Moab

Canyonlands National Park is an impressive landscape of desert wilderness. The views from above the canyon show the expansive freedom of this park. However, since we knew the thrill of off roading White Rim trail with Zack’s Nissan Xterra, the day in Canyonlands felt a little short. We made the major stops, took amazing pictures of Mess Arch, hiked on the rim, but there’s nothing like driving on a tight dirt road and looking out the window and only seeing the canyon floor. Although De’Von has held up on most dirt roads, this was considered “off roading” and it is absolutely required to have a high clearance vehicle.

The town of Moab is cute, quant, and friendly. We spent many hours strolling the streets over the course of the 5 days in the Moab area. There is so much to do here: the national parks Canyonlands and Arches, Bear Ears National Monument, Indian Creek, Monument Valley is only a few hours away and there is a multitude of extreme mountain biking and rock climbing. Everyone seems to be active and looking for adventure. We frequently saw other people traveling in their vans, or people would give us a thumbs up if they approved of De’Von. At night, most people like us flock to Willow Flat Road, essentially a dirt road with pull offs that is free and welcomes the public. It’s known as the Edward Abbey entrance. Abbey, a famous author discusses his life as a park ranger at Arches National Park in 1956 and 57 through the book Desert Solitaire. Willow Flat is the main entrance before they created a paved road. He talks about how it’s necessary to maintain wilderness and not allow the wild to be too accessible. This book is a must read for those interested in advocacy for public land and although unconventional, he tells it how it is despite criticism. He has documented what most people who “live off the land” believe and support. Edward Abbey, is an inspiration. His words flow off the page into your thoughts when you sleep at night.

“One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am – a reluctant enthusiast….a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much; I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound men and women with their hearts in a safe deposit box, and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards.”

Anyway it felt like honor to sleep in the Abbey entrance, below the stars, away from the lights of the city and the hum of the people. We actually recognized a familiar van, pulled in where the couple was making dinner, and it was our new friends we had met in Glacier National Park almost 2 months ago. We had traveled into Canada, spent 21 days in California, drove thousands of miles, and here we both were, in a pull of, on a dirt road. We talked for hours catching up and discussing our travels.

Like most nights before holidays and exciting events, I couldn’t sleep. It was 5 am on Thanksgiving morning and I had this thought. I could just jump in the front seat while Zack’s still asleep and we could drive to Arches for sunrise, what a great way to start Thanksgiving. It was all a great idea until I started driving on the dirt road and Zack was bouncing around and could hardly get his footing. I told him my plan and he was just as excited as I was. So we pulled into Arches as the velvet sky was just started to gain color. We had no intentions of hiking, but we had never seen delicate arch up close. So we rushed/ran the steep incline of the trail and eventually arrived just as the arch was being highlighted by the warm glow of golden morning sun. We were accompanied by other lovers of the land. We all silently admired the beauty, only whispering if needed. It was a moment to think, question, and appreciate. To give thanks.

Our parents helped us out, providing us with a hotel room and reservations to a thanksgiving meal. We were thankful we knew our stomachs would be full and our bodies would be clean, at least for one night. It had been a few days since we properly cleaned ourselves and since our dinner was at 2 and we couldn’t check into the hotel until 3, Zack had to resort to washing his hair on the side of the road.

Black Friday was spent at Monument Valley. It was almost painful to listen to Christmas music in 70 degree weather. We’ve been amping each other up for Christmas and now that our friends have already visited and thanksgiving is over, the only thing we have left to talk about is coming home. We pitched our tent at The View campground, where you have front seats to sunset and sunrise on the iconic rocks of monument valley.

You may have heard about Bear Ears National Monument and the threat that the current protected public land will be downsized in order for smaller private companies to explore its resources. This blog is not about politics, however I do feel the need to mention one thing. This area is important to millions of people, the natives who have history that dates back to over 2000 years ago, the rock climbers that spend years of their lives dedicated to crack climbing in the perfect conditions of Bear Ears, the visitors who appreciate the wilderness, the solitude, the freedom. Millions of people are affected by this decision, the people who have culture here, the weekend warrior who drove hours to climb these precious cracks, the passing through like Zack and I who know we have a safe place to sleep at night, and the future visitors who may not have the same beautiful, empowering, blissful loneliness of this massive monument that we were able to have. Millions of people are affected, so why threaten those people just so a few old rich guys can get richer.

We decided, although we planned on being at Moab for another two days, that we would move on to Colorado. We were anxious for some cold weather and snow. Being from the Northeast, it was hard to be in the Christmas spirit in short sleeves and wondering if I needed to put on sunscreen on.