the turquoise trail

{utah} It was a very short drive from Page across the state line into Utah, where I left civilization and gained cell service.  Utah has been high on my list of states to see for a while, so I was very happy to get across the state line and start exploring! Welcome to Utah! My first destination was Grand Staircase National Park, although I hadn't done my due diligence to realize that most of the park is only accessible by 4WD.  I stopped off at a little ranger station where Buckskin Gulch was recommended, so I headed towards that.  It was about 9 miles down a questionably drivable dirt road to the trailhead, where I followed wire pass through a dried-out wash into a slot canyon.  Not very far into the canyon there was a 8-foot drop over a boulder with the 'stepping stone' of a old log.  It was challenging to descend, but would prove more challenging to ascend.  The canyon was about a mile long before it came to a T, with the option of going to the l...

{colorado} I crossed the state line into Colorado and continued a short drive into the state to Pagosa Springs for the night.  I was amazed by how quickly the landscape changed from adobe homes in the sandy desert to log cabins in the lush mountains!  The change in landscape and change in elevation brought with it a rather drastic change in temperature; the night was rather brisk and my first time experiencing single digits in quite a while.   Welcome to Colorado! Pagosa Springs is a hot springs and skiing resort-style town.  It has a very nice little downtown, a few hot springs and all the typical tourist amenities.  I spent my night at the local Walmart, then went into town the next morning for church.  I joined Mark and Sara & their three kids for a Mexican mothers day lunch afterwards, then they took me for a scenic Sunday drive.  We wound our way through the mountains to the east of Pagosa Springs, finding a waterfall and a few scenic ...

{new mexico} I crossed back into New Mexico in the late afternoon, too late to visit the tourist info centre & late enough to call it a night in the first town, Gallup.  I found a little asian restaurant for some well-cooked stir-fry, then found myself parking spot for a quiet night of Walmart camping.  Well, I think it was quiet - I was dead to the world thanks to the pain killers from the dentist... Welcome (back) to New Mexico!  As I was driving up to Albuquerque the next morning, the radio revealed that according to recent statistics, Gallup is the 15th most dangerous city for violent crime in the US.. fabulous.  It wasn't a place you'd choose to spend a lot of time, either way.   It was a couple hours from Gallup up to Albuquerque, where I headed to the old town district for a look around the historic square.  There was a wide selection of galleries and shops featuring native art, an old church & lots of adobe buildings with chile pep...