A week in Moab

As I mentioned, this past month seems to be rather busy.  Lots of out of town company, deadlines to meet and being active at the peak of the tourist season with guiding.

But things are slowing down a bit. I submitted my manuscript, and if guiding is keeping me busy, I get to work where other people play. 🙂

I continue to be amazed that I’ve traded my beige box for red rocks.

And some red flowers, too.

And see a few things on my own, too.  In particular some Rock Images.

We all have our favorite type of Rock Images.  Some love representation of ancient ceremonial rites.  Others perhaps favor the spirals and similar types representing news and info for those who wander by.  Myself? I find I am intrigued by archaeoastronomical Rock Images. As a species, what happens above always intrigued us and made us wonder. And those celestial events ended up being a crucial part for planning purposes, religious rites, and maybe just plain old inspiration.

A canyon off the beaten path outside of Moab has no maintained trail. Just an old cattle trail descending into the canyon and a somewhat sketchy climbers path exiting the canyon. Towards the end of the canyon and near some spires are some ancient pictographs. The red and yellow pigments are still prominent against the red rock hundreds of years later. To my non-expert eye, they look like Barrier-era pictographs. And it seems like a record of a comet observation from long ago.

The canyon itself is beautiful and little used.

And full of wildflowers during this lush spring.

And even when in town on errands, I like to make a quick pit stop. The “Moab Man” panel is only .5 miles from a road I use to go home. When you look at a map and ignore the modern homes and streets (some of which are ancient paths), straightforward to see how all these spots connected and led to travel routes and places such as the nearby La Sal Mountains. Many of these ancient artworks are at the entrance and exits of canyons. A sign for travelers hundreds of years ago not much different than our markers in the modern age.

After a few weeks of writing guiding, (and catching a bad cold!) and playing host, I am finally getting in some backpacking in at the end of May. More delights on The Colorado Plateau. Both to places where I’ve been but exploring on a deeper level.

I could be here twenty-years, and I don’t think I’ll be able to see and explore all the secret nooks and crannies of this land.