Monday morning, argh! I took way too many pictures yesterday as we hiked about 5 miles in Devils Canyon in the awesome Arches National Park. Each day we say today can't be as good as yesterday, but each day proves us wrong. I finally took a picture of the Double Arch in Arches National park (near Moab, Utah) that shows the monumental scale of these geologic formations. I've learned so many new terms -- spires, fins, columns, hoodoos, arches, bridges, balanced rocks, monoliths, rock islands. But none of these somehow communicates the awesome impact of the sizes, shapes and colors. Perhaps this picture does.

Yesterday pressed the limits again of our hiking skills, right up the spine of a rock fin, several hundred feet gain in elevation, and only an occasional cairn of stones to mark the way. But the views were rewarding, and while we didn't go completely to the end of this primitive trail, we were able to hike to the far reaches to see Navajo Arch and Partition Arch, our favorite.

Ah, what wonders in nature that seem very far from a Monday morning office. My office just now is in a cozy KOA cabin, internet access, heater chugging right along, and stunning views of the La Sal Mountains out my window. Maybe a hot breakfast later. Make it a good week! Beth