Paleontologist

We had the privilege of staying with Bob , a Paleontologist living in this fossil rich area of Southern Utah. We crossed over a 10,000 foot pass along an incredible serpentine road that snaked along the very peak of the Rockies. Arriving at his house, we were greeted by a long row of fossilized dinosaur teeth and armor lining his driveway . His property was littered with thousands of fossils he’s brought in from the desert over several decades. He spent hours giving us a tour explaining his finds. This soft spoken, fascinating man is one of our favorite hosts. He revealed much Desert wisdom , this land so alien to us Vermonters.

We visited more National Parks, the hiking was wonderful in the 70 degree spring weather. That’s Karen standing on top of that natural arch bridge. It was quite a climb up the tall Mesa to reach it.

This part of Utah ( and all of the Southwest) is experiencing an historic drought. The normally dry desert failed again to get winter snow and rain. The drought is entering its 10 th year. Bob told me he believes we are seeing the beginning of another cataclysmic drought similar to the one 900 years ago that decimated the Natives, forcing abandonment of the early Pueblos all over the Southwest. I hope he’s wrong.

Karen climbs down a ladder, one of three on this hike, down into a canyon . The 3 Mesas pictured above are in Monument Valley Navajo Reservation. I found this valley the most sublimely beautiful place in the Southwest, unforgettable! I had planned on driving out into the Desert valley on the road winding through the Mesas but after proceeding couple of miles of torturous, rutted , dusty traveling, we turned around and gave up. It was just too hard on the truck.