park , Canyonland and the Colorado River . The town itself sits on the 191 . It has a few restaurants, gift shops , some cool arts , crafts ,stone and crystal shops and an area set up around some food trucks . It was busy each time we headed in but I enjoy a bit of people watching and the buzz of people in holiday mode . All up I think Moab is a pretty cool little town , there’s not much either side of it ,apart from of course the brilliant Utah landscape .