After our slickrock hike in the Needles District we took the same way out of the park back to Highway 191 that we had been coming in - there is only this road in and out of the park. It's quite a long drive, but also a very exciting one.
On our way in we had stopped at Newspaper Rock - a stop we always make when we're here. It's a rather large rock, larger than it appears in the above photo. It's a petroglyph panel etched in sandstone that records approx. 2000 years of early human activity. Prehistoric people etched in the rock from B.C. time to A.D. 1300. In historic time, Ute and Navajo people as well as European Americans made their contributions. Scholars are undecided in the meaning of the symbols and figures on the rock. It is not known whether the figures represent storytelling or clan symbols or hunting magic or... something else. In Navajo, the rock is called Tse' Hane' (Rock that tells a story) and I'm just going with the idea of storytelling.
See for yourself.
The next picture - well, you probably think that I am constantly taking pictures of bathrooms after I had shown you
the signs in the Canyonlands bathrooms last week. No, I usually do NOT do that, but I had to here since I had never seen a bathroom with so much toilet paper. Please note that there is a lock at each bar - it's sad that you have to lock toilet paper so that it doesn't get stolen.
And just a couple pictures from the road that I took in the morning when we were driving in the park.
Isn't it amazing?
Then we left the park and drove South. We were slowly making our way back home. West of Bluff we took a dirt road to the Sand Island Petroglyphs - not quite as amazing as Newspaper Rock, but still worth the little detour.
The sun had already set when we arrived in Mexican Hat. On the way we had discussed whether we should visit Valley of the Gods again, but decided against it since it was getting late. (I noticed that I have never written about Valley of the Gods in this space - I certainly have to make good for that.) Sometime during the day we had booked a room in the Mexican Hat Lodge, the only open option to spend the night in this tiny place.
Years ago we had stayed here and at that time there was a "swinging steak" restaurant right next to the lodge. We were sitting outside (it was March and pretty chilly) and could watch how the steaks were cooked on the swinging grill. It was a very Wild West feeling. But alas! None of that was to be found in the dead of winter. However, our room was clean and warm, and there was a 7/11 across the street where we got some ramen and maccaroni salad. It was fine for one night.
It was such a quiet night, and since we were in the desert we headed out again to a dark spot off the highway. We got comfortable not quite on the hood of our car (but close enough) and watched the stars. What a show!
Yes, that is the Milky Way that you're seeing. It was so amazing. We think we saw Jupiter and tried to find some other constellations. We were only able to recognize Orion and the Big Dipper.
The Geek let the camera run for a while and got a 1-second result - I hope it plays.
Do you see the rock formation that gave Mexican Hat its name?
I will never forget this night.
...these petroglyphs are amazing and perhaps even more amazing is that someone hasn't spray painted their name on them! The starry sky is beautiful. They shouldn't run out of toilet paper any time soon!
ReplyDeleteI assume those petroglyphs are in a protected and monitored area or yes, someone would have spray painted graffiti or worse over top of them years ago.
ReplyDeleteLove that photo of your long shadows on the highway leading to those wonderful rock formations!
Petroglyphs are amazing to me and I have visited some places with them. Funny about the toilet paper, but also a sad state. Nice to see the tree air freshener :) Gorgeous night sky shots!!!
ReplyDeleteThe stars are simply amazing! And to think of the stories behind those petroglyphs is also astounding. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAmazing series of gorgeous captures, Carola.
ReplyDeleteLiebe Caorla, ich mag solche "Erzählungen" oder "Zeitungen" aus der Vergangenheit sehr - auch wenn niemand so GANZ genau sagen kann, welche Bedeutung dahinter steckt. Du erwähntest europäische Amerikaner, die sich auf dem Newspaper Rock ebenfalls eingetragen haben - ich hoffe, das passierte nicht im 20./21. Jahrhundert, sondern auch irgendwann vor längerer Zeit. In Namibia besuchten wir eine Gegend mit Petroglyphen, die nur mehr mit Guides betreten werden darf, da ein paar "Witzbolde" meinten, sie müssten unbedingt ebenfalls ihre Spuren auf den Felsen hinterlassen... Der "Doppelschatten" von euch ist ein besonders tolles / witziges Foto!
ReplyDeleteSchön, wie deutlich ihr die Milchstraße sehen konntet. Ich erinnere mich an die Umgebung vom Lake Tekapo, die für den dunkelsten Nachthimmel Neuseelands bekannt ist - dort sahen wir ebenfalls ein ziemliches "Sternengewusel". Aber ob es so "dicht" war wie bei euch, kann ich nicht sagen... (Ich glaube fast, auf "eurem Himmel" war mehr los...)
Ich weiß auch nicht so genau, ob es der oder das Powwow heißt; ursprünglich sagten wir "der", aber im Internet fand ich häufiger "das", weshalb ich bei meinem Blogbeitrag dabei blieb... (Ist wohl der praktischere Artikel bei einem Wort aus einer Fremdsprache...)
Was Bären und Pumas in Wandergebieten betrifft - wir sehen das wie du. Die meisten Tiere sind scheu und meiden Menschen. In Österreich hatte ich in jungen Jahren mal eine Episode mit einem Wildschwein, das auf mich zurannte. Ich blieb ruhig (im Gegensatz zu meinem männlichen Begleiter, der hinter mich sprang 😅) und kurz vor mir kehrte es um. Seither bin ich mir ziemlich sicher, dass ich mit solchen Situationen umgehen kann.
Alles Liebe, Traude
I love that everything interests you, Carola, from petroglyphs to The Milky Way to toilet paper under lock and key! My son-in-law is an amateur astronomer and I will make a point to show him your pictures of the Milky Way. As for the wonderful evocative rock art, I doubt that we will ever know its full meaning, but thank goodness we are able to admire it so many years after it was created. I doubt that modern graffiti will ever be viewed in the same light! With many hugs - David
ReplyDeleteI can see why that was a memorable night at Mexican Hat. We drove through there on our way to Moab, and it is tiny, isn't it? But the sky there at night certainly isn't. And those petroglyphs are amazing. I love finding them. You wonder what all the different messages are on Newspaper Rock. Some are obvious, but you have to wonder with so many what they said. perhaps just about the different people who stopped by. Thanks for sharing this. I enjoyed this post a lot. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteOh my! That sky! Unsullied by city lights. I've always been fascinated by petroglyphs. Our first writer/artists.
ReplyDeleteCarola, as I haver petroglyphs aside from in books, I found the ones you showed here amazing and was curious as to whether or not they had been deciphered by anyone as they clearly were "telling" some sort of story. The night views were beautiful especially seeing the stars so clearly once away from city lights and pollution.
ReplyDeleteWhen I look at petroglyphs, I think that art is eternal. It was, is and will be. Some give, some demand, it is mutually beneficial for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI would love to go traveling with you. Yes, I have been here before but it has been many, many years. I'm glad you showed the night. There is nothing like the night sky there. We hardly ever see the stars here. It is always overcast or foggy from the ocean. Thank you for this wonderful post.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Awesome photos-I always enjoy your travels
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