Monument Valley - Rocks, John Wayne, and the Weather

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Well, moving away from the Grand Canyon was bound to be a bit of a let-down. But actually, it turned out that there are so many wonders in the Southwest, that we actually got wrapped up in the scenery around us and the stories. After a lunch at the Monument Valley resort (where you can get the best Navajo tacos anywhere), we went off for a guided tour, and learned about the native customs, the rocks and their significance, something about John Wayne and the other Hollywood types that have come and gone from Monument Valley. Then we were treated to some real treats - namely the weather, which played quite a role of its own in a majestic interplay with the rocks, the sand, our clothes and hair. It was really worth the trip!

The Grand Canyon, Day Two

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These are but a few of the photos from day two of our adventure in the Grand Canyon. I only picked out the eight pictures to show the incredible variety that a day at the Canyon has to offer. There are so many more...

Some thoughts on sunset at the Canyon.

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As you can see, sunset at the Grand Canyon can be a truly awe-inspiring event. The sun's last rays enter the canyon, and turn the rocks, trees and clouds into a unique symphony of colors, which is one of those vistas that cannot be described, or even adequately captured on film. Here are a few of the photos taken at sunset, but they don't do it justice - you have to have been there!

The start of our vacation.

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All right, then. We're on our way. Photo number one is from "Montezuma's castle" (actually an old dwelling, like the Anasazi). Photos 2 - 4 are from the incredible town of Sedona, my first ever visit there - it's a bit too touristy, but nevertheless, it's embedded in some majestic scenery. Then photos 5 - 7 are from our first look at the Grand Canyon - more on that to come, but just to enjoy the view...

I've been away - but not just anywhere

OK, we've been gone for the past nine days. But not just gone - but gone somewhere very special. Much more on this to come, but here's a small taste of what we saw.

What you're going to be seeing.

As my wife and I have just moved into our new home in Arkansas, I haven't been posting for over a month. But I'll tell you that there are going to be some rather spectacular new photos in the near future. What we're going to do is to take another photographic and leisurely vacation next month. This one is to see some of the sights that my wife has not seen, but I did get a chance to visit in 1978. So, here is a sampling of some of what I saw back then, and which you'll see in this brave new world of digital photography. They tell me that the scenery is every bit as stupendous now as it was back then... well, we'll see.

Muir Woods, Part Two

As we made our way through Muir Woods National Monument, we remained thoroughly impressed with the absolute quiet, and the astonishing beauty around us. This was especially amazing, as we were but a half hour out of the busy city of San Francisco.

So here are the photos which tell our story. Enjoy this walk through the woods!