Moki Dugway, Utah

This was an awesome drive leaving Natural Bridges National Monument, down a switch back mountain on gravel with a 10% downgrade the whole way.  We were in my Dodge Dakota and it did very well.  What a view and what a drive!

 This is looking DOWN!

 How about these for hair pin turns?

 We are still looking down but are getting closer to the bottom.

Can you imagine making this turn in a Semi truck?  Well it happens, one passed us and we had to squeeze over like a sardine.

Anasazi Cliff Ruins and the National Bridges National Monument, Utah

The first photos are of Butler Wash Ruins.  Double click each of these photos to get a better view.  Check out the video also.

These are foot holds chipped from the cliff so the Indians could be more sure footed.

                     The next ruins are called MULE CANYON RUINS.

This ruin is called HORSECOLLAR RUINS.

We also saw the Natural Bridges from afar.  It was a very lengthy hike to get to the base of them which we did not choose to take.  I got pictures from above.

This photo of a photo gives the height and width of the bridge.

  This one below is a photo of a photo that gives a clearer view.

 I took these because they are such an unusual formation of sandstone.

Bluff Utah, Hovenweep National Monument

These are the ruins of the Paiute and Ute Indians.  These buildings were built on the bluffs, not into the cliffs as the Navajo did.  We hiked the full circle around the gulch and saw the structures along both sides.  The stones were shaped square and tightly fitted together.  Very good craftsmen did beautiful work many hundreds of years ago and they still stand. 

We had an observer as we drove toward our goal.

This was quite a lengthy hike, and it was a hot day!

Round Tower

Twin Towers

Square Tower

Stronghold House

Round Tower again

Boulder House

Stronghold House, different angle.

Four Corners: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah

Ever stand in four states at one one time, well I almost could but I only have two legs.  I guess I could have bent over and but my hands in the other two states, eh?
Each state has a very nice brass disc with its state name on it.

Yours truly

Dan Rodwill, my best guy friend.

Arizona

Utah

Colorado

New Mexico

Bluff Utah, Valley of The Gods

What better name for the amazing structures in this beautiful red land, standing tall as a powerful "god" would.  

These stunning angles and colors of the sediment layers and rise and fall of the designs caused us to stop the car so we could stare!

"Hole In The Rock" Home, Utah

As we were leaving Utah I stopped in to see the Whole In The Rock Home which I had driven by a few times in years past and never took the time, this time I did.  What an amazing place.  It was all dug and blasted out by Albert and Gladys Christensen during the 1940's and 50's.  It took 12 years and excavation of 50,000 cubic feet of sandstone.  It is 5000 sq. ft. large.  He drilled through solid sandstone to create a 65 foot tall chimney.

Main home entrance

Entrance off the kitchen

The first sculpture of this was destroyed.  He was told by the powers to be that he had created it but not on his land so was told to remove it.  He did by chopping it out.  He was then fined for defacing the land.  Go figure huh?

Main entry

This is the entrance near his studio.

This ended up being Albert sick bed until his death.

Gladys made this bathroom herself.

This is a very well designed kitchen with a built in deep fryer!

Gladys'  bedroom

Huge fireplace.

A lovely and serene place.

Albert passed away in 1957 and Gladys continued living there and developed a unique gift shop.  She lived there until her death in 1947.  They are both laid to rest there next to the head stone that Gladys herself sculpted.