The Far Reaches

MarbleCyn2538-2549Marble Canyon Arizona                                                  click to enlarge

One of the amazing things about the Southwest is how far you can see. There are places out here where you can see for two days. Vistas that are so achingly beautiful that you can’t believe you’ve been privileged enough to see them.

The interaction between land and sky happens differently here than other places with the features on the ground being lit from above and the clouds above being lit from below. Light and shadow, colors and shapes the combinations are endless  and you can get lost just watching the changes occur. It’s like the worlds biggest kaleidoscope.

One time in another life I had a resort in the southwest corner of Colorado. We had people staying with us from all over the world. There were some folks checked in that were from some big urban center back east and they came in and said they wanted to check out, they were going home. When asked why, weren’t they enjoying their stay, their reply was “They didn’t like being able to see this far”. It made them nervous. It changed their entire sense of perspective and made them feel small. I remember thinking at the time that I couldn’t see far enough.

Whether you’re from the camp that feels more comfortable in the confines of the urban canyons or you need the wide open spaces to feel alive, the one thing that is undeniable is the beauty of this country. Some of us need to be here while others can make do with a picture. Which one are you?