Maroon Bells

Lake at Maroon Bells

With only an afternoon in Aspen, we decided we would spend our time at Maroon Bells, renowned for beautiful vistas and fantastic photo opportunities.

It was much more than we had dared to hope for. The mountain road is very well maintained and easily navigable, unlike other roads we were on two years ago when we first visited Colorado. We drove to about 9,200 feet where the air did feel a little thin, but the path was easy and we walked up to the lake.

Two marmots cuddling up

The sun came out just as we reached the amphitheater, and I took advantage of the light to shoot a lot of pictures. My favorite pic is of two marmots who seemed to be posing for me.

Bob and Cath 

This is one of the most beautiful parks I've ever visited. Quiet, serene, beautiful. The aspens were just starting to change color and summer seemed to be slipping into fall. We came down the mountain at the very end of the afternoon and visited the town, looking for a dinner venue. In the end, we felt too tired to go out so stopped at City Market once again and put together a wonderful takeout meal of chipotle salmon, crab salad, beans almandine, melon, and cheesecake for dessert.

A perfect day. The sky is bright with lightning now, but I haven't succeeded in getting a good shot. Looking forward to coffee on the deck tomorrow morning.

Aspen

View from our condo in Aspen Square

Bob wanted to visit Aspen because, for some reason, we missed it when we were in Colorado two years ago. I was lukewarm, but was eager for a day with only a few hours of driving.

The morning weather didn't look promising, but we were soon on our way from Grand Junction to Aspen in almost full sun. We had a little trouble finding visitor information in Aspen, but the Chamber of Commerce was very helpful and we were shepherded to an interior office for help finding accommodations. We booked a studio at Aspen Square for $149, about $50 lower than I found online when I checked after our arrival.

It was great to be settled for the night shortly after noon! We shopped for lunch at City Market a block away. We were soon settled in our comfy studio apartment and ate on the deck, enjoying the view of the city below and the mountains in the distance.

Overnight in Grand Junction, Colorado

On the way to I-70

After visiting Arches National Park, I was ready to hit a hotel and pool for the evening. However, it was only 4:45 and Bob was not inclined to burn daylight by wasting it on a cocktail hour. Nope. In fact, still under the influence of the personable visitor center rep in Blanding, he was determined to take the "scenic route" on SR 128. After a quick sky check for storm clouds, which would have made the highway a non-viable choice, we set off on a highway reduced to one lane by road repairs.

We pressed on, and after twenty minutes or so, we were too far along to thing of turning back, following the muddy Colorado River, heading for I-70 some 42 miles to our NE. I have to admit that the route was beautiful, with the sun setting behind us and the red rocks fading to shadow.

In Colorado, toward Grand junction

By the time we reached the freeway, we still had over thirty miles to go before reaching Grand Junction, Colorado. We were too tired to appreciate all the beautiful scenery just west of the city. The GPS directed us to Main Street, about 5 miles away from the freeway, and we settled on SpringHill Suites, where I was a little surprised to find out I had an affinity card.

The hotel itself looks dated, but our king suite was terrific. Very retro, except for the great Wi-Fi speed, high end lighting and comfortable seating. And the bed! My best night's sleep so far. We were too tired to go out for dinner so we polished off our Kaukauna cheese on crackers, with scotch for Bob and bourbon for me.

We had breakfast outdoors, on the terrace but really right on Main Street, then packed up for a rather late out, slightly after 9:00 a.m.

Crossing Utah

Characteristic southern Utah landscape

Yesterday's drive from Tuba City was inspired, in part, by Scott Hennessey's recent motorcycle trip that included parts of Utah. The morning was fresh but more heat was promised as we enjoyed our second cup of coffee outside our Tuba City hotel. Gas, and then we hit the road.

We expected a long day through the parched land, but instead were surrounded by beautifully colored hills, mesas and welcoming little communities along the way. The hospitality rep at the visitors' center in Blanding, Utah persuaded us to visit Arches National Park, a few hours away.

We stopped in Monticello for lunch and $$ at Wells Fargo, and were in awe of the beauty surrounding us as we drove -- an all-day scenic "Sunday ride". By mid-afternoon, I had already run through the batteries on my old Lumix camera and was well into the first Samsung battery -- I'd been saving the Samsung with the good zoom for the park.



The Arches National Park

Somewhere along the way we'd returned to MDT, an hour ahead of Arizona time, though I'm not sure what that meant for our day. By late afternoon when we arrived at the park, the temperature was 104 degrees F so we decided to drive and see major attractions, rather than hike a little and not see much of anything. We weren't disappointed.

In the early evening, we made our way back to Hwy 128 for Grand Junction.











Navajo and Hopi in the Southwest

I've always been drawn to native spirituality and the images evoked in art: land, water, animals, birds, plants -- all rooted in profound awareness of and respect for the Creator.

The Hopi and Navajo people we've met on our journey have been welcoming, helpful and pleasant. I bought a beautiful wooden ornament near Sedona and earrings yesterday after we crossed the border into Utah. I feel uplifted after talking with the artists who sell their work at roadside stands.

The hotel in Tuba City is staffed mostly by Hopi, who must live somewhere in the area, maybe in one of the many rundown properties we passed along the road. The poverty rates for indigenous peoples is shockingly high, as evidenced 2010 census reports. Several cities we've visited on this trip are on the list of the Top 20. I was even more shocked to read that Minneapolis, one of the Twin Cities a few miles from my own home, is #2.

Tuba City

Hopi hotel emblem

Wednesday night we stayed in Tuba City, named for Hopi leader Tuuvi (1810-1887), converted by Mormon missionaries in the mid-nineteenth century. We felt lucky to see any accommodations at all in this little community noted for dinosaur tracks and its proximity to Navajo landmarks and artifacts.  Our drive-by past the Quality Inn did not look promising, especially after I noticed the roaming stray dogs and the RV park that seemed to be incorporated into the property.




The hotel is filled with beautiful art

We stayed at the Moenkopi Legacy Inn and Suites, a brand new hotel on the main street that we'd noticed on our way into town. It was beautiful and still had with the new construction smell. It felt "Hopi" rather than "Mormon" to me, though one of the two desk customer service reps was the daughter of missionaries from South Dakota, whom I presumed (but didn't know) were Mormon.
After a long day on the road, this Irish woman needed a drink and I was somewhat dismayed to learn alcohol  is prohibited on the premises. A Hopi or a Mormon rule? Maybe both: I read later in my travel literature that alcohol is nearly always illegal on Indian reservations in Arizona.