Jespers Blog: June 12; 2018: Canyonlands (The Needles) and San Juan Skyway

The program of the day included two very different destinations: 1. The Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, Utah and 2. San Juan Skyway in Rocky Mountains (Colorado) and a lot of driving in between. 1. NEEDLES DISTRICT The Needles District is so named due to a large concentration of needle-like spires and hoodoos that are common here. These orange and white sandstone features are only part of the attraction. The Newspaper Rock is situated next to the access road into the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park. The Newspaper Rock is covered by hundreds of ancient Indian petroglyphs (rock carvings) - one of the largest, best preserved and easily accessed groups in the Southwest. The petroglyphs have a mixture of human, animal, material and abstract forms, and to date no-one has been able to fully interpret their meaning. 2. San Juan Skyway San Juan Skyway scenic loop through the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado.

The Needles forms the southeast corner of Canyonlands and was named for the colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone that dominate the area

Prickly pear cactus

The Newspaper Rock is covered by hundreds of ancient Indian petroglyphs (rock carvings) - one of the largest, best preserved and easily accessed groups in the Southwest. The petroglyphs have a mixture of human, animal, material and abstract forms, and to date no-one has been able to fully interpret their meaning.

Newspaper Rock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZNVF1F23oQ Mama hated diesel so bad I guess I knew it was something to do with Dad The first time I seen her cry Was after one of them things went by Mama hated diesel so bad I remember hearing those semi gearing down My mom and me we used to live on the high-grade end of town I sure like them wide freightliners But there was something in Mama's eye When she catch me watching the road Lord a little bitty piece of her died As the years passed and I grew older Mama did too Pretty soon she stopped singing and laughing Why she'd hardly even eat. And I began staying away from home on the weekdays I wouldn't come home from school 'til way past dark I was too busy having some kind of fun Either messing around with some gal Or hanging around the local truck stop Talking to my buddies about all the big rigs That all the time were rolling in And talking about all the crazy places we never been Like California Oh one day the county sheriff come up to me He said they found my mama wandering All by herself in the middle of the highway crying She was trying of all things Lord To flag down one of those big old rigs with a pocket handkerchief Well that left me on my own I got a job unloading rigs at the local freight yard Pretty soon I had a rig of my own And I left my hometown on my very first run to Frisco Well that was three years ago today And I ain't been back home in all that time since then 'til now Now it's me and the local preacher Standing in the graveyard grass Staring down at the highway Watching those big boys pass Well he laid his hand upon me And he prayed for quite some time But I could barely understand the words he said Behind that highway's whine Then he handed me a faded photograph He said he found it in my mama's hand He said "Son I'm afraid that you and this picture Were the best your Mama ever had" Well I looked down at that picture It was Mama and some guy Standing in front of a semi-truck "Just Married" painted on the side. Mama Hated Diesels Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen Album Hot Licks, Cold Steel & Trucker's Favorites