Aside from nearly getting blown out of Utah by last night's windstorm, today started out strong with a 7:00 run to Landscape Arch (306' wide) then on towards Navajo and Partition Arches. It was a high quality run, with amazing views, a kick ass sunrise over the desert, and only a few effects of the altitude.
After breakfast, we hiked what I had run so Liv could see Landscape Arch. The thing's breathtaking. Apparently, the Park Service used to let people hike underneath it, until a few years ago when a 60 Ton section of the arch fell and nearly squished a family from Boulder. The good thing was the father got a video of the collapse. Pine and Tunnel Arches were very attractive and secluded away from the tourists, but what tourists were there managed to prevent us from getting close to the formations as they creepily did a photo shoot of their young daughter. I think Liv managed to get into their slightly incestuous family picture.
Leaving the Devil's Garden area, we did a quick stop at Delicate Arch but again only saw it from a distance. It's nice looking, but the travel books trump it too much. In Moab, we got more foodstuffs, then grabbed sandwiches at The Peace Tree Cafe (an excellent hippie establishment) where we watched the awkwardness of an arranged date between two teenagers by some misaligned father.
After a quick oil change for the Wagon and a library stop for Liv, we got on the road for the short drive to Canyonlands National Park a few miles out of town. We hauled ass along the park road because a lady in town told us campsites would be at a premium, but arriving at Willowflat Campground we were the only people there. Dropping our stuff to claim the site, we then headed to Aztec Butte for a quick hike to some Aztec ruins. The hike was short, easy, and the ruins absolutely awesome. A few thousand years ago, the Aztecs used the butte's (hence the creative name) natural pockets to safely store grain. The granaries are perched on the edge of a good sized cliff but are easily accessible and remarkably well built.
Back towards the campsite, we cooked a good meal based around rice while the atrocious bugs forced us to eat in the tent. Then it was off to the Green River Overlook to watch the sunset. It was a stunning view with the Green River flowing 1,500' below and the sunset casting everything in a dark orange light. The only drawback was the 100 degree temperatures and the ass who decided to throw out my water bottle.
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