Has it really been nearly six months since I last posted?  According to WordPress and my site logs, apparently so.  Time to rectify that.

The summer has been mostly work, work, work.  But I managed to get in some “me” time recently, and that’s what this is about.

I struggled to find a vacation that would address my interests, wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, and which could be taken at a convenient time.  I searched and searched, considering trips to Alaska (still on my must-do list), a Mediterranean cruise, a visit to Machu Picchu, and other exotic travels.  Long flight times, added “single traveler premiums” and other disincentives caused me to pass on some otherwise very enticing possibilities.

Then, I happened to visit my Road Scholar account and saw that a trip I’d put on my wishlist was available, the single premium wasn’t too horrible, and addressed one of my interests directly:  A photo journey through Utah’s national parks!  I quickly booked it, and the die was cast.

In preparation, I took a day trip and drove to Blackwater Falls, WV to test my camera skills, hiking endurance, clothing choices and mindset.

Blackwater Falls, West Virginia

I felt I was prepared.

A discussion of Road Scholar will have to wait for another post.  Suffice it to say that this was my fourth adventure with them, and each has been a very rewarding experience!

My first trip with Road Scholar was also to Utah, where I visited Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon (North Rim) national parks.  This trip was a ten-day journey around a circle which included Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, Monument Valley and Lake Powell/Antelope Canyon.  The difference:  Specifically intended for photographers.

The longest vacation I’ve taken to this point was seven days.  I wasn’t sure I would know how to handle a longer time frame.  Turns out I had nothing to worry about.

Scheduling made this trip different.  We would frequently arise early in the morning to do a sunrise shoot,

 

Bryce Canyon at Sunrise

and often would eat dinner around 5:00 p.m. so we could do a sunset shoot.

 

Panorama Point, Capitol Reef

I love this area of the country.  In this day and age, where we measure the time of our lives in hours, days and weeks, the visible geology of this land shows how time is measured in millions of years!  The enormity of the rock formations, the petroglyphs etched thousands of years ago, all serve to remind me of how truly small we are in God’s tremendous universe!

 

Wow.

The capstone to the trip was Antelope Canyon. I have been enthralled by photos taken in this Navajo-owned marvel, and hoped I could come away with one or two “keepers.”  I shot over 250 photos during my 90 minutes in the canyon, and at current count, have at least 19!

 

Lower Antelope Canyon, Page, Arizona

And guess what?  I have been invited to exhibit my photos!  This is a first for me, and I’m really flattered, excited and honored to be asked!