Big rigs ahead go three wide on the two lane highway leading to Moab in a chilling preview of what a "NASCAR Big Truck Series" might be like.

On our way into town we noticed construction of a new visitor center at the entry to Arches National Park. I'm sure it'll be nice, but this is one place where the scenery pretty much speaks for itself.

The vaguely ranch-themed Portal RV Park

Delightfully uncrowded in the middle of December

We thought this was a pretty scenic campsite until we saw some in Arches NP itself.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason, an explosion of black birds!

Debbie remembered staying here the last time she was in Moab some years ago and enjoying the pool, tragically, now paved over.

It seems like half the businesses in Moab are bike shops.

Never ones to pass up a tourist attraction, we stopped at the famous "dump" that's a landmark along the route to the Slickrock bike trail and recycled some cans

We also couldn't pass up the opportunity to take at least a short ride on our new folding bikes on the world's most famous mountain bike trail

The official Slickrock Bike Trail map. Looks like an innocuous 10 miles or so, but it doesn't show the approximately 100,000 vertical feet covered by going up and down about a thousand petrified dunes.

Carey started out looking happy at the start.

You just follow the dotted line which marks the route

The trail meanders up and down across the so-called slickrock surface, which is actually supremely grippy.

Carey disappears into the distance.

A short while later, he re-emerges, still pedaling, but just barely. The unrelenting ups and downs are way exhausting!

Just keep following those dashes

Okay, get off and pose for a picture before you collapse in a heap.

Debbie started off grinning too.

The surface and terrain is certainly fun to cruise around on.

Debbie throws it into the lowest of the sixteen gears to power up an incline.

Carey almost did an endo over one of these dips, gaining firsthand experience with one of the shortcomings of the small wheels on these bikes. Debbie, not a fan of endos, takes it more cautiously.

A bizarre and scenic place to ride, and gloriously deserted in the winter. But enough playing with bikes! Let's head over to the big dog next door, Arches National Park.

Entering Arches.

Endless variations of sculpted red rock.

Debbie studies a small pile of rock.

The Slickrock bike trail is down there somewhere among those petrified dunes surrounding the Colorado River.

Knobby formations

The aptly-named Balancing Rock.

Big Rock. Little Debbie.

Non Balancing Rock.

Spires. Scrub. Snow.

Arches ahead, spires behind.

Mouth Breathing Rock.

Sleeping Hedgehog Rock.

Mean Bug Eyed Man Rock.

Neato Icy Rock.

Debbie, looking like she's on the stairway to heaven.

When the sun lines up like that, it must mean that Christmas is coming!

The North and South Windows.

Carey, pleased to discover another arch with a stairway.

Debbie thinking: "Ummm, donut hole"

Debbie, enjoying the breeze through the open Window.

Carey soars.

Carey chills.

The view through this Window is rather good.

Winter is definitely an excellent time to tour Arches.

Looks like this one's cracking up.

Shadowy figures, Carey and Debbie.

Panoramic view of a veritable garden of spires.

Hoodoo Voodoo.

Too bad the place is so crowded this time of year though.

Start of the trail to view Delicate Arch from across the chasm

Some odd cairns marked the route

Debbie wondered who had installed all the "filler cloth stuff" in between the rocks, and why.

Delicate Arch sits dramatically on the edge of a high canyon.

The fragile arch shows off its dramatic colors at sunset.

A couple of folks provide a sense of scale by perching near the arch across the chasm.

Darkness falls on the canyon.

The moon rises

Just beautiful.

Debbie hoped to huddle near the Fiery Furnace, but they apparently don't turn it on at night. Bummer, because it's about 10 degrees out here! Guess we'll have to come back tomorrow.

The next day, and the darn Furnace is still not lit! But at least we can see something now, even without the permit required to hike down into it and get lost.

We explored a campground in Arches itself and were particularly fond of Site 24, a dream site with a rediculously, impossibly, amazingly gorgeous view, and seemingly just enough length to hold our rig. We'll be back.

Debbie boggles at a high, sturdy-looking arch conveniently located near the road.

The Devil's Garden trailhead

A little icy in spots, but passable.

Landscape Arch, approximately 300 feet across

You can see where the left side will crack next, further enlarging the span (if it doesn't break)

Picture of a picture of a piece cracking off the underside about a decade ago.

Note the rubble below, and the freshly exposed rock on the underbelly of the arch. Not surprisingly, the park service no longer allows people to walk under the thing.

This monster will likely collapse real soon now (and not just geologically speaking), so see it asap if you want to.

Partition Arch, with an unusual middle support piece.

Wall Arch, from behind.

Debbie found the cutest little baby cairn...

... nestled in a hole in the rock.

Partition Arch, from behind.

Debbie soaks up the scenery through a high arch.

A perfect natural Christmas Tree was sitting just behind this arch.

Interesting formations.

Petroglyphs, or mere water stains?

Debbie was delighted by the easy to follow cairns.

View over some fins stretches to the Interstate far beyond.

Carey stakes claim to the top, of something.

Three point stance.

Colorful vegatation clinging to the rocky surface.

"Moonrise through Arch"

They should call this one Burly Arch.

This arch had rare white bands above it.

Okay, one shot of some wildlife. These guys seemed genuinely surprised to see us.

Passing through the narrow exit from the trail, we bid "adios" to Arches.