Here be goblins?

I've been flipping back to Minnesota every other weekend meaning opposite of that I'm left either house hunting or exploring Utah, and man o man what a lot there is to explore. I've found that happiness is a jeep, a tank of gas, and damn near any direction in Utah.

I was born in the Appalachian mountains in Virginia, did some growing up in the south east including the swamps of Florida, moved back up through the oaken forests of the north east and then out to the plains of south central Minnesota, north to the Canadian Shield and Boreal forests and now to the mountain west and the deserts. Deserts being the newest environment for me I'm itching to get into it.

So a couple Saturdays ago I set out for a place in south central/east Utah, Goblin Valley State Park.

From Wiki; Its eminent feature is its thousands of hoodoos and hoodoo rocks, referred to locally as "goblins", which are formations of mushroom-shaped rock pinnacles, some as high as several meters. The distinct shape of these rocks comes from an erosion-resistant layer of rock atop softer sandstone. Along with Bryce Canyon National Park some 190 miles to the southwest, Goblin Valley State Park is one location with some of the highest occurrences of hoodoos in the world.

The park lies within the San Rafael Desert southeast of the east limb of the San Rafael Swell and north of the Henry Mountains. Utah State Route 24 passes about four miles east of the park. Hanksville lies 12 miles to the south.

The drive down was pleasant if not down right enjoyable but then I think thousand mile road trips in a Rubicon are the highly enjoyable. The roads south out of where I'm staying have some impressive scenery, the journey being half the reward of any trip I typically have a grin plastered on my face the whole way.

Not too far south you hit high desert and it stays that way, mesas, cliffs, buttes, and finally I arrived just outside the gate to Goblin Valley.

Once inside you're free to roam virtually anywhere, and everywhere you look there is something that begs investigation and exploration. What follows are a collection of shots captured across the day of climbing, hiking and exploring.

Along the way I did manage to find water in the desert! Following what looked like an old stream bed into the shadows I found the following coming up out of the ground.

There's no way I could get all of the images into this post, I think I took over 600 total. The place is like an alien planet with incredible rock formation throughout, vistas that are awe inspiring and incredible, all in I think it was more than a pretty good day in the desert!

Utah Update

Well today ,marks the end of the 3rd week and I couldn't be happier. The trip down was an adventure in itself, between dodging mule deer and traveling through a couple white out blizzards, crossing the Dakotas and Wyoming was a blast.

Some shots of the drive out.

I said my farewells to a special spot the night before. When I first came to Minnesota I spent 18 months looking for the right place to live and I found it near by accident after stopping here. This spot was where I said hello and where I said goodbye.

The next morning I started the 1400 plus mile trek at -22F. The wind was howling, the roads were icy, I couldn't stop grinning.

The below was the last image I will take of Lake Superior.

 I crossed northern Minnesota and headed for North Dakota, No images until I crossed into ND.

I don't remember much of the journey across North Dakota other than making a left on the western side in Belfield where I picked up 85 and headed towards South Dakota. Night fell and I trudged on, finally hitting Spearfish around 9pm the first night on the road.

The next morning I hit the highway early, heading for Wyoming. I didn't get a shot of crossing that state line as the wind was tossing the jeep all over the place.

Once the wind died I did capture a few images along the way to Utah. The weather ran the gamut, clear to white out. I passed through Gillette Wyoming, then south to Douglas where I picked up 25 and headed west to Casper. I took 220 south out of Casper, to 487 down to Medicine Bow. From there I made a right and took 30 out to Walcott and picked up 80 west.

Once I hit 80 it was on. Fighting big trucks and bigger wind I popped the cruise at 80mph and held on! Things calmed down several hours later and grabbed these on the way to the Utah line.

Finally with less than an hour of light left I crossed the Utah line, another hour on the road and I pulled into the hotel lot.

The next morning I made the short six minute commute to my office, and this is what sits in front of my office building. I see it from my 'glass-bowl'.

Have another two weeks to upload later, including crossing of the Manti La Sal national forest, as well as some time in the Wastach, some time in the high Uintah as well as the Ashley national forest. Some house hunting, including meeting a friendly Mule Deer who walked right up to me at one of the homes I looked at.

Thanks to those who've been communicating and following along @ my instagram american_grouch. Appreciate you folks keeping up.

More to come!

Turning the page...

When I moved to Minnesota I thought I'd never leave, 'bury me here' I believe was the phrase I used. The sentiment was 99% based on the outdoors opportunities and the location in which I lived, here in the wilderness of North East Minnesota.

I suppose things and people change. It's tough to stomach some of what this state has become and on so many different levels. That opened a susceptibility of sorts and I am succumbing.

I was made an offer by a company based in Utah, the company is incredible, the opportunity one that I cannot turn down. As a result I've resigned from my current employer and accepted the offer. I'm moving to the western Rockies, the Wasatch & Unitah ranges.

Probably the hardest decision I've ever made, I've been with the same company for a decade and it has made a lot possible for myself and my family. Between the change in jobs, allowing me a fresher environment to work, located in a place I truly love, I simply couldn't turn it down.

I am quite excited about the change both in location and occupation. I may be absent for a while, perhaps more than is usual. So I wanted to take this time to both update the folks who read my rambles and to thank you for that readership as well as the many whom I communicate with privately that had a hand in helping me with this decision.

There are things I will miss about my north woods home, and there are some things I will not miss. 

Thank you Dear Reader, and see you in the Rockies!