Name that Flower

Flower, Zion National Park, Utah, USA

We found this flower near the base of a "beehive" formation at Zion National Park.  We have no idea what kind of flower it is, but it sure is unusual and beautiful.

Night Swim

Swimming Pool and Hot Tub, Springdale, Utah, USA

The swimming pool and hot tub at the Majestic View Lodge were not empty this day because it was cold, or dirty, or uninviting.  These were empty because neither could compete with the scenery all around.  After dark, when travelers had completed a day of touring Zion National Park, the pool and hot tub came alive and we were rewarded with soothing waters and a beautiful night sky.

Saucy Cooking

Thunderbird Restaurant, Mount Carmel, Utah, USA

We didn't eat at the Thunderbird Restaurant, but we did like their colorful sign.

A Wild Virgin

Virgin River, Zion National Park, Utah, USA

The Virgin River runs wild for just a few weeks of the year.  Most of the time, it is but as trickle.  This photo was taken during a very busy time for the river, which shaped much of the surrounding scenery.

A Quiet Show

Bryce Amphitheater, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA

This amphitheater has no seats and the performances are unscripted and ever changing.  The stars are the hoodoos spotlit by the sun (or moon).  We could spend hours sitting and watching this show.

Working for Peanuts

Squirrel, Zion National Park, Utah, USA

This squirrel was neither shy nor afraid as he stood posing for our photos on the banks of the Virgin River in Zion National Park.  We know he wanted to be paid in peanuts for his modeling work, but for his own good (and ours) he worked for free.

Hoodoo Descent

Navajo Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
The switchbacks on the Navajo Trail are slippery with loose rocks and gravel. If inattentive or wearing the wrong shoes, you risk slipping off the trail and tumbling down the canyon. Descending from Sunset Point, the trail takes you below the famous hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park. We loved Bryce and highly recommend it for a day or two day visit.

Looking for Road Runner

State Highway 9, Springdale, Utah, USA
This beautiful scene was captured one morning in the western reaches of Springdale, just outside Zion National Park. The mountains and highway made us feel as if Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote would appear at any moment.

There Is Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, Zion National Park, Utah, USA
Opened in 1930, the Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel is just a little over a mile long. Not too long by modern standards, but with a restricted height and a speed limit of 25 MPH (which you are unwise to approach or exceed), it can take over 5 minutes to traverse the tunnel. As this tunnel is built into the side of a mountain, rather than through it, there are viewing portals every so often to let in a little light and fresh air, but completing the journey is definitely a relief.

Looking for the Great Bend

Great Bend of the San Juan River, Utah, USA
When we fly, we like to look out the window. Sometimes we know generally where we are and what we've photographed thanks to a map display on the aircraft. Sometimes, with or without the roaming map, we need to conduct research to determine what is in an aerial photograph.

If we're not sure what we're looking at, we use a variety of methods to determine what is in the picture. We often plot a great circle route map (as a starting point), examine prior and succeeding photographs, calculate time from take off, and try to find the landscape on Google Maps. We also often use Google's Picasa desktop tool to heighten colors and details.

Ultimately, Google Maps is the key, as it shows actual landscapes, but even this can take time as many landscapes can look nearly identical. Once we find the location for our picture, we then need to see if there is an associated name.

In the case of this photo, we used all of the methods described above. There were many similar bends in the landscape, so we had to further refine the criteria and look at the landscape from a variety of angles in Google Maps.