Happy Monday, friends! I’m spending this week traveling with family in southern Utah and I am so excited to share all of our best rock photography throughout our travels. After planning this trip with the excellent help of the Internet we are finally here in a rural town called Moab.
The view from our room at Sorrel River Ranch!
Our trip got off to a rocky start on Saturday when we missed our flight to Salt Lake City. It was one of those I-could-have-sworn-the-flight-was-at-7:40-not-7:10 moments, and we were on our way to the airport when we realized our plane was about to take off. Whoops.
In a frenzy to still make our connection, we redirected ourselves towards a different airport, repurchased tickets to Salt Lake, only to find that the flight was delayed. I found myself sprinting like a maniac through the Salt Lake City airport only to barely see our plane to Moab back away from the gate. Darn.
So, in an effort to make it to our hotel by nightfall, we decided to drive to Moab instead. It would take 3.5 hours– no problem.
We took turns driving. I was the last of course, and not far into my stretch of the drive I see blue and cherry lights twinkling at me. A curt, blue-eyed officer asked me if I was aware that the speed limit was 55. No, the last sign I saw said 65. Without a sign of sympathy he wrote me my very first speeding ticket. Great.
There were no mishaps that followed, and we did make it to our rooms at Sorrel River Ranch by nightfall. And today we explored our first national park: Arches.
Arches National Park is absolutely stunning. And while it’s famous for– you guessed it– its thousands of natural stone arches, it also has some really special rock formations that are super grand and unbelievably old.
We’re off to other rock-watching activities this week and I hope to share more photos as we progress in our adventures! I took all of these shots today and my husband is patiently teaching me Lightroom basics, so hopefully the image quality will also improve throughout the week.
One last note. This is the Wild West, and in some ways it feels foreign to me. I’ve been to Wyoming before, but for the most part I live and breathe coastal cities. San Francisco, Boston, New York, LA– I’ve become familiar with all of these over the years. But the West? It doesn’t really scream me, and nor do I particularly resemble it.
But there’s a special spirit to this place. Everything is HUGE. And vast. And unconventionally lovely. Its ruggedness is accompanied by soft, gentle colors. The breeze is the kindest to brush across my face in a while.
There’s something about the free-spirited mindset of the American Frontier to which so many of us refer and so few of us have truly experienced. While I probably would not have been the first to throw my belongings in a covered wagon (a la Laura Ingalls Wilder), I like the idea of it. Let’s see where it takes me.
GIRL! My family is in St George! If you ever come out to Texas area hit me up, we should get together! 🙂
I seriously can’t wait to see what you photograph and experience when you go out there!! 🙂 Do let me know if you have specific questions! Moab is a great little town 🙂
Oh man I know exactly the feeling! We missed our flight from Moab to SLC so that’s how we ended up driving there too, exactly where I got the ticket! That whole area of the US is stunning– strange and incredible!
Oh wow I’m so excited to get to catch up on your recent travels! I’ll be in Utah in May myself so I’m taking good notes! So sorry to hear about your trips rocky (haha) beginning — although it sounds like you’re keeping your spirits up regardless! I have missed some flights in my day as well and it is definitely not a good time. Glad the two of you are keeping your heads high and focusing on the beauty around you — these photos are absolutely breahtaking!
xo
http://www.threadandbones.com
I am so sorry to hear about your rough start to your trip-nothing is worse than missed flights AND delays. We actually drove to Moab from SLC and while I loved the scenery (I’m on the East Coast and we have nothing remotely like that), the constantly changing speed limits were a pain, not to mention how every time it went down to one lane, we were always stuck behind multiple tractor trailers and couldn’t pass them. Gorgeous photos though! Brings back terrific month old memories 🙂
It was an amazing trip, you would love the wild west Chrissy! As long as you get yourself to the US, it won’t be hard to go there! 🙂
It turned out well, friend! Hope you had a lovely spring break too. Let’s get together again soon. xoxo
I would LOVE to go to the wild west (always reminds me of that Mary Kate and Ashley movie “How The West Was Fun” haha)! Sorry to hear about the bad start to your trip, at least you got there in the end!!
Chrissy x
http://www.chrissylilly.com
ugh, I’m so sorry for the rough start to your trip! I hope the rest of your break goes smoothly!! xo
Thanks Carolyn! 🙂
Awesome! I hope it continues to be! Have a safe vacation.
SO beautiful! I can’t wait to visit one day!
http://heyprettything.com
Thanks friend! This place is incredible, it brings joy to my soul. Have a great week!
Yes I know right! I used to be the kind of person who was “on top of it” especially when it came to travel, but I think my husband and I both dropped the ball on this one! But Utah is absolutely amazing and we’re loving it so far!
It’s so amazing– even places that are not national parks are incredible!
Thanks girl! It’s an absolutely incredible place!
Thanks so much! 🙂
Thanks so much Brigita! 🙂
Thank you so much Rachel! I really appreciate you stopping by 🙂
It’s been absolutely wonderful so far! 🙂
I’m glad to know that the two of navigated through the rough start as well as possible. Now, you get to enjoy some of God’s most stunning creation! Thanks for sharing photos of this gorgeous landscape. Happy Monday, Daisy!
http://www.lovecompassionatelee.com/thinkoutloud/2015/3/18/31815
Oh wow, your trip got off to a complicated start! It’s exactly because of mishaps like yours with the flight time that I tend to check and re-check, and re-check our itineraries when we’ve got a flight booked somewhere…so far I’ve never missed a plane, but it happens all too easily. Both of my parents have missed planes when they were flying somewhere for work!
Good for you guys that you didn’t let the mishaps ruin your vacation! That park looks just beautiful to wander and explore!
Ouch! Sorry about try speeding ticket! What a sucky way to start off, but this place is amazing! I’ve never been even though it’s not that far from SoCal. I think Utah has some of the most beautiful landscapes in America! Enjoy your trip!!!
Beautiful! My parents were at Arches last summer and all their photos made me totally jealous! Bucket list for sure!
Hope you have a great time!
Gorgeous photos!! I hope the rest of your trip is amazing! 🙂
http://www.losetheroad.blogspot.ca
Looks and sounds amazing!
Brigita
http://www.lostinpattern.com/
Great photos! This is a place I hope to visit one day,
http://www.racheldinh.com
My sister visited this same park back in 2012 and she photos were so beautiful! Besides your little hiccup in the beginning, it seems like you had a fabulous time. (:
http://www.accordingtokiki123.blogspot.com
I know right! Glad to hear I’m not alone. 😉 And yes, this place is absolutely amazing!
Thanks Brittany!! And haha, that’s so kind of you 🙂 It was an adventure from the start! Thankfully no hiccups once we finally got here!
It’s amazing, Chelsea!!
These photos are absolutely stunning! And the ticket scenario has happened to me…no sympathy at all and I had honestly no clue I was speeding!
xo Southern Style
These photos are gorgeous, Daisy! And I really appreciate your writing — it accompanies each photo beautifully. You’re an amazing storyteller.
And yikes, what a rocky start you had to your trip! I’m so glad it didn’t hold you back from enjoying this time. I admire your quick thinking and flexibility with these unexpected changes!
What a gorgeous place!
Cool! I’ve yet to go to the Grand Canyon!
It’s absolutely amazing! You live in Utah?! Amazing! And yes, we really want to visit Zion and Bryce some time too, we just realized these incredible parks are SO far from each other. I hope you do make it to Moab though, Arches is really special and so is Canyonlands, which we’re visiting tomorrow 🙂 Thanks for reading, Sam!
It’s really stunning, sometimes the formations are so strange it’s hard to believe I’m still on planet Earth (as opposed to Mars…)
I’m from California originally but lived in AZ almost 10 years 🙂
Hahah yes… I honestly have NEVER been pulled over before so of course it happens in the Wild West… that’s what I get for my lawlessness. And I’d love to see some of your photos, and I’ll let you know the best of what I’ve learned! 🙂
Haha thanks Lisa. It truly is gorgeous!!
Haha it sure was! there’s tons of exploring ahead 🙂
It’s SO incredible! And you’re from Arizona?! That’s on my bucket list!
Moab is gorgeous, isn’t it?? I’ve been living in Utah for a few years now (I am not from here but I came out here for school) and sadly I’ve never been to Moab, but most of my friends have and they love it. Next time you come to Utah, you need to check out Zions National Park. That place is to die for!! Ps–sorry you got a speeding ticket. I swear the cops here are the worst. 🙁 And the speed limits on the freeways change at the most random spots. Gorgeous pictures!!
–Sam
http://www.BesosFromAmerica.com
Oh wow, the rock formations are stunning, Daisy! And it does look like you’re in a completely different place, I can only imagine how amazing it is to be there and see it yourself.
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
Well, at least Utah is a beautiful enough destination to be worth all the hoopla, right? 🙂 Sorry about that speeding ticket though… those are always a bummer.
Anyway, I’m learning Lightroom right now too! Let me know if you learn any good tricks.
Dang, sorry about the travel hiccups. I’m sure the views and experience more than make up for the slight troubles at the start. It looks BEAUTIFUL, enjoy!!!!
Oh wow what an eventful trip! But you got there in the end, despite all of the hassle! Hope you enjoy your time there – looks like there is plenty of beautiful scenery to help you relax and de-stress after your adventures!
Away From The Blue
Isn’t Arches great? I’m from Arizona and just love the southwest!