I made some plans to see some areas in Utah for what I hoped were going to be the height of peak fall color - with one area subject to a lottery system (to keep numbers in the canyon manageable) and another way off the beaten trail.
I started driving north and decided to check out the Very Large Array - a bunch of dishes that make up an astronomical radio observatory.
These were featured in Carl Sagan's book Contact. I remembered passing a sign for it on my way from Washington to Texas, and since I was in the area, decided to check it out. It was 18*F when I visited!
From there I continued north and west through some very remote areas of New Mexico and Arizona. I went to Canyon de Chelly National Monument, which is a strange beast. The Navajo still own the canyon, with families living in it and on the rim. To go into the canyon, you need a park ranger or a Navajo guide, otherwise, you are restricted to the rim drives.
I had to get to Blanding, Utah for my first night (hotel), so I opted to just drive the south rim and take a peak over the sides at the scenery below. I'd like to go back and see it from the bottom.
Cheers,
Marc
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