July 10, Part II: Hwy 279

July 10 -- Moab, Utah. We arrived early enough in the day to check in and take a short break.



I went in search of fresh coffee.

Moab is like many tourist towns with shops dedicated to t-shirt sales and cheap trinkets to bring home to less fortunate relatives. There are also shops dedicated to some of the area's excellent artists as well as countless restaurants and, within two blocks of the hotel, three coffee shops.

Refreshed and caffeinated, we headed for a drive along Hwy 279 which promised views of the Green River, petroglyphs and Jug Handle Arch. We took in the scenes at a leisurely pace and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.













Along the way, we found a couple of panels filled with petroglyphs. The panel you see here is typical. The petroglyphs sit about 14 to 20 feet above the road and were probably at shoulder height when they were created. This is an area that provides a constant reminder that the rock cycle is ever constant and continuous.













Jug Handle Arch is just as described and doesn't even require a vivid imagination to understand how it was named.

My favorite image from the drive isn't actually listed in any of the guides because it's not an arch,


not petroglyphs, not the river -- just one of the countless elements of the scenery. Isolated, it's remarkable. But, as one element among so many it gets lost and remains unseen. It's like so many things that vie for our attention and lose out because it's not deemed remarkable or nameable. We live in a world that doesn't value humanity so much as it values individuals. We have programs dedicated to these remarkable individuals; their names become household words. People act silly when they encounter these named individuals and the moment becomes a story to tell and pass down or a cherished photo op. The everyday individuals who surround us and make our lives palatable are not treated with the same awe and reverence.

Sometimes I think we have the world turned upside down.

On the Road to Moab

July 10 -- Farmington to Moab via Shiprock.

The last time we traveled by Shiprock, the air was so hazy that none of my photographs came out. A wildfire in Mexico was the cause. So, when we had the opportunity to pass by again (okay, we took a half-hour detour) I couldn't resist. I'm not sure what it is about Shiprock that attracts me, but you can see it for miles and miles across the desert landscape.

On the way we stopped in Cortez, Colorado, and ate at Blondies. Blondies seems to be some kind of biker bar at night and a family restaurant during the day. If you have a chance, stop in. The rice with steamed vegetables made an excellent lunch.

Church Rock sits across from the entrance to the Needles District of Canyon- lands. It's called Church Rock because a religious sect actually started the process of turning it into a church. To give you some perspective, the opening you see is a 16 foot high doorway. The plan, as I understand it, was to hollow it out and create a sanctuary inside. I'm not sure much more than the doorway was ever completed. I do know the project was abandoned.

Anyway, I like the idea and it would have been an interesting and unique church. A little further down the rode is an American Roadside Attraction called "Hole in the Rock." Currently it's a tourist destination with gift shops etc. But, before that, the "owner" carved a home out of the rock with bedrooms, a kitchen and so on. Sort of a 20th century cave with electricity and running water.

Just beyond "Hole in the Rock" is an excellent rest area which features Wilson Arch. The area is full of arches and, of course, "Arches National Park" is nearby. This one's a freebie to wet your interest.

Both Shiprock and Church Rock are associated with the idea of the sacred -- a place where humanity and divinity interact. In Heart of Christianity, another of the ideas submitted by Marcus Borg is that the Bible should be seen sacrementally. Many Christians understand the Bible to be sacred and refer to it as the "word of God." What Borg suggests is that the Bible doesn't tell how God sees God, but how people in the Hebrew and Christian traditions see God. As such, he sees the Bible as inspired by God and the experience of God instead of as written by God, and recommends approaching it sacrementally -- that is, as a place where humanity and divinity intersect.

It makes a difference.