Arches National Park - July 6, 2002

It is sometime after 7 pm, and I am sitting in my little campsite trying not to sweat. There is wind in Moab, but I have usually been active (and sweaty). I can't tell if it is warm or cool.

After writing last night's entry, the wind blew for several hours. Very, very breezy, like when there is a storm. But there was not a storm where I am and the wind eventually died down. It did actually get a little cold last night.

But that was last night. What about tonight? Or, more specifically, today?

Today began early. I actually arrived at Arches at approximately 7 am. My first destination was Delicate Arch. I had met several people over the past week at other parks and places I'd visited who told me to visit Delicate Arch early, before the sun came up and the heat went up with it. I didn't beat the sun but I did get a jump on the heat.

It is a 3 mile trek, out and back, to Delicate Arch. It is described as "moderately strenuous". Maybe. I can say that out the the Arch is mostly uphill, a good portion over slick rock. The arch itself comes after an approximately 1/4 mile path along a ledge. It is at the end of a bowl-shaped peninsula. The edge of the bowl, after about 50 feet from the top, just falls steeply down. Not good for those of us fearful of falling. (NOTE: That would be me.) You had to walk along the 50 feet or so of ledge to get close to the Arch, and there is no "easy" way from the lip to the edge.

A nice German man helped me down to the ledge. (NOTE: He actually took pity on my attempts to "bravely" climb down onto the ledge. I was fearful of just continuing down and on over the ledge.) He was very encouraging as I walked, crawled, and scrambled close to the Arch. I never made it to the Arch but I am still proud of myself. I made it out onto the ledge. Yeah for me!

My second hike was out to Landscape Arch. A much easier walk in some respects. It was shorter, much flatter. But hotter. And it was on this hike when I just ran out of steam. I definitely needed fuel (NOTE: food) but only had water. So I kind of staggered back to my car after seeing Landscape, Tunnel, and Pine arches. And then I ate.

The food didn't kick in for a while, until sometime when I was at The Windows. Prior to that, I saw Skyline Arch. I tried to go to Broken Arch and Sand Dune Arch, but just couldn't. The Windows, however, I made it through.

There are several arches at The Windows - North Window (where I took an extended break in the shade and drank a full bottle of water and where I began to feel human again), South Window, and Turret Arch. I saw all three, went back down the hill, and decided to bypass the hike out to Double Arch. Besides, I could see it/them from the parking area.

Because I had one more hike I wanted to make - Park Avenue. I didn't do it, though. I was still too hot and worn out. I took some pictures and that was it. I was done, and had done, pretty much everything I wanted to do at Arches. In six hours.

So I left.

I went to the local Moab discount store and bought a cheap bathing suit, and spent the rest of the day at the pool. Most of it was spent in the shade because, even using sunscreen with an SPF of 45, I still burned. Not horribly. Goes right along with those blisters.

NOTE: For those who follow my travels, you know that I get a lot of blisters. Same problem on this trip. But I came prepared this time around. Had my blister kits (wonderful things, those), which are composed of moist, gel-like patches you put on the blister, covered by a bandaid-type cover. Works wonders and causes the blister not to hurt.

Click on the picture to see the larger version.

Home | My Cats | My Travels | My Family | My Potpourri | My Guestbook | Contact Me