Utah (cont'd)

Today was interesting. I think I have to start backwards to fully explain it all. I am currently in Blanding Utah at a Comfort Inn. Blanding, I found out, is a town where they don't serve alcohol. Quite a contrast from Las Vegas. Anyway, the reason I am here in Blanding is because I wasnt' sure if I'd make it to Monument Valley alive. I know I sound like I am being dramatic and I am, but at a certain point I was starting to get nervous. You see to get here I traveresed an area that resembled the outback of Australia -- no towns, very few cars, no houses and no gas stations. Blanding is further northeast than I want to be, but the town that was closer to monument valley was something called -- i kid you not -- 'mexican hat' and it was a fly speck on my map. Who knew if mexican hat would even have a motel? (one town I passed, 'fry's canyon' was 45 miles from anything and all it had was a general store) To get to Mexican hat you have to go through a "primitive area" Furthermore it was starting to get dark. Driving in the middle of nowhere during the day is scary enough, try driving it with not a single light. Oh yeah and did I mention I had by this point about half a tank, and god only knew when the next gas station would be. And so I tried to squelch my panic, pray that I wouldn't get a flat, and push on 30 miles out of my way to Blanding. And I couldn't be happier.
But earlier today was better. I've seen the most startling views I ever could have hoped to see. The landscape changed so frequently I was like a little kid, just wide eyed and amazed. I saw geologic formations called 'hoodoos' that are basically eroded columns of sandstone and limestone; They look like every Wile E Coyote cartoon you've ever seen. I saw natural land bridges, arches, mesas -- god all kinds of things. At one point the landscape was so fairytale it looked like a western painting and middle earth. It was John Ford meets Peter Jackson. I stopped off in this little town called Escalante on the way from Bryce to Capitol Reef National Park. There was this adorable cafe where I sat in the shade petting a dog, and eating a turkey sandwich. They had smoothies too, so I grabbed one for the road. I couldn't have been happier.
I'm glad I wrote this in reverse, because I'm ending with my favorite stuff from the day. Not the anxiety. This is how I'd rather remember it, smoothie in hand looking out over a creamsicle orange and pink stone valley. Nevertheless, I think I'll leave the scenic roads and stick to the interstate.