June 26 - Colorado National Monument

I entered the park in darkness a awoke to quite a landscape. I figured out the trail system and decided on an early morning hike. The drive to Arches was only an hour and a half drive.

The trail I picked (with the help of the ranger) was to the Indepence monument. I was about a five mile walk to the monument. Down into a valley on the way out and up on the way back. I only went about four of the five miles.

	This is the start of the trail. First looking down, then looking out along the ridge.
	Some views of the surrounding area and a look back up to where I have to hike back to.
	It really was a nice morning for a walk. I think this was the only park I visited where I didn't get rain. I did have a lot of rain on the road leading to this point, but otherwise the weather was perfect. Though if I would have started any later it would have been a very hot climb back to the car.
	Independence monument is the one in the center of the picture. This is the point where I stopped, took a break and headed back.
	Some shots on the way back.
	After this hike I got in my car and started driving. First things first was a shower at an RV park just outside the monument. $5, but just a regular shower, not 5-8 minute timer. It was much needed. I arrived at arches around 10 or 11am. Just inside the gate is the visitor center and a steep road leading into the park. I talked to a ranger and looked at a map and decided this was just another drive-up and shoot park. A meager trail system and roads right up to everything significant. The lady next to me was talking to another ranger and raving about "Delicate Arch" and how amazing it was and interested in the fact that it was formed in the last few years. I looked at a map and sure enough a road lead right to it. I curiously wondered to myself if a Disneyland construction crew was on a secret holiday the day Delicate Arch was formed? I got back to my car and went back through the gate without looking back. Looked at my map and chose another national park within driving distance. Canyonlands looked interesting. I had never heard of it and it looked at least 40 miles off the main road. I figured that should get me some distance from the McDonald's crowd. Oh, on the drive I was having some deep thoughts and wrote this poem: Choices - We all make choices We chose to smile We all make choices We chose to be sad When life sends a hardship, We can accept We can deny We can simply change course The struggle of life The current of time Are both too strong For our mortal will When the sands shift We can chose balance Or we can fall Our position is in our own hands All green forests burn. All burned forests recover When it's your turn Just make it greener than before What do you chose? When it comes your way Catch it And smile. Turn away from the dark Come face the light Let it warm your soul And chose to be bright. Choose life.
	The first couple of shots from the car were enough for me to know I had done the right thing in leaving Arches. Of all the places I visited, this is the one place I most want to return to.
	A view from my campsite. It rained in the evening and I was able to make dinner between thundershowers. It rained a good amount during the night time, but the next day I had a nice cool cloud cover in the morning and was able to start out on a hike that was further than was recommended if it were hot.
	A flower in my campsite.
	Some shots at dusk. This is looking out from where my tent was.
	I got up early because I was convinced the terrain would make for a nice sunrise. I wasn't disappointed. It wasn't as nice as the sunrise in the Badlands, but it was nice.

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