The American West, a mess of red rocks, juniper trees, buttes and vast expanses. An unforgiving landscape that boasts some of the most popular National Parks in the United States of America. As a bearded American needing to quench my thirst for adventure I decided it was high time I saddled up the hog for a solo journey. I should mention that I recently acquired a new motorcycle, Olive, who is bigger, stronger and faster than my previous one. Two hundred and fifty miles of lonely two lane highways, sprinkled with a couple of twisty canyons, separated me from my destination. So, with red rocks on the brain and the rumbling of my trusty steed beneath me, I set a course south, for adventure, for excitement, for freedom and for the love of America.
I had never been on a long distance ride, this would be a trial run to discover if I was manly enough to endure the rigors of a solo trip. After my first hundred miles I was ecstatic, cruising through scenic landscapes with unbridled views from every direction, I was convinced that I seeing the west the way God intended. The miles melted away and before I knew it, the red sands of Moab were welcoming me to my destination. Arches National Park. After meeting up with a good friend of mine, a Ranger in the park, it was time to go exploring. I would like to give a big shout out to Leslie and Nathaniel for taking me way off the beaten track so I could experience some of the lesser known areas of Arches.
My second evening in Arches, I decided to spend with Olive, cruising every mile of road the park had to offer. Leaning in and out of turns, whizzing by monoliths of stone, coming over hills to a churning sea of red rock frozen in time, never before had I taken in this landscape in such a grand scale. After getting to the end of the road I turned around to make my way back, the sun had just slipped below the horizon in front of me and the full moon had made her appearance behind me. The landscape I had passed before now turned into a shaded tapestry of shifting shadows. What were once lone towers of rock blended in to the stone walls behind them, giving them an unfathomable depth. Only once the sun had fully set and a crisp spring chill had gripped the night air, did I decide to leave the park.
I don't believe thats photos are able do justice to a true human experience, but they are fun to look at. So here are some now, thanks for reading!
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| Olive, ready to roll out. |
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| Made it to Green River. |
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| "Life, uh... finds a way" -Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park |
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| Leslie and her map skills. |
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| We decided this would be "Moonisota Arch" |
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| Crazy how nature do that... |
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| Olive and the Lasal Mountains. |
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| That there is an Arch. |
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| End of the road. |
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| AMERICA! |
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| Packed up and heading home. |
