It is Thursday morning the 23rd of August, 2012 and I have just made it home from a 37 day trip during which I traveled 8462 miles. It was the trip of a lifetime. I had the pleasure of visiting around 100 friends and family. That may seem like a lot in such a short time, but the trip included a motorcycle rally, a high school and family reunion. I want to again express my gratitude to each of you that provided me with such hospitality at so many stops along the way. Each of those stops brought me many new memories which I will treasure for the rest of my life. It is amazing to get to take a peek into the lives of others and see what they have done. To Craig and his family, thank you for letting me visit at such a time of transition. I really enjoyed getting to know each of you just a little bit, and it is good to know that Craig still has his spirit of adventure. If I would have had a can of spray paint, I would have written "Wiggle your toes for Craig" for real instead of just on the blog. Dear God, I want to thank you for letting me see just a portion of your amazing creation, and for letting me return home safely. This was such a fun trip, that I just might be ready to go again in another week or two. I hope that each of you that visited along the way enjoyed it too!

Wilson Arch just south of Moab

Mexican Hat looked pretty good today.

This cloud is beautiful with the sun, but it is already starting to look very dark in the direction I am traveling.

The excess has already been pushed off of the road. I'm sure glad I wasn't coming around the bend when these fell!

Just peaking in to Monument valley from the highway.

This will probably be my last picture for this blog. I plan to leave Tuba City early in the morning and try to get home before it gets too hot.

One of my favorite parks

Again, I'll just let the pictures talk.



Delicate Arch



I was going to move it back, but couldn't find the ladder.

I'm here at Mcdonalds posting a few of the pics I took yesterday at Canyonlands NP. There was so much smoke haze that it made the longer distance shots hardly worth posting. I'm going back to Arches NP after lunch and will post those pics this evening.

One of many beautiful canyons. All are viewed from above the rim unless you are able to hike.

I didn't think there was any way I could forget the name of this bridge, but I did <G>

View of the canyon shot through the bridge.

A guy from Georgia that owns a Triumph Bonneville took this shot of me.

If it were clear, one could do some spectacular photography of this valley. That is the Green River Valley. I'm hoping Arches NP shots will be a little better since you get to be a little closer to the subjects.

This is my lovely Hostess Yvette. I'm trying to explain to her that if she had ridden Cupcake on my Goldwing, she could have been a Hostess Cupcake!

In the area around Joe and Yvette's, there are many of these natural gas wells and pumping stations.

A picture of the Colorado River while it is still in Colorado.

My GPS said I was traveling down Water Raft Road.



The Labor day loop guys need to be sure and look back



Not much left of Cisco

If I didn't think I would get shot, I would go exploring

Some almost looked lived in

The Post Office wasn't open when I went through. I might have been too early............or maybe late!

I did see several of these while I was riding Water Raft Rd.

After leaving Cisco, Hwy 128 just keeps getting better and better.

Wings are good offroad too.

Nice setting for a ranch.

What's left of Historic Dewey Bridge

The Colorado River drifts through this canyon all the way to Moab

A couple places it wasn't drifting

Near the end of the canyon was a miniature Mounument Valley

We ate breakfast at the Outlaw Cafe, Vance Johnson's place, the ex Bronco.

Trying Glen's photography techniques to get the elevation sign to be readable.

It works pretty good for going down the road pics also.



This reservoir is used for irrigation and is usually low at this time of year. This year, only the river channel is left.



They all stopped so I could take some pics of the beautiful view. Due to the smoke haze, this is the only one good enough to post.

I liked the root of this tree trying to grow on a rock.

Glen, Yvonne, Joe, Yvette.



Same people, better angle



Mal voted me out as the next VROC pole dancer

Coke ovens near Red Stone, CO

Just a teaser for the Labor Day Loop guys.