sharynk02: Black Canyon National Park

Monday, September 20, 0210

Today we went to a national park. It was gorgeous. We spent 3 1 /2 hours there walking on the edge and taking pictures.The Black Canyon was discovered by a man named William Torrance in 1900. He along with Abraham Lincoln Fellows negotiated the Gunnison river 54 miles in order to survey it for future appreciation.

The canyon walls are made up of granite, volcanic rock and quartz. The veins you see in the picture were formed more than a million years ago from molten rock being pushed up into the fractures and joints in the existing rock and then cooled and hardened. I wanted to get out there with a polisher and create a new counter top.

The canyon itself is only 2700 feet down from the top ledge but it is every bit as impressive as the Grand Canyon. The erosion process is extremely slow. It only erodes one inch per century. There is a 6 mile tunnel that was dug through the rock in order to allow water to flow to the arid surrounding towns. It still, to this day, is the only water source.

There is a sign that states.not to throw rocks over the edge because potential hikers. Of course Tommy did not adhere!

By now, all the pictures, I'm sure, are starting to look alike. Another mountain, another lake, another stream, another rock....but the truth of the matter is: everywhere we go is completely different. The most changing thing for us is the time of day we observe it all. The sun has so much to do with how pretty or how bland it all looks. In the afternoon, the red rocks are lit up and incredible, but in the mornings the evergreens are most beautiful.

After we left the park we hit Target and Walmart, (that is about the best we can do as far as retail goes). We needed more fishing things. We scouted out a place along the river where we will try our luck again tomorrow. I think we are addicted, already!