Arches and Mashed Potatoes

Our latest roost is in the beautiful Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. Our friends, Jack and Danielle, are volunteer camp hosts here and helped us select the most gorgeous spot of all (#21) in the Devil's Garden campground.
This photo is our view of La Sal Mountain and the natural splendor of the park. It's been cloudy and rainy today but this evening after the rain stopped we had a stunning display when the sun came through the clouds causing many shifting and changing colors on the sandstone in our backyard and the distant mountains.


Yesterday we went off-roading with Danielle and Jack and another couple we like being with, Jan and Geir, whom we met in Moab last year. Knowing they would never steer us wrong, when Geir and Jan kindly offered to take us on a trail called "Mashed Potatoes," we all quickly accepted. It was a great time!
Early in our afternoon's adventure they took us to a very interesting spot where two pieces of mountain have laid against each other somehow, forming a v-shape. Here's a photo of a few of our group entering one side. This opening is about 50 yards long and shows traces of mountain lions inside, seeming to be a perfect shelter for any animal. We all walked from one end to the other. The next photo is Jerry, Jack, Danielle, Geir and Jan at the other end of the tunnel/mountain.





















The next several hours on Mashed Potatoes trail was packed with 4wheeling fun. This area is an array of the petrified sand dunes that could for sure be described as mounds of those yummy potatoes.










Here's a few photos showing the enjoyment we all had in this playground.




Geir showing us how their "Rubi" does its tricks on rocks.




Below Jack and Jerry each pick their own routes, while Danielle gets the best vantage point for a photo.











The last photo on the page is Jerry taking an "extra credit" challenge. This crevice is a favorite spot for anybody wanting to add a little excitement to the trail. You have to be careful not to get a tire in the wrong place and slide sideways into the crack. Geir gave Jerry some great spotting on this one and he had a ball.

There are more photos of today's escapade posted on our photo site. If you would like to see them, click on Utah 2007 in the right column of our blog. When you are on the image page, click Utah 2007 again and then click the Moab file.