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Showing posts from September, 2016

Bryce Canyon - A Fantasy-Fest

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I remember the feelings that ran through me when my husband Richard and I visited the south rim of the Grand Canyon.  It was June 2010, one of our annual trips from Scotland to the USA, to visit Richard’s mom, and take the opportunity to do a short road trip at the same time.  It was, for me, the most incredible vista, the memory of which I thought would last me a lifetime.  You know, when you finally reach that time in the assisted living home and share the best and worst of times with your inmates… this one place would be the one to top it all. For me, standing on the edge of a precipice with views that extend for miles over more than 180 degrees of buttes and cliffs wearing layered coats of color, was the most humbling and spiritual feeling I had ever felt looking at a geological wonder. My heart soared and I felt on top of the world and closer to heaven all at the same time.  I cried at the beauty of the scene, and my existence in this wonderful world. I finally understood the wo

Rockslicking Granny

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The highlight of our week spent in Moab, Utah, must be doing a Highland fling under the iconic Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, in Utah.   And it wasn’t because I was applauded for my dancing – though obviously doing an attempt at a Scottish jig over my crossed over hiking sticks was deemed one of the more unusual poses that visitors to this site attempted that morning. Posing under the hundred plus arches that can be found in the area seems to be a common activity.  By the way, arches are caused by wind erosion. No, the highlight for me doing a jig here, was the fact that I was there at all AND had the nerve to let go of my hiking poles to dance on a ledge with precipitous drop offs on either side of me.  To reach this world famous arch you have to hike about a mile and a half on a “difficult” uphill climb over open slickrock  slickrock “with some exposure to heights”. And that’s the operative word.  Heights.  It’s not that I have a fear of heights.  Neither