• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

You cannot shame the shameless.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

An almost top 10,000 blog!

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

We still have time to mess this up!

Let’s finish the job.

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

Mobile Menu

  • Winnable House Races
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • Balloon Juice 2023 Pet Calendar (coming soon)
  • COVID-19 Coronavirus
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • War in Ukraine
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • 2021-22 Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Photo Blogging / On The Road / On The Road – ljt – National Parks Whirlwind

On The Road – ljt – National Parks Whirlwind

by WaterGirl|  July 3, 20205:00 am| 37 Comments

This post is in: On The Road, Photo Blogging

FacebookTweetEmail

On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.

From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.

Submit Your Photos

It’s day 10, our last day of First Timers Week.  Let’s give a warm welcome to ljt.  Road trip with Mom!  (Or daughter, depending on your perspective.)  The fall colors against the stones are amazing, but I can’t take my eyes off of the final image.  Spectacular!  ~WaterGirl

In 2018, my daughter took a temporary job in the SF bay area. She drove herself cross-country, with the expectation that she might stay in California for a while, but she knew almost right away that she belonged back on the east coast. So when it was time for her to leave, I offered to meet up with her and share the driving and costs, and do some sightseeing along the way.

We met in Salt Lake City on October 31, then visited 8 National/State Parks in 8 days. The official season ends in October, so there were hardly any crowds, and the weather was perfect. We finished our trip with 3 long driving days, with breaks to see Taos Pueblo one morning, and a short detour to Crystal Bridges Museum one afternoon. I flew home from St. Louis after 11 days, and she continued her journey, visiting friends in various cities over the next couple weeks.

It was an amazing experience. I took thousands of pictures–even the scenery from the highway was breathtaking at times. I hope to see some of these places again.

On The Road - ljt - National Parks Whirlwind 7
Arches National Park, Moab UTNovember 1, 2018

We spent our first full day in Arches National Park.

On The Road - ljt - National Parks Whirlwind 6
Arches National ParkNovember 1, 2018

We were in Arches from sunrise to sunset. I could easily spend a full week there.

On The Road - ljt - National Parks Whirlwind 5
Canyonlands National ParkNovember 2, 2018

Next day we drove from Moab to Torrey, stopping at Dead Horse Point State Park and Canyonlands National Park along the way.

On The Road - ljt - National Parks Whirlwind 4
Bryce CanyonNovember 4, 2018

Day 3 was Capitol Reef National Park, then drive to Bryce Canyon in the evening. Spent day 4 hiking Bryce, then drove to Zion in the evening.

On The Road - ljt - National Parks Whirlwind 3
Zion National ParkNovember 5, 2018

The fall colors in Zion were spectacular. After a day in Zion, we headed to Arizona.

On The Road - ljt - National Parks Whirlwind 2
Antelope CanyonNovember 6, 2018

In the morning, we took a guided tour of Antelope Canyon on the Navajo Reservation. Our guide, Rosie, showed me how to adjust iPhone settings for the best photos. After our tour, we headed to our Grand Finale…

On The Road - ljt - National Parks Whirlwind 1
Grand CanyonNovember 6, 2018

Since we only had one full day, I splurged for an airplane tour of the Grand Canyon. Stunning.

On The Road - ljt - National Parks Whirlwind
Grand CanyonNovember 7, 2018

Sunrise over Grand Canyon. An experience I’ll never forget.

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « COVID-19 Coronavirus Update: Thursday/Friday, July 2-3
Next Post: Friday Morning Open Thread: Happy BDay, America… »

Reader Interactions

37Comments

  1. 1.

    Mary G

    July 3, 2020 at 5:43 am

    Wow. Spectacular. Send in more. Please.

  2. 2.

    p.a.

    July 3, 2020 at 5:56 am

    Yes.  More.  Thanks!

  3. 3.

    gkoutnik

    July 3, 2020 at 6:01 am

    I’m a total sucker for the beauty of our National Parks.  Thanks!  I found Ken Burns’ “The National Parks – America’s Best Idea” one of his best (along with “The West”).

    For my mom’s 90th birthday, we (wife and I, two sons, mom) took a train from NY to West Glacier, rented a car and saw Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Mesa Verde and Grand Canyon.  And cousin in Kingman AZ.  The Border-to-Border, 90th Birthday Rocky Mountain Bash.  Got back on Amtrak in Yuma, AZ and returned, with a two day stop in NOLA.  One of the highlights of all our lives.

  4. 4.

    raven

    July 3, 2020 at 6:11 am

    Awesome

  5. 5.

    Amir Khalid

    July 3, 2020 at 6:32 am

    Wow. Just … wow.

  6. 6.

    Geminid

    July 3, 2020 at 7:00 am

    Thank you for the pictures. Makes me want to go see these places. I have travel time pencilled in this fall, so maybe I will.

  7. 7.

    Sab

    July 3, 2020 at 7:14 am

    I don’t know how to link, but a reminder that artist Amber Share @Amber Share Design has her wonderful national park one star twitter review project. E.g. Cuyahoga Valley is “Muddy, muddy, muddy, too much mud” and Everglades is “Miles and miles of nothing” with graphic designs to show the opposite.

  8. 8.

    SiubhanDuinne

    July 3, 2020 at 7:20 am

    Joining the “Send us more!” chorus. Those are just spectacular!

  9. 9.

    Sab

    July 3, 2020 at 7:25 am

    @Sab: She calls them “subpar parks

  10. 10.

    Sab

    July 3, 2020 at 7:36 am

    That Antelope Canyon photo: WOW!

  11. 11.

    BretH

    July 3, 2020 at 7:45 am

    Those photos lifted me away to a better place. Thanks!!

  12. 12.

    stinger

    July 3, 2020 at 8:01 am

    Thank you so much for gorgeous shots of amazing locations. Perfect timing on the sunrise in photo #2!

  13. 13.

    Sab

    July 3, 2020 at 8:04 am

    @Sab: “Them” being the series, not the parks.2

  14. 14.

    AM in NC

    July 3, 2020 at 8:09 am

    These are beautiful and made me so happy!  A year ago March, My mom, my two kids and I flew to Colorado to pick up my sister and her kids and my brothers’ kids, rented a 12 passenger van and had a spring break road trip that was amazing.  Moab, Arches, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde.  And no phone reception for a decent part of the drive so all the teenagers were actually screen-free for a bit.  I’d never been to those parks, and it was just jaw dropping and soul inspiring.  Thanks for posting!

  15. 15.

    Auntie Anne

    July 3, 2020 at 8:18 am

    Please send more pictures. These are fabulous!

  16. 16.

    susanna

    July 3, 2020 at 8:36 am

    What a grand way to begin the July 4th holiday. It’s not about the politicians, it’s partially about the citizens, and it’s mainly about this vast, nourishing land.

  17. 17.

    arrieve

    July 3, 2020 at 8:43 am

    These are so wonderful. I’ve always wanted to photograph Antelope Canyon. Thank you, and more please!

  18. 18.

    Dmbeaster

    July 3, 2020 at 9:00 am

    I love Red Rock country.  You can spend a week there, and do it again and see all new spots.  The back country drives and innumerable slot canyon hikes are all amazing.  I like to go in May when the weather is pleasant and the wildflowers are blooming.

  19. 19.

    HinTN

    July 3, 2020 at 9:13 am

    @Sab: Beat me to it! That it’s one of the most stunning photographs I have ever seen. I mean, the red illumination of the rock formations in Arches is pretty amazing but can’t hold a candle to the Antelope Canyon shot.

  20. 20.

    Albatrossity

    July 3, 2020 at 9:16 am

    Spectacular photos of some of my favorite places in the world! Thanks for sharing those with us, and I will join the chorus asking you to please share some more!

  21. 21.

    laura

    July 3, 2020 at 9:30 am

    @HinTN: add me to team Antelope Canyon – just stunning. The shading, the form, it’s just a wonder to see.

  22. 22.

    debbie

    July 3, 2020 at 9:48 am

    Absolutely stunning. I don’t know how anyone can pick a favorite. Thanks for sharing your photos of places I’ll never get to.

  23. 23.

    MelissaM

    July 3, 2020 at 10:18 am

    The sheer vastness and beauty is amazing. Beautiful shots! Thanks.

  24. 24.

    Miki

    July 3, 2020 at 10:33 am

    Wow. Wow, wow, wow!

  25. 25.

    J R in WV

    July 3, 2020 at 10:35 am

    OUT West there are so many amazing places with amazing views. Dinosaur National Monument startled us with it’s natural beauty, and then as we drove across a mesa we encountered a group of cowboys moving a big herd of cattle from one pasture on one side of the mesa to another pasture, miles away.

    On the cattle drive, several of the young men had their little kids riding in their laps, tiny daughters and tiny sons, learning how to be cowboys and cowgirls, still, today.

    We were Amazed!!

    Thanks for these wonderful photos, please send more so Watergirl can share them with all of us!!!  Me Too!!

  26. 26.

    frosty

    July 3, 2020 at 11:31 am

    Another wow! I’d never heard of Antelope Canyon, I’ll put it on my list.

  27. 27.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    July 3, 2020 at 11:42 am

    @Sab: “Joshua Tree” – “All you do is walk around the desert.”

  28. 28.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    July 3, 2020 at 11:45 am

    @frosty: There a a lot of slot canyons throughout the deserts in the western US, I was planning on visiting the smaller one in Anza Borrego this past spring, but ya know…

    @OP: Nice shots.

  29. 29.

    Sab

    July 3, 2020 at 11:59 am

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Are you able to link to her website? I am a luddite so can’t. I just Google my way around the internet.

    Acadia: “The water is ice cold”.

    Haleakala : “Pretty average experience.”

    Bryce Canyon: ” Too orange too spiky.”

    Denali: ” Frozen wasteland of tundra.”

  30. 30.

    Cowgirl in the Sandi

    July 3, 2020 at 12:13 pm

    Just amazing pictures of amazing places.  More examples of how important it is to protect our wonderful country.  Thanks!

  31. 31.

    Mike in Oly

    July 3, 2020 at 12:35 pm

    These are great!! My husband and I are supposed to go thru that area on the way to Las Cruces NM next spring. Was planning on seeing several of those parks. Hoping we don’t have to cancel due to virus still being an issue, but pretty sure we will. :( Thanks for the beautiful pics!

  32. 32.

    Origuy

    July 3, 2020 at 1:27 pm

    The reviews and artwork by Amber Share. Subpar Parks.

    Her merchandise shop. 

    My favorite picture is the one at Zion with the trees in fall.

  33. 33.

    Sab

    July 3, 2020 at 1:40 pm

    @Origuy: Thanks for the link.

  34. 34.

    Jay Noble

    July 3, 2020 at 2:22 pm

    When I see pictures like these, I often wonder about the mindset of Eurpeans when they traversed these areas. How desperate or motivated they were to get the better life on the other side.

  35. 35.

    J R in WV

    July 3, 2020 at 3:10 pm

    Sub-Par Parks….

    ;-)

    really funny, much like the beautiful young woman lip-syncing Trump…

    Then I realized she was quoting people who rated those parks with one star and said those things ~!!~

    Amazing, the level of idiocy among Americans, I bet all those people voted for Trump, if they ever figured out how to vote at all.

    ‘Cause why would you want to go to all that trouble just to, ya know, vote? Right? Why would ya!??!

  36. 36.

    ljt

    July 3, 2020 at 5:03 pm

    Thank you for all the encouraging comments! I had trouble selecting only 8 photos, so I will send in some more.

    I highly recommend every one of these sites–even just a few hours at each left an everlasting impression. I love having the photos to remind me, but no photo or words can truly capture the scale and grandeur (Subpar Parks comments aside ;-)

  37. 37.

    Uncle Omar

    July 3, 2020 at 7:12 pm

    Regarding the Arches…Please stay away for a while.  Moab is a small town and doesn’t have the hospital facilities to handle an influx of sick people…which is not to say any of you folks are sick, but the town really is willing to sacrifice a year’s worth of tourist dollars to stay healthy.  Second, a few days ago I recommended Ed Abbey’s “Desert Solitaire” as a good book to read while stuck at home.  It’s a series of essays Ed wrote while a Summer Ranger at The Arches, before it became a major stop on the tourist hit parade.   My first trip there was a few years after Ed’s time as a Ranger while it was still possible to get a campsite just by driving in.  No more.  The talk around is that in the near future the park will be Zionized with  a shuttle bus every few minutes that will drop the hordes at all the popular attractions.  Dog help us all, the desert just can’t handle that many visitors.  As the title of one of Ed’s books says “Abbey’s Road:  Take the Other.”

Comments are closed.

Primary Sidebar

Fundraising 2023-24

Wis*Dems Supreme Court + SD-8

Recent Comments

  • Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) on Late Night Open Thread: Taxing Prep (Mar 28, 2023 @ 2:27am)
  • JWR on Late Night Open Thread: Taxing Prep (Mar 28, 2023 @ 2:27am)
  • Major Major Major Major on Late Night Open Thread: Taxing Prep (Mar 28, 2023 @ 2:17am)
  • Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) on Late Night Open Thread: Taxing Prep (Mar 28, 2023 @ 2:10am)
  • Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) on Late Night Open Thread: Taxing Prep (Mar 28, 2023 @ 2:10am)

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
We All Need A Little Kindness
Classified Documents: A Primer
State & Local Elections Discussion

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Mailing List Signup
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)

Twitter / Spoutible

Balloon Juice (Spoutible)
WaterGirl (Spoutible)
TaMara (Spoutible)
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
TaMara
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
ActualCitizensUnited

Join the Fight!

Join the Fight Signup Form
All Join the Fight Posts

Balloon Juice Events

5/14  The Apocalypse
5/20  Home Away from Home
5/29  We’re Back, Baby
7/21  Merging!

Balloon Juice for Ukraine

Donate

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!