A Desert Painted

Parts of northern Arizona had reminded me of what Mars might look like.  But upon entering the Petrified Forest and seeing the Painted Desert, this area really looked like we had just been transported over to the red planet.

The bright sun gave a false impression of a warm day. The air was cold, and the zero humidity made it even colder.  The wind was unreal. Pulling the breath out of your lungs and not giving it back. It certainly felt like another planet.

I wanted to hike down the trails, and be immersed in the strange landscape, but the elements seemed too rough. So we just drove along the road, rarely passing another car.  Stopping at the overlooks, mostly alone on this strange red part of our planet.

I’ll never forget how weird the desert looked.