Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone. I just love corvids like this raven, don’t you? I took this photo years ago at Rocky Mountain National Park. I think he (or she) cuts a dramatic figure, don’t you?

William M. Tugman State Park

Seven Weeks Across America

We pulled into William M. Tugman State Park in Oregon  pretty late in the day.  It was drizzling, and we hunkered down inside our cozy camper to share an Instant Pot meal of beef stroganoff and later, my daughter's first game of cribbage.  The next morning before we left, I spent a half hour with two ravens, who I asked to fly from tree to tree right over this little opening through the branches.  And they did - six times in all.  I have no idea why they humored me, but I was delighted.  I think they are such curious creatures that they enjoy interacting with humans.  It certainly seems to me that they enjoy being photographed.

Canyonlands National Park

Seven Weeks Across America

Canyonlands National Park was next on our itinerary.  It is comprised of three sections, all adjacent but each accessed by a different road, several hours apart.  The closest was Island in the Sky, which is the most visited.  There are amazing views just across from the visitor's center, and at several overlooks.  It's amazing you can walk right to the edge (and off the edge if you aren't careful).  It was really beautiful.

The next day we decided to drive over to the next section over, called The Needles, after the pointy rock formations found there.  We stopped at the Visitor's Center, as we always do, and were well rewarded.  My daughter has been doing the Junior Ranger booklets at each national park to earn a badge.  I think that perhaps not too many children come through The Needles Visitor's Center, because the rangers there took so much time with her, and were the first ones to offer her the loaner backpack full of cool things like binoculars and plant id guides.  She was happy as a clam using all those goodies as we drove to the end of the road.  There is literally a barricade so you know to stop, and perched atop was a raven.  

Dead Horse Point State Park

Seven Weeks Across America

Despite its less than attractive name, Dead Horse Point State Park in Utah has off-the-charts views.  We camped at both the campgrounds (for lack of a four-day block at either) and I am really glad we did.  It allowed me to get some sunrise shots.

The story goes that wild horses were rounded up on the point.  The best ones were taken, leaving the rest corralled, in view of the Colorado River below but without access to any water, so they died.

You know who's not going to go without?  The ravens.  They kept watch over the dumpsters and we were warned to make sure what we deposited was entirely under the lid or the ravens would liberate it.  I also had the pleasure of seeing several desert cottontail rabbits and one jack rabbit.  I would have gotten a photo, but, don't you know, he was too fast for me.