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It is not hard to imagine the colorfully hued rock formations of Utah being submerged under a sea of blue. They would perhaps fit better there than sitting incongruously on the planet's exterior. Capitol Reef National Park's name comes from its hallmark feature, the Waterpocket Fold. This 100 mile unbroken buckling of the Earth's surface was called a reef by early settlers referring to its impenetrability. Yet, the least famous and visited of Utah's National Parks is much more than this unusual wrinkle on the planet's crust; it is valley full of life with a river flowing through it. The Fremont River sustained the Navajo from whom the sandstone forming the park's colorful features takes its name and Mormon's who forged a land of fruit and plenty in an otherwise unlikely place.

The park's lack of visitors is one of its great pleasures, with one of the more developed but least used hiking networks among Utah parks. Combine this with surreal scenic drives as well as well-preserved remnants of early Mormon settler life and one can easily be wooed by an idyllic pastoral quality, where fruit orchards and rainbow rocks mix effortlessly in a place the Navajo so eloquently called The Land of the Sleeping Rainbow.

Kodachrome Basin State Park both benefits and suffers by its proximity to neighboring Utah National and State Parks. While true those drawn to parks like Bryce Canyon National Park will likely be intrigued with a stop here if time permits, it is inevitable there will be comparisons between the two. Most would probably rate Bryce as more spectacular than Kodachrome but each park has its own merits and if one is seeking a little solitude it is far more likely in the latter. With evidence of a Geothermic past ala Yellowstone, Kodachrome Basin stands as a more profuse conglomeration of colors and its array of odd shaped and multi-colored chimneys stand testament to being dubbed Kodachrome after the Kodak Film Company's popular product of the time of its inception. However you shoot it, Kodachrome Basin State Park offers a great place to camp in a beautiful desert terrain with nice short hikes amongst some very scenic rock formations.

Bryce Canyon National Park seems almost too perfect. There is an eery Disney-like quality to the surrealistically colorful hoodoos and the park's innovative trails that bring visitors into tight weaves amongst what initially look like plastic recreations of sand drippings from above. But make no mistake these are sandstone formations made entirely by the forces of nature. What nature intended in its result is not entirely certain but its effect on man is not: awe.

The spell that Bryce Canyon casts on all visitors who gaze upon its hoodoos is nothing new. Paiutes attributed the magical rock formations to being people turned to stone by a god-like coyote and it would be the rare person indeed who did not ascribe their formation to some type of power from above. Sure, we all know about erosion but why here and in such profusion. Their formation can be explained physically but how can it be that the result is so visually stunning, so stiring within? Man's all consuming need to pose such questions lies at the very core of why we as a species are drawn to such sites to not only gaze but contemplate our place in the universe. It is perhaps the only time we realize that we are likely not the center of any such constellation.

With a name like Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument you would think the National Park system had grandiose plans for this sublime piece of Utah real estate when it was designated a protected area in 1996, but the young park was relegated to the Bureau of Land Management and hence lost a bit of the gloss associated with its more famous National Park cousins in the state. No matter, it appears enough people are finding out about it just the same and perhaps the reasoning behind the managerial choice was to keep it less developed and hence more wild than a bona fide National Park. With little known but sure fire attractions like The Wave and Buckskin Gulch, it might be for the best to keep roads to them unpaved and relegated more for adventure seekers. Even this growing group is having to be kept at bay with permit requirements to protect this fragile ecosystem What they seek is a communion with nature that the National Park system has used as its calling card for a century but has lost sight of in its quest for convenience. Many will complain that such national treasures should be more accessible to the masses who in tax dollars fund them but this is one grand experiment that seems to be proving that less can indeed be more.

Zion National Park has got to be one of the most gorgeous sights in the world. Sheer red rock in various hues shoot up from a lovely lush flat pastoral valley with a raging Virgin River running through it. It is not hard to imagine a dinosaur lumbering through this Jurassic looking park yet only small traces remain of the area's early inhabitants of 12,000 years ago. Though both Anasazi and Paiute Indians left a more indelible mark a few thousand years later, Mormon settlers seem to have taken not only a more pronounced place it its history but also on the imagination of those who visit it. They even managed to wrangle the name change from its original more Native American sounding Mukuntuweap National Monument. The Christian name of Zion has perhaps a more holy sound to the current people visiting it but no matter the name, it is the person with absolutely no faith who can look upon its beauty without ascribing it to some power above. Page 17

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park would likely have National status if it were not for its misfortune of being located within a day's drive of eight other National wonders in its home state alone; not to mention the North Rim of the Grand Canyon a stone's throw below in Arizona. Framed by scenic red cliffs ala Zion and dense green forest of juniper and pinyon, the coral colored sand dunes stand out in stark contrast to form the 3700 acre State Park. ATV drivers rejoice in their good fortune but at least some of the stunningly scenic area is off limits to motorized vehicles and the gorgeous campground remains fairly tranquil. Climb the dunes or sit in serenity, but most of all let nature's beauty seep into your heart like tiny grains of sand trickling from above. Page 18

Named after the most fierce branch of the Apache tribe, Chiricahua National Monument's signature pinnacles are a fitting reminder of their strong and proud namesakes who once roamed this for them sacred land. Physical beauty in nature instills spiritual feelings in men of all creeds and it's easy to see why the Chiricahua would have been drawn to these powerful, foreboding rock pillars. Page 12

Saguaro National Park might not be one of the most famous in the National Park system but the image of the Saguaro is perhaps the defining one of the American Southwest. The iconic cacti is symbolic of the Wild Wild West and seeing them while motoring down the wide open highways is certainly one of the great joys of driving in the west of the United States. While the park might lack fame, it has an abundance of their namesake cacti in a scenic mountainside setting. Page 13

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument may lie geographically in the United States but it becomes readily apparent that borders are indeed quite arbitrary once within its confines. This is substantiated by the fact that the rare organ pipe cactus from which it derives its name is found only here and south of the border in the real Mexico. Though very impressive, the rare cacti is not the only draw of this beautiful slice of the Sonoran Desert. Despite its scenic attributes, the Monument was formed for its extensive biodiversity as well as its cultural importance to Native Americans and settlers who mined and ranchers the area. Scenic drives on gravel roads and hikes allow visitors to catch a glimpse of what is now primarily designated a wilderness area in hopes of stemming the tide of man's overuse. You might not need a passport to enter, but if you walk out into the hills you'll walk perhaps not into another country, but a different time and world awaits. Page 14

Arizona kind of creeps up on you. Though one of the most popular retirement states due to its dry sunny climate, it is not in itself the great tourist destination. Sure, everyone that travels across country is bound to go to the Grand Canyon; it's our national, natural icon. But more often than not, the masses are coming from Las Vegas and that city in the desert has Nevada tagged onto its address. Phoenix might be a great place to go to University or even live, but it's not exactly the cultural marvel as say San Francisco or New York. You have to love the desert but just how much of it can you take? Quite a bit if National Parks are your thing. The last state in the contiguous United States to join boasts more National Parks and Monuments than anywhere but California and Alaska. If Native American culture is your thing, Arizona is certainly one of the easiest places to experience it up close. Page 15

Immense, not only in its vast size, but also in its place in the psyche of Americans by citizenship and those who travel here from afar by choice, the Grand Canyon is the icon of the American National Park system. Even with such hype, few are disappointed by their first gander of its grandeur on broaching the canyon's rim. Page 16

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is like an oasis in the desert. As beautiful and natural looking as it looks, you just know it has to be man made. The red rocks and many colored hues are there, just like in much of the surrounding areas but now you have an immense lake that somehow doesn't quite fit in as much as you want it to. Factor out the man made aspect and it is one beautiful sight, especially after dwelling in the parched land around it for a few weeks. Page 20, visited from Utah

Taos is a colorful contradiction in terms. At once, the oldest continually inhabited area of North America and a modern artsy enclave of culture, this scenically situated hotbed of outdoor activity doubles as place for physical as well as mental rejuvenation. Though a retreat for the well-heeled, it is not place outside the reach of the common man. There are amenities for everyone in this friendly tourist town that has grown with a steady influx of people who came to play and found out they didn't want to leave. Who can blame them? With over 300 days of sunshine a year and most of its precipitation coming in the form of 300 inches of snow, the town is blessed not only with an incredible mountain setting but an envious dry climate. Toss in ample culture and you've got a winning recipe for not only a tourist town but a growing town of devotees who believe leaving is not an option. Page 8

Santa Fe is full of surprises. The highest and oldest capital in the United States, it boasts a climate other cities would die for with over 300 days a year of sun and enough snow to have a ski season from Thanksgiving to Easter. Hiking and biking are popular year around but its exceptional outdoor activity opportunities speak of only one facet of the charming capital of New Mexico. Bestowed a UNESCO Creative City designation, one of only nine in the world, the colorful city is doted with sculptures, frescos, and galleries. It is the third largest seller of art work in the United States. It makes an ideal base from which to explore the entire north of the enchanted state, being within easy striking distance of Taos and Albuquerque, not far off famed Route 66 if you are traveling west. If southwest cuisine is on your agenda, look no further. Santa Fe is fast becoming the gourmet capital of the southwest too. Just don't get too bored with the blue skies omnipresent overheard, they make for great contrast to the red adobe buildings sure to beguile even the jaded traveler. Page 9

The Enchanted State is an appropriate moniker for New Mexico. Its natural beauty of both desert and mountain landscapes intermingle effortlessly with the colorful adobe architecture as would befit a civilization sculptured by Native Americans long before its statehood. In fact, this is one of North America's longest inhabited places going back to 12,000 BC and an advanced civilization of Chaco by the year 700. Make no mistake the Spanish influence is readily apparent and no youngster dating back some 500 years but the soul of this place is steeped in Native legend. It breaths Geronimo. Page 10

White Sands National Monument may not be home to the highest sand dunes in the world but these hills are made of gypsum and in that department, this is the biggest patch of that mineral in the form of sand anywhere on the planet. Gypsum dissolves in water so it takes a particularly arid climate for dune formation to last for an appreciable time. When you are talking about 275 square miles of such dunes, some reaching heights of 60 feet, you are talking one awe-inspiring sight. But it's not just white sand here though to the naked eye that's what it looks like, running into infinity. Page 11

Six month trips don't grow on trees and as I get older I realize that more and more. The last one occurred for us last summer when we drove, camped, backpacked, hiked, drank, and ate our way around the USA. We took about 18,000 photos, 4,000 of which are edited and ready to post. Don't worry, I'll never get around to posting all of them but will try finally to post some, along with a few stories of our adventure. It's taken me some time as my Mom passed away not so long after our return. Healing takes time and I hope making some pages will help too.

Since it's taken a long time to get started I decided to start at the beginning. Read about our first two days in what would become a six month trek around the USA in Ybor City. Page 1 from latest trip.

From there, it was up to Destin, FL to see Gulf Islands National Seashore as well as McGuire's Brewpub beer. Page 2.

Next up was: New Orleans is a hard city to put a finger on. It is notoriously bawdy and home to some of the nation's biggest parties and yet it is renowned for its fine dining. You can be waited on by tuxedoed stiffs or pass out in the street and not even get noticed. Though it is easily has one of the country's most interesting and eclectic conglomerations of architecture, the charm is often lost on those who come to town to experience the “roll with it” attitude that makes the city a great place to unwind. But whether you come to indulge in creature comforts or to soak in old world charm, New Orleans rarely disappoints and that's saying something when the city conjures such high expectations. Page 3

I've traveled around the States before so this trip was about seeing some new places for me as showing D things I'd already discovered. I'd never been to Memphis but I guess everyone wants to go to Graceland deep down. So, we did. What we found besides the house that Elvis built was some great BBQ! Stop by Memphis today. Page 4

Little Rock, Arkansas was just a short top on our six month across US trip but besides giving us a place to stretch our legs and have a new beer, it was my 49th state in my quest to visit all of the US. Page 5

Oklahoma City was mostly just a stop on the road, one that got us onto famed Route 66 heading west. But as with any stop, there were lessons to be learned and as with any good stop, some fun to be had. We did, and we did. Page 6

Cadillac Ranch is one of those iconic places that has to be seen to be appreciated. In fact, it's the kind of thing that makes you glad you drove across country, rather than fly. Page 7