Tent Rocks

For my annual birthday trip (April/May), Mary and I flew out to New Mexico. We were lucky enough to stay with friends in Albuquerque.

A highlight of the trip was hike through the canyon at Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. Some pictures follow. As always, remember to click a pic to see it expanded into a larger view.

Get this: We were in a truly isolated location, miles away from the highway. The road to the canyon itself as a long dirt road, a "washboard" ride. So, pretty remote, eh? No. Three busloads of school kids plus a caravan of parents and/or teachers arrived moments after we did! In mock terror, we bolted for the bathrooms before they were lost to us forever!

Pic	Comments
	The start of our hike into the canyon. I should have zoomed in on this one. At the top is a giant boulder perched precariously on an outcropping.
	Once inside the canyon, we quickly had a camera shootout—these 2 guys shooting us while we shot them.
	I was fascinated by this tree not only framed by the canyon walls but also with its huge trunks exposed. Most likely, the dirt they used to be buried in was washed away during the rare flash floods through the canyon.
	I welcomed seeing man streak across the sky while I inched my way through the canyon.
	I like the contrast of dark and light here combined with proximity and distance.
	Life sprouting up at the first opportunity amidst the immovable.
	Sights like this make me wonder what it'd be like to see nature at her furious work during rare Southwest rain storms. Of course, to be there personally would be dangerous!
	Mary is framed here as we hustle between the canyon walls closing in on us and crowds of loud children catching up with us from the buses.
	Majestic and exotic.
	Fortunately, the temperature was uncharacteristically cool. That made it easier to keep trekking all the way to the top.
	At certain points, I half expected a film crew to pop up amid the rocks shooting a scene for the Star Trek series: "Jim, I'm a doctor, not a geologist! Ask Spock about these rock formations, dammit!"
	So, Spock, what can you tell me about these formations?
	Having covered the canyon floor, we now begin a long, slow ascent. By the way, the canyon floor was often very sandy, like a beach, a gentle reminder of the danger of being in the canyon while it's raining.
	Catching my breath on the way to the top...
	Sometimes it's good to look down...
	It's even better to look out at the distance...
	Here's another look at looking down, at looking at the stairway to heaven; well, to a heavenly view...
	Ahhh...
	I love this shot. It's my laptop's new wallpaper image.
	Drinking in the view...
	On the way out, more jets passing by. Thanks, guys, for bringing me to this wonderful place!